Division One: Ipswich Town 0 Blackburn Rovers 0 - Peter White's match verdict

TONY Parkes has understandably spent the past couple of weeks trying to deflect the spotlight away from his goal-shy strikers. So George Burley should really have known better than to make his pre-match boast.

"There are no better marksmen in the First Division than David (Johnson) and Marcus (Stewart)," claimed the Ipswich Town manager of his two free-scoring front men.

So it must rank as the biggest back-handed compliment that Christian Dailly and Marlon Broomes have ever received as they reduced the prolific Portman Road duo to firing blanks - for the second home game in succession!

There was, it should be said, more than a little help from goalkeeper Alan Kelly and the woodwork as Blackburn Rovers picked up a point that should not be under-valued, despite the circumstances.

Parkes readily accepts his team need to win games but you cannot complain about taking on one of the First Division's best sides and coming away with a hard-earned draw.

And, if Rovers' defenders needed any further confirmation of their creditworthy performance, it came from an illustrious figure, former Ipswich and England star Kevin Beattie.

The Portman Road legend was full of praise for the way Rovers handled the division's biggest threat and singled out Dailly.

"I thought he was absolutely magnificent," said a man who knows a thing or two about centre-back play.

Rovers are clinging onto an outside hope of a play-offs spot and are aware that, sooner or later, they are going to have to start a winning run. But at least there was nothing wrong with the way they went about their task against a team many - including me - feel will take the other automatic promotion place behind Charlton.

They had a rough ride at times in the first half when, as well as other chances, Ipswich twice struck the woodwork and, really, did everything but score.

Taking heart from that, they closed down the midfield area where Jim Magilton had run the show in the first 45 minutes and, suddenly, the supply lines started to dry up.

It was then time to try to step up their own game and the introduction at half time of Matt Jansen certainly made a difference to them as an attacking force.

While not having the same chances as Ipswich in terms of quantity, there were a couple of quality openings that came around and went begging.

Ashley Ward, Broomes and Jansen all found themselves with the kind of opportunities that could have decided the game.

As Parkes said afterwards: "We might just have pinched it in the second half."

How right he was and, although that would have been rough justice on an Ipswich side who had called the tune for much of the evening, it would still have been welcome in the Blackburn camp. Rovers decided to start with the team that finished at Tranmere and were soon up against it as Ipswich went looking to put Saturday's shock home defeat by Portsmouth behind them.

The home side were very impressive and it soon became a case of survival for Rovers.

Magilton was just wide early on, then Jamie Clapham struck a ferocious volley against the top of the bar from more than 20 yards in the 12th minute.

It was a wonder Rovers survived their biggest scare 10 minutes before half time when Johnson forced two saves from Kelly and then chipped his final effort inches wide when he looked a certain scorer.

Four minutes later, Johnson hit the outside of a post from 22 yards as Rovers allowed Ipswich to dominate and were struggling to close down quickly enough in midfield.

At the other end, little had been seen of them as an attacking force. A goal rarely looked on the cards in a one-sided half, the only near thing being a Per Frandsen free kick which was just too high.

There was a distinct change of atmosphere, however, at the start of the second half - Jansen finally forcing Richard Wright into a save.

Simon Grayson, for the second time in the game, pulled off some astute defending to prevent Johnson giving Ipswich a 53rd minute lead but then it was Rovers who began to threaten more.

The best opening came in the 62nd minute when Garry Flitcroft surprised Ipswich with a quick free kick to leave Ward in space.

He had a free header but, unfortunately, directed it fractionally the wrong side of a post. A minute later, another free kick - this time from Grayson - found Broomes in space but he miskicked with a good chance as defenders closed in.

Rovers continued to look the better bet for a goal, having turned things round from the first half, and a great crossfield ball by Damien Duff put Jansen on a run but his shot lacked power and was easily saved.

Ipswich still posed the odd threat, Tony Mowbray and Matt Holland shooting wide, but they seemed to have run out of steam.

Ward had another header late on before Kelly saved very capably from Jamie Clapham's free kick.

It was a good point, Rovers can only hope it will be of some value when they are totted up at the end.

PICTURE: Matt Jansen fires in a shot

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.