Blackburn Rovers 1 Nottingham Forest 2 - Peter White's big match verdict

THE point of no return was reached by Blackburn Rovers as a Premiership club on Saturday, and by manager Brian Kidd as far as a number of his players are concerned.

In days long gone, the intended victims of the hangman's noose were usually carried to the gallows with a struggle - kicking, biting, scratching and screaming.

As a team on Saturday, Blackburn Rovers stood on the trapdoor with barely a whimper of protest.

You could almost have mistaken some of them for volunteers, walking not with hearts of oak but legs of jelly to their fate - white flags in hand.

They compounded it by wasting another penalty and the chance to spark the charge that would surely have wiped Nottingham Forest away.

And, if you cannot even help yourselves, no point looking elsewhere for salvation or blame. This one was down to the players who are going down more with disgrace than determination.

Especially as Forest, who lost Steve Chettle to a red card in the mayhem at the end of the first half, could clearly have been beaten - even by such a modest side as Rovers. It was a performance which earned the condemnation of their manager - a man used to taking the shedding of blood, sweat and tears for granted.

The last rites have yet to be officially performed but relegation will shortly be rubber-stamped.

If only Rovers had performed with the kind of pride and passion their magnifient supporters showed they could have been forgiven.

But they didn't. For long periods in the game, they looked like frightened rabbits caught in the glare of the headlights.

Someone suggested, with an element of truth, that there was a better team in the treatment room than on the pitch. But there was still a selection of highly-paid professionals out there and some of them, not all, failed dismally to give value for money.

To think that Rovers were beaten by the worst side in the Premiership - reduced to 10 men - says it all.

The danger has been evident since Everton won at Ewood in March and there will be no last-minute miracle escapes.

Indeed, what is even more worrying than Saturday's virtual assignment to Division One, is Wednesday's visit by Manchester United.

If they go belly-up again, Rovers could be totally humiliated.

A tidal wave of emotion swept over Ewood with balloons, ticker-tape, even a personal pre-match plea from Jack Walker which the fans answered in style. But then reality set in.

Rovers were stunned by an early goal, fought back with a superb reply but then shot themselves in the foot again with another missed penalty.

This time there was no hiding place. No-one could point accusing fingers at the referee who had a decent game always trying to play advantage, refusing to be conned by the likes of Hugo Porfirio and keeping cool when there was one mad moment involving Porfirio and Jason Wilcox.

If anything, his decisions went Rovers' way. For the penalty was a hairline one and we feared the worst over Wilcox's red-mist reaction to Porfirio's challenge.

But, in the end, it mattered little. For Rovers played like a relegation team, short on fervour and finesse - not to mention finishing power.

It is an indictment of their efforts that it took the introduction of David Dunn to give them the kick up the backside they needed.

But, again, it was too little too late.

The Ewood carnival was almost over in the 11th minute when Porfirio's cross was sweetly struck, first time, by Dougie Freedman with half a dozen defenders looking on in admiration.

But the fans maintained the atmosphere and, after Damien Duff had seen Mark Crossley get a touch to a glorious chance, Kevin Gallacher equalised.

Keith Gillespie cut inside, slipped a short pass to Gallacher and he measured a perfect chip from outside the 'D' of the penalty area. It was a marvellous goal but, sadly, the final moment of joy. Forest had the better of the chances before the break until the 45th minute when Steve Chettle slipped up, tried to retrieve his error and brought down Gallacher.

Chettle had to walk but Gallacher's spot kick was tipped onto a post and away by Crossley diving full stretch to his right.

Still, surely 10 men could be beaten. Lee Carsley had an effort headed off the line but, inexplicably, Rovers didn't seem to want to know in the second half and Forest seized their opportunity.

As with Freedman's goal there were bags of defenders around but none of them doing anything to stop Chris Bart-Williams planting a low shot from around 20 yards into the bottom corner.

Dunn made a difference and, in the last 10 minutes, Gallacher and Darren Peacock could have equalised but their efforts were already going over before Crossley's fingertips intervened again.

And it must be said, they hadn't done enough to keep survival hopes alive.

Results elsewhere confirmed that the end is nigh. We can only hope that when it comes, inevitably on Wednesday, it is not too painful.

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