Blackburn Rovers were left bottom of the English Premier League after a 2-1 Lancashire derby defeat at home to fellow relegation candidates Bolton Wanderers at Ewood Park on Tuesday. Bolton, who kicked off as the league’s basement club and remained in the bottom three even after this win, enjoyed a sensational start.
Mark Davies put them ahead inside five minutes and Nigel Reo-Coker made it 2-0 on the half-hour. Davies’s goal reignited the terrace taunts from Rovers fans towards manager Steve Kean, who has been under fire since he was appointed by Venky’s, the Indian-based poultry firm that owns the club, a year ago.
However, the jeers were stilled when Blackburn striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu pulled a goal back with 23 minutes left But that was as good as it got for Rovers, Premier League champions in 1995.
It had been suggested before kick-off that whichever of the two Scottish managers on show ended up on the losing side could be sacked before Christmas and Bolton boss Owen Coyle sympathised with Kean. “I feel for Steve – the shoe could have been on other foot, but I’m delighted to come out on the right end of the result,” Coyle told the BBC. “We’re in a position that’s self-inflicted. But the fans got behind the team and they can go into Christmas with a smile on their faces.” Coyle added: “Steve Kean is a very gifted coach and manager. You could get the 20 best coaches in football and someone’s got to occupy the bottom two. It’s an easy story to write but sometimes changing manager is not the solution. “Blackburn Rovers are a fantastic club. The supporters pay their money but have they ever given Steve a chance from the outset? I don’t think so.”
Cries of “Kean Out” could be heard all round Ewood Park after Bolton took a fifth minute lead when, after Rovers failed to clear a corner, David Ngog cut the ball back to Mark Davies whose first-time shot beat Paul Robinson. And a well-worked move saw Bolton double their lead in the 30th minute. Reo-Coker, making the most of yet more poor defending, burst through the middle and found Martin Petrov on the left.
Morten Gamst Pedersen failed to deal with Petrov’s mishit cross but Reo-Coker, despite having his back to goal, was still able to turn and score. But in the 67th minute Blackburn pulled a goal back when Yakubu, played in by Junior Hoilett, lofted the ball over Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. And in the fourth minute of stoppage time Rovers nearly equalised only for defender Christopher Samba to power a header wide of the post. Bolton are now second-bottom, two points above Rovers but still two shy of safety.
