PRESUMABLY maths was never Glenn Hoddle's strong point at school.

For wasn't it the former England manager who once lambasted Andy Cole for needing five chances to score a goal?

Well, Mr Hoddle, for your information Blackburn's new saviour needed just two and a half chances to mark a brilliant home debut with a breathtaking strike as Rovers wrapped up their first league win at Ewood since October 14.

And judging by the way he's adjusting to life after Old Trafford, Hoddle may need more than a calculator to keep a check on his goals tally between now and the end of the season as the 30-year-old striker plans to blaze a trail all the way to the World Cup finals in Japan.

Fresh from opening his account with a typically predatory finish in Tuesday night's Worthington Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday, Ewood erupted when Cole took his tally to two in three games with a devastating first half finish which exploded past a startled Dean Kiely.

It was no more than a half chance which most mere mortals would have skied into the Blackburn End.

But Cole's nose for such an opportunity is what marks him out as one of the deadliest executioners of the striker's art.

And, providing he stays fit over the next four months, then you can forget all talk of relegation.

A plethora of strikers have tried and failed to fill the boots of Alan Shearer since the Ewood legend returned to his Geordie roots some five and a half years ago.

However, no disrespect to the Ashley Wards and Kevin Davies's of this world, but Blackburn fans have now finally found a worthy successor for Shearer's number nine shirt.

An expectant home crowd buzzed with anticipation at the prospect of seeing Cole make his eagerly awaited home debut, ironically in Rovers' 300th game in the Premiership.

And Graeme Souness's club record signing certainly didn't disappoint, not only finding the net himself but having a major hand in three further goals for Tugay, Craig Hignett and Matt Jansen.

But as supporters filed out of Ewood with Cole's name still reverberating in the bitterly cold night air, the most heartening aspect of the afternoon was the way their new hero formed an almost telepathic understanding with strike-partner Jansen during a cracking first half.

"It was frightening at times, especially in the first half," said Jansen.

"Considering that was only our second game, I thought we linked up fantastically together.

"But then you're always going to hit it off with a quality player like Andy because he creates a lot of space, he's sharp, and he's a great finisher.

"He attracts defenders away from him, which gives me more space, and in turn he'll get more space from my runs as well.

"So it's early days yet but it's looking good."

After taking just three points from a possible 21, another defeat would have plunged Rovers into the throes of a dog-fight, particularly with tough games against Manchester United and Arsenal looming large on the horizon.

Thankfully, however, Cole's arrival has brought an injection of new belief both on and off the pitch.

But though the margin of victory would suggest this was a stroll in the park, for 20 nailbiting minutes in the second half it was anything but.

As at Hillsborough on Tuesday, Rovers looked home and hosed by half-time after cantering into a 2-0 lead courtesy of impressive strikes by Cole and Tugay.

But, following such a wretched run of results, confidence remains fragile and a second half howler from Stig Bjornebye changed the whole mood of the afternoon in an instant.

Suddenly, Rovers went to pieces, their passing went to pot, and only a coat of paint on Brad Friedel's crossbar prevented Claus Jensen from pulling it back to 2-2.

Had that effort counted panic really would have set in and it was only after Scott Parker was quite rightly red-carded that the visitors' fire was finally extinguished.

But for now, at least, let's concentrate on the positives because, after all, it's three months since we last had a league win at home to savour.

Poor as Rovers were immediately after the break, some of their football in an end-to-end first half was simply exhilarating as Cole and Jansen struck up an instant rapport.

The former Manchester United man's goal-scoring prowess is already well documented but it was the quality and intelligence of his link-up play which shone out like a beacon.

His movement and speed of foot and thought gave Rovers a whole new dimension going forward.

And, while a Charlton defence which read 'Costa Fortune' was preoccupied with keeping him in check, Jansen and Damien Duff revelled in the extra space that created.

Duff, in particular, had a field day on the left, mercilessly putting former Bolton defender Mark Fish to the sword and the Irishman alone could have had a first half hat-trick.

Rovers made the perfect start, racing into a 1-0 lead inside the opening five minutes.

David Dunn, John Curtis and Cole were all involved in the build up before Tugay side-stepped a defender on the edge of the box and curled a stunning right footer into Kiely's bottom left-hand corner.

With both sides adopting a cavalier approach, Cole then rattled a post after a neat exchange with Jansen.

And the England international was thwarted again -- this time by Kiely -- after struggling to tame Dunn's clever through-ball.

John Robinson and Scott Parker then missed good chances at the opposite end before Cole delivered the goal he'd been threatening in first half stoppage time.

Curtis powered past a defender on the right before cutting the ball back for Dunn who in turn fed Cole and the striker's first time shot from the edge of the area whistled into the top right corner.

In a scrappy second half, the visitors were handed a lifeline when Jason Euell pulled it back to 2-1 after pouncing on a poor clearance from Bjornebye and things could have got worse as Jensen struck the bar.

But, after Parker was then dismissed for dragging down Jansen in the 64th minute, Rovers made maximum use of the extra man.

Birthday-boy Hignett slammed home his third goal in as many games with five minutes left to settle the home side's nerves.

And it was left to Jansen to wrap things up with two minutes remaining, finishing clinically after a neat exchange between Cole and Dunn.

Game, set and Matt!

RESULT:

ROVERS 4

Tugay 5, Cole 45, Hignett 85, Jansen 88

CHARLTON ATHLETIC 1

Euell 53

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