Chelsea 0 Blackburn Rovers 1 - Peter White's big match verdict

KEVIN Gallacher must have cut a lonely figure in the visitors dressing room at half time during last night's dramatic Premiership encounter.

The Scottish striker had seen the half's best chance slip away from him inside just two minutes and must have been wondering when, or even if, both his and Blackburn Rovers' fortunes were ever going to change for the better.

Within minutes of the restart, however, gutsy Gallacher's refusal to hide in areas where he might not be so crucially exposed paid massive dividends with the winner and, by the end of the game, Rovers as a team knew the gods were smiling on them again.

Manager Roy Hodgson had instant recall of the half-time scene.

"Kevin was a bit upset he hadn't put us in front. But then he went out and did the best possible thing, by scoring in the second half," said the Rovers boss.

And, wearing the satisfied smile of a winner, he departed the post-match Press conference with a good luck message for Gianluca Vialli and his Chelsea team in next month's European Cup Winners' Cup final.

His motives, not surprisingly, were double-edged. A supporter of English football, Hodgson also knows that victory for Chelsea could yet help Blackburn Rovers to claim a UEFA Cup spot.

But, if they can play as they did last night in the two remaining matches, they will not need any outside assistance. This was more like the 97 vintage, not the 98 version.

The boys were back in town with a vengeance as they cashed in on their liking for most things in London by making it 13 points from six Premiership trips to the capital this season. And, like their manager's well-intentioned message of goodwill, there were two sides to the story.

First and foremost was the fact that Rovers were back in businesslike mood, lifted perhaps by last Saturday's clean sheet against Wimbledon and climb back up to sixth place on the back of other results.

But Hodgson's heroes also needed - and were certainly due - a change of fortune.

It came first with the winner and later in the most dramatic of circumstances as, in the dying minutes, both Mark Hughes and Frank Leboeuf struck the woodwork with even the excellent John Filan unable to do anything about them.

In the last three months, such strikes on goal have been flying in. Last night the tide turned and you could sense the relief and confidence flooding through the Rovers camp.

If ever there was a time and a place that their luck was going to change, you would have bet on Stamford Bridge where Rovers haven't lost since the play-offs 10 years ago.

That's discounting the penalty shoot-out in the Coca-Cola Cup earlier this season after a 1-1 draw.

For some reason, they just enjoy playing against Chelsea who have yet to register a Premiership win in the series, home or away.

Not that Rovers' latest victory was straight-forward. They looked the liklier side to score in the first half, finally did so in the second and then had to defend magnificently to keep Chelsea at bay.

Hodgson picked the anticipated team and was rewarded with some outstanding performances by those who returned.

None played better than Colin Hendry, who revelled in the physical challenge offered by the Chelsea strikers.

Billy McKinlay and especially Garry Flitcroft who was a tower of strength, shone in midfield and Filan kept his second successive clean sheet since coming back from injury.

Confidence simply oozed from the Australian and spread to the rest of the team as Rovers employed a counter-attacking operation but, most important, looked capable of winning back the ball when they lost it.

And that is something that has been missing from their game during the slide.

Even when they had to reshuffle following an ankle injury to Tim Sherwood, Gary Croft went on and had an outstanding second half with the defence staying strong and determined.

The form tables showed Rovers next to the bottom and Chelsea third from top before the game.

But it was Rovers who began the brighter, encouraged by a blunder from Andy Myers, who had a nightmare first half. It let in Gallacher who seemed a certain scorer but, for some reason, he kept glancing behind him, veered to the left and gave Dmitri Kharine the chance to save which the keeper gratefully accepted. It looked, ominously, like a case of here we go again.

But, apart from a couple of minutes when Hughes shot fractionally wide and Dan Petrescu had a powerful header well saved, Rovers were comfortable. In fact they almost nicked the lead on half time with an excellent attempt by the impressive Chris Sutton.

The second half produced a dream start and that change of luck for which Gallacher had worked so hard.

Damien Duff's cross brought a slip by Leboeuf, the ball deflected to Gallacher in the perfect poacher's position and he toe-poked it home.

Both sides made changes, Rovers through need, Chelsea through preference and the home team dominated possession.

But Rovers were ever-dangerous on the break and, with slightly more quality to their passing, would have made it count.

Sutton was only inches wide with a shot and Hendry off target with a header. But Chelsea showed their threat with a flowing move that saw Filan save superbly from Hughes.

Hendry made some outstanding clearances as the crosses flew in but it was in the fateful closing minutes that the decisive moments came.

First Hughes was left in the clear from Graeme Le Saux's cross. It was as good a chance as Gallacher's early opportunity, he pulled the trigger and the ball hit the outside of a post.

In seemingly interminable stoppage time, Leboeuf lined up a free kick just outside the penalty area, detonated it towards the top corner and the ball struck the angle of the goal frame which is probably still shuddering.

Rovers had survived to claim a result that can only lift everyone for the two major challenges still to come.

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