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Blackburn 5, Posh 2 - Red card was rough luck on plucky Posh
EVEN with so much swine flu about in these parts, it was too much to ask Blackburn to deliver a pig's ear of a performance.
EVEN with so much swine flu about in these parts, it was too much to ask Blackburn to deliver a pig's ear of a performance.Instead the Premier League side cruised through to the Carling Cup quarter-finals by a margin of victory that was an insult to the intelligence of those watching.
Posh were the better side in a wide open contest until the game's pivotal moment three minutes before the break when a dreadful back-pass by substitute Russell Martin, a clumsy challenge by Joe Lewis and the determination of Morten Gamst Pedersen to throw himself to the floor rather than convert an obvious goalscoring opportunity, earned the home side a penalty and the keeper a red card.
Steven Reid rubbed it home by mishitting his spot-kick straight down the middle past replacement keeper James McKeown.
That put a Rovers side full of reserves 2-1 ahead which at the time was a great miscarriage of justice, but the tie was beyond Posh from that moment even though the 10 men battled gamely and even drew level for seven second-half minutes.
Posh had recovered from the loss of a third minute goal to a stunning free-kick strike from a surprisingly upright Pedersen to piece together some excellent passing movements, most notably when Tommy Rowe's outstanding cross was headed home at the far post by Chris Whelpdale on 16 minutes.
Lee Frecklington, George Boyd and Aaron Mclean all saw shots deflected wide, while Rovers responded with a header from Nikola Kalinic which struck the top of the crossbar.
Posh were handicapped before kick-off by the absence of key men Craig Mackail-Smith and Gaby Zakuani. They also lost right-back Charlie Lee to injury in the 34th minute and Shaun Batt was sacrificed to allow McKeown's entrance.
The absentees enabled the club's secret summer signing Krystian Pearce to make a rare start, while youth team player Nathan Koranteng sat on the bench.
Rovers made seven changes and understandably they appeared far more disjointed despite a dream start following Lee Frecklington's foul.
George Boyd was outstanding against a former Galictico in Michel Salgado and even stunned the paltry home crowd five minutes into the second half with a fierce drive following good work from Fecklington to bring plucky Posh level again.
But Posh were now being stretched regularly and even before Salgado beat McKeown at his near post in the 57th minute to restore his side's lead, Pedersen had missed an open goal from inside the six yard box, thus revealing why he didn't stay on his feet just before the break.
Posh never threatened to reply again and Benni McCarthy's cool finish and a second penalty harshly awarded for handball against Pearce converted by lumbering Croat Kalinic completed a scoreline which did scant credit to the underdogs' display.
Certainly club officials would be forgiven for wondering what on earth they have done to upset referees since the end of last season as a string of contentious decisions have gone against them.
Anthony Taylor, a referee from up the road to Ewood Park, is apparently heading for the Premier League and his hopeless one-sided officiating after the break will at least ensure a warm welcome at Blackburn in the future.
He also received a warm goodbye from the excellent Posh fans who stuck with their side throughout the mis-match of the second half.
Carling Cup eaction: Brave effort by Posh
Match details:
BLACKBURN 5
POSH 2
GOALS: Posh – Whelpdale (16 mins), Boyd (50 mins).
Rovers – Pedersen (3 mins), Reid (pen, 44 mins), Salgado (57 mins), McCarthy (72 mins), Kalinic (pen, 75 mins).
SENDING OFF: Posh – Lewis (denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity).
CAUTIONS: Rovers – Givet (foul).
REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire) 5.
ATTENDANCE: 8,419.
Player Ratings:
Peterborough
JOE LEWIS 5
First red card of his career left Posh with no chance
CHARLIE LEE 6
Limped out after strong start to the match
KRYSTIAN PEARCE 5
Appears to have a very casual approach to defending
CRAIG MORGAN 7
Imperiously held a makeshift defence together
TOMMY ROWE 6
Great cross for first Posh goal, struggled defensively
CHRIS WHELPDALE 6
Neat headed finish, a reward for an industrious display
TOUMANI DIAGOURAGA 5
Didn't keep possession well enough
LEE FRECKLINGTON 7
Good energetic display, set up second goal
GEORGE BOYD 8
Best player on the pitch by a mile, thumping finish
SHAUN BATT 6
Unlucky to be sacrificed after red card
AARON MCLEAN 6
Worked hard, but little support when Batt departed
Substitutes
Russell Martin: (for Lee, 34 mins) Howler arguably cost Posh the match 4
James McKeown: (for Batt, 43 mins) No blame can be attached to him 6
Jamie Day: (for Rowe, 76 mins).
Not used: Dominic Green, Paul Coutts, Dean Keates, Nathan Koranteng.
BLACKBURN
Jason Brown 6
Michel Salgado 6
Gael Givet 6
Martin Olsson 6
Philip Jones 6
David Hoilett 5
Steven Reid 6
Brett Emerton 6
Morten Gamst Pedersen 6
Benni McCarthy 6
Nikola Kalinic 5
Subs:
Ryan Nelsen: (for Givet, 59 mins).
David Dunn: (for Reid, 70 mins).
Keith Andrews: (for Emerton, 77 mins).
Jason Roberts: (not used).
Elrio Van Heerden: (not used).
Lars Jacobsen: (not used).
Paul Robinson: (not used)..
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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