Lancastria.net Yea Blackburn!

NIKOLA Kalinic has got Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League campaign off to a flying start by firing them to a 1-0 win over Everton.
A horrible blunder from Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard gifted Blackburn the points at Ewood Park.

The American inexplicably dropped the ball when he came to collect a cross in the 14th minute and Rovers striker Nikola Kalinic nipped in to score.

Everton plugged away for the equaliser but, although their passing was neat, they lacked a cutting edge up front.

Nikola Kalinic

Blackburn stuck to their task well but Paul Robinson needed to be at his best at the death to deny Phil Jagielka.

Ewood Park was bathed in sunshine before the match as Rovers paid tribute to benefactor Jack Walker on the 10th anniversary of his death, and Walker would have been proud of the way his team acquitted themselves.

They had a great chance to open the scoring with three minutes on the clock when Morten Gamst Pedersen put Martin Olsson clean through on goal. The Swede lofted the ball over the on-rushing Howard but it comfortably cleared the bar.

The home side were dealt a big blow when David Dunn was forced to leave the action after just nine minutes with what looked like a groin strain, sustained as he stretched to make a challenge.

Rovers fully deserved the victory and had chances to score more through Steven Nzonzi, Mame Biram Diouf and Phil Jones.

Paul Robinson was rarely tested but brilliantly kept out Phil Jagielka’s long range strike in the dying seconds.

Blackburn

* 01 Robinson
* 03 Olsson
* 04 Samba
* 05 Givet
* 06 Nelsen
* 27 Salgado yellow card
* 28 Jones
* 08 Dunn (Nzonzi 9)
* 12 Pedersen yellow card
* 09 Kalinic (Diouf 60)
* 10 Diouf

Substitutes

* 13 Bunn,
* 39 Chimbonda,
* 07 Emerton,
* 15 Nzonzi,
* 17 Andrews,
* 23 Hoilett,
* 41 Diouf

Everton

* 24 Howard
* 03 Baines
* 06 Jagielka
* 15 Distin
* 18 Neville
* 10 Arteta
* 17 Cahillyellow card
* 20 Pienaar
* 21 Osman (Beckford 59)
* 25 Fellaini (Rodwell 78)
* 08 Saha (Bilyaletdinov 73)

Substitutes

* 01 Mucha,
* 02 Hibbert,
* 05 Heitinga,
* 07 Bilyaletdinov,
* 26 Rodwell,
* 16 Beckford,
* 19 Magaye Gueye