BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness breathed a sigh of relief after Andy Cole inspired Rovers to their first Premiership win at Ewood in three months with a goal on his home debut in the 4-1 victory over Charlton.

After six defeats from their last seven league games, Rovers desperately needed three points to lift the gloom which had descended over Ewood during a torrid Christmas.

But Cole responded on cue with his second goal in five days to pay off another hefty chunk of his club record transfer fee.

And Souness believes there is plenty more to come from his club record signing once he strikes up a deadly understanding with new strike partner Matt Jansen.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Souness. "I've had a miserable Christmas because of one thing and another so to get back to winning ways was a big relief for everyone.

"I thought Andy Cole was excellent and he probably scored from the most difficult chance he had all afternoon.

"You don't know how good a player is until you see them on the training ground but Andy has played at the highest level and it shows.

"His link-up play was very good, he made cute runs and cute passes and him and Matt Jansen played like a pair, they caused Charlton all sorts of problems, and we could have scored more goals than we did.

"But I'm just thrilled with the three points because this was a big win for us and I thought we deserved it.

"There were several outstanding performances. I thought Henning Berg was outstanding at the back, as was Tugay and David Dunn in the centre of midfield.

"And, like I've said before, I thought our strikers played as a pair, especially in the first half."

Turkish midfield ace Tugay had set the ball rolling with a stunning effort of his own in the fifth minute.

But Ewood then erupted to salute its new hero when Cole struck again in devastating style seconds before the break.

Jason Euell then put the outcome back in the melting pot when he pulled one back shortly after the interval.

But late goals from Jansen and Craig Hignett -- who was celebrating his 32nd birthday -- saw Rovers win at Ewood for the first time since the 7-1 demolition of West Ham on October 14.

"We know this is a massive win," said Jansen. "We don't want to get dragged into a relegation scrap because it just becomes a battle then.

"So we were all reminded just how big a game this was and, thankfully, we've now got a bit of breathing space before our trip to Manchester United on Saturday."

Jansen found himself at the centre of a storm in the second half when Scott Parker was red-carded for dragging the striker down in the 64th minute.

But, despite Alan Curbishley's insistence that his man played the ball, Jansen was adamant the defender had to go.

"The telly will show that he took my legs," he said. "I was through on goal so I wasn't going to go down, was I?

"There was definite contact and I couldn't stay on my feet."

Rovers' leading scorer also singled out winger Damien Duff for special praise after the Irishman turned in a man-of-the-match performance on the left.

"Duffer was fantastic," enthused Jansen. "Dean Saunders said the police were outside the dressing room afterwards waiting to arrest him for assaulting their full-back.

"But, seriously, he was awesome and he showed just what a great player he really is on his day.

"We've been working on him and Higgy coming in off the flanks and linking up with the strikers instead of just staying wide.

"And when he did that the opposition didn't know where he was going because he can go either side and he's so quick running with the ball."

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