BLACKBURN Rovers served up a goal feast at Ewood Park as they overpowered FK Vetra to secure a place in the UEFA Cup.

Morten Gamst Pedersen set the ball rolling with a first half header, then three goals in a devastating seven minute spell immediately after the break ensured Rovers won this third round Intertoto Cup tie 6-0 on aggregate.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg in Lithuania last week, Mark Hughes' side took a vice-like grip on this tie thanks to Pedersen, who scored with a stooping header in the 25th minute.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men shortly before the interval when Dejan Miloseski picked up a second yellow card for elbowing Stephen Warnock in the face.

That opened the floodgates and Rovers ran riot in the second half, ruthlessly exploiting the gaps in the Vetra defence.

Jason Roberts grabbed the second in the 48th minute, tapping the ball in from a yard out after a determined run and cross from man-of-the-match Pedersen.

Then six minutes later, Benni McCarthy scored the goal of the game - and his second in the space of a week - when he steered an acrobatic overhead kick past the keeper following a raking David Bentley cross.

Vetra keeper Vaidas Zutautas then found himself picking the ball out of his net again sixty seconds later, Chris Samba appearing to get the final touch on an inswinging Pedersen free kick.

Before the game, Rovers officials also confirmed the signing of Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz, who has put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Rovers: Friedel, Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Bentley, Mokoena, Savage, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts. Subs: Dunn (for Mokoena, 53), Derbyshire (for McCarthy, 57), Rigters (for Roberts, 57) Not used: Tugay, Henchoz, Gallagher, Enckelman Att: 11,854