Rampant Rovers jump clear

Blackburn jumped out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle at Ewood Park.

Roberts brace and McCarthy penalty lifts Rovers out of bottom three

Blackburn jumped out of the relegation zone with a 3-0 victory over Newcastle at Ewood Park. The visitors had the better of the first half, with Keith Andrews having to clear an Andrew Carroll header off the line in the 13th minute. But Rovers took the lead after the restart when Benni McCarthy slotted home from the penalty spot on 61 minutes after being fouled by David Edgar. Jason Roberts then smashed home the crucial second goal five minutes later after Morten Gamst Pedersen had knocked on a long free-kick from Paul Robinson. Nicky Butt was then sent off for a second bookable offence in the 83rd minute before Roberts wrapped up the win with a tap-in three minutes later. With Middlesbrough hammered at West Brom and Tottenham not playing until Sunday, Blackburn's victory meant Rovers moved up to 16th place, out of the bottom three on goal difference. But it could have been different as Newcastle had the better of the first half but could not score. Striker Carroll nodding Damien Duff's sixth-minute cross tamely wide, while Andrews cleared off the line from Carroll's looping header at a 13th-minute corner and Michael Owen bobbled a shot across Robinson's goal.

Wasted possession

When Blackburn got the ball their delivery was poor, with Tugay and Brett Emerton both guilty of wasting possession. Pedersen had one decent break from the centre of midfield but when it came to picking out the run of McCarthy he failed miserably. The ball spent more time in the air than at players' feet and right-back Andre Ooijer and Tugay both blazed long-range shots well over. Rovers' best chance of the half came when Chris Samba's 36th-minute header from Pedersen's throw-in bounced a couple of feet past Shay Given's right-hand post. However, at the other end Butt should have at least hit the target from eight yards having been played in by Duff on the right but he poked his shot wide, and Carroll also hooked well over from a corner. Late on in the half Blackburn lost Samba to an eye injury after Carroll accidentally caught him, meaning a reshuffle with midfielder Dunn coming on. Emerton slotted in at right-back and Ooijer moved into the centre of defence. Five minutes into the second half Duff put Owen through but when he crossed to the far post Charles N'Zogbia fired high over the crossbar. N'Zogbia then fouled Andrews on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area but McCarthy's driven shot around the wall was superbly tipped on to the left-hand post by the diving Given.

Inject drive

Tugay was replaced by Vince Grella in the 59th minute as Rovers boss Sam Allardyce sought to inject more drive into the midfield and within two minutes Rovers were ahead. Emerton's hanging right-wing cross was destined for McCarthy at the far post until Edgar sent the striker tumbling to the floor. Referee Rob Styles pointed to the spot and the South Africa international picked himself up to fire past Given. It was his fourth goal in as many matches having been restored to the starting line-up when Allardyce replaced the sacked Paul Ince. Rovers were immediately lifted and Roberts made it 2-0 five minutes later when Robinson's long punt downfield was helped on by Pedersen and the striker smashed home his third in five matches. McCarthy then departed to a standing ovation as Allardyce sent on Roque Santa Cruz. The Blackburn fans seemed to be in two minds how to react. The Paraguayan's arrival was greeted by a chorus of boos but less than a minute later they were chanting his name. Newcastle's frustrations boiled over in the 83rd minute when Butt clattered into Dunn and was sent off for a second yellow card, having been booked 10 minutes earlier. The former England midfielder reacted by blasting the ball into the crowd before taking a slow walk off the pitch and down the tunnel. Roberts added the third four minutes from time when he stabbed home Pedersen's cross from close range.

Blackburn Rovers	Team Statistics	Newcastle United
3	Goals	0
0	1st Half Goals	0
4	Shots on Target	2
5	Shots off Target	6
2	Blocked Shots	1
2	Corners	5
15	Fouls	12
10	Offsides	3
2	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	1
64.8	Passing Success	67.5
21	Tackles	14
76.2	Tackles Success	85.7
47.6	Possession	52.4
53.5	Territorial Advantage	46.5