ROQUE Santa Cruz bagged his 22nd goal of the season in first half injury time to cancel out an earlier strike from Derby's Kenny Miller.

Paul Jewell's struggling Rams, who are already relegated to the Championship, stunned Ewood into silence when they took a shock lead following a defensive howler.

However, Santa Cruz, who was deservedly named Rovers' player of the year before the match, then restored parity just before the interval to ensure the sides went in level at the break.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, courtesy of one of the simplest goals you are ever likely to see.

Roy Carroll's long punt down field should have been dealt with comfortably by Steven Reid and Stephen Warnock but both players stopped, thinking Miller was offside, and the Scotland international raced through unchallenged to slot a cool finish beyond Brad Friedel.

After that, it was all Rovers as Brett Emerton, Ryan Nelsen, David Bentley and Chris Samba all had chances.

Finally, that pressure told in the 45th minute, when Morten Gamst Pedersen fired in a shot that Carroll could only parry and Santa Cruz swooped to gobble up the rebound.

Rovers: Friedel, Reid, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Bentley, Emerton, Vogel, Pedersen, Santa Cruz, Roberts. Subs: Tugay, Derbyshire, Olsson, Ooijer, Brown Derby: Carroll, Mears, Todd, Moore, McEveley, Addison, Savage, Ghaly, Lewis, Miller, Earnshaw. Subs: Villa, Sterjovski, Feilhaber, Beardsley, Price