Blackburn Rovers 7 Nottingham Forest 0

He left eulogising about Alan Shearer and Blackburn Rovers.

But that is hardly surprising as Bernard Lacombe, a formidable ex-French international forward, witnessed the kind of demolition job you see, perhaps, once in a decade - if you're lucky. Shearer himself described the team performance as "vintage".

Unbeaten in a record 25 successive Premiership games, Forest were completely and utterly destroyed by Rovers with a display that will rank as special on a very special day in Ewood history.

The red carpet was out for Jack Walker to open the new Ewood. But the only thing red at the end were Forest shirts and faces.

Lacombe spoke of Shearer's much-criticised scoring record for England and compared it favourably to his own for France. He is a player who also netted 255 goals in French League football, so he knows what he is talking about.

And he confessed: "His performance today was superb."

Lacombe might have added "Magnifique" about the Rovers display in general. He didn't but no-one was really bothered, because the players had said it all on the pitch.

And, while another Shearer hat-trick was certainly worth talking about, even his thunder was stolen to a slight degree by Lars Bohinen.

Verbally abused by his former Nottingham Forest supporters throughout, Bohinen provided the perfect answer with a midfield performance as near to perfection as you could wish to see.

Bohinen, clearly determined to shine against his old club which he left amid some bitterness, was absolutely brilliant.

It takes something of a special quality to outshine Shearer in this mood but the Norwegian, shrugging off the midweek disappointment of defeat by Holland and elimination from the European Championships, certainly provided it.

But, then again, so too did the entire Rovers team as they highlighted what was really Mr Walker's day with a remarkable victory.

Don't take too much notice of the fact that Steve Chettle was sent off for a second irresponsible foul in the second half.

By then it was already 3-0 and Rovers were so superior that they might well have gone on to score seven even if Forest had remained at full strength. For some time many people have been thinking that, one of these days, someone was going to suffer.

Well, Forest did as Rovers converted good chances, half chances and - at times - created chances out of nothing.

David Phillips, called upon as a fairly early substitute, must hate Ewood Park.

He was a member of the Norwich City team hammered 7-1 by Rovers in 1992 and that, at the time, was a record Premier League score.

Phillips, and the rest of his Forest team-mates, could find no answer on Saturday to a side who were clearly determined to help Mr Walker celebrate in style.

"Make my day," said Uncle Jack. And the players did it with a vengeance.

The midfield was exquisite - once again for those who remember the recent home games against Chelsea and Southampton.

Bohinen buzzed, so did David Batty, Tim Sherwood was elegance personified and Stuart Ripley made it clear why Stuart Pearce will never recapture the England left back spot from Graeme Le Saux on a permanent basis. A good start was crowned in the 20th minute by the opener from Shearer.

Ripley crossed, Mike Newell headed down and Shearer struck, right-footed from 10 yards.

On 28 minutes, Rovers fans acclaimed a super strike from Bohinen at the end of a glorious passing movement that finished with Shearer feeding the Norwegian.

Although seemingly tightly marked, he produced a nifty drag-back, left his opponent for dead and scored a super goal.

Earlier, Batty had actually twice cleared Forest efforts off the line and, in the first minute of the second half, they threatened again through Jason Lee. This time, the dominant Colin Hendry came to the goalline rescue. But after that it was Goodnight Vienna - and maybe the UEFA Cup in Lyon too - for a team who were outfought, outthought and, simply, outclassed.

The taunts of the Forest fans were shoved right back down their throats as they sought a rapid exit from the scene of their team's humiliation.

Shearer rose majestically after 58 minutes to power a header high into the net from Ripley's corner.

Ten minutes later, the striker was almost taking the Micky as he struck a fierce free kick towards goal from more than 25 yards and the hapless Mark Crossley helped it unwittingly into the net.

A hat-trick to celebrate but the thrills were far from finished.

Shearer fooled Forest from a similar free-kick position, this time chipping the ball in and when it fell for Bohinen around the edge of the penalty area he gratefully hammered the shot home via Crossley's flailing arm.

The sixth too came courtesy of Shearer. Freed by Batty's brilliance, he crossed low and hard and Crossley made a hash of his block, allowing Mike Newell to force the ball home from barn-door range.

While the crowd willed Batty and Ripley to get the goals that would have meant so much to those particular individuals it was not to be.

But there was even better to come.

How good to see Le Saux back in the old routine along the left flank and he crowned a marvellous Rovers show with a sensational last-minute goal.

A corner was cleared to about 35-yard range. Le Saux looked up, picked his spot in Crossley's top right-hand corner and smashed a magnificent shot in off the crossbar.

The frustrations that have built up at Ewood this season were finally forgotten.

What promised to be their toughest test against the form team of the Premiership turned into a demonstration of all that is, and has been, good about Blackburn Rovers since Mr Walker took control.

How fitting that they should pick the day his contribution was officially honoured to produce a record-breaking performance.

It was, without doubt, one for the history books. Bohinen buzzed, so did David Batty, Tim Sherwood was elegance personified and Stuart Ripley made it clear why Stuart Pearce will never recapture the England left back spot from Graeme Le Saux on a permanent basis.

A good start was crowned in the 20th minute by the opener from Shearer.

Ripley crossed, Mike Newell headed down and Shearer struck, right-footed from 10 yards.

On 28 minutes, Rovers fans acclaimed a super strike from Bohinen at the end of a glorious passing movement that finished with Shearer feeding the Norwegian.

Although seemingly tightly marked, he produced a nifty drag-back, left his opponent for dead and scored a super goal.

Earlier, Batty had actually twice cleared Forest efforts off the line and, in the first minute of the second half, they threatened again through Jason Lee. This time, the dominant Colin Hendry came to the goalline rescue.

But after that it was Goodnight Vienna - and maybe the UEFA Cup in Lyon too - for a team who were outfought, outthought and, simply, outclassed.

The taunts of the Forest fans were shoved right back down their throats as they sought a rapid exit from the scene of their team's humiliation.

Shearer rose majestically after 58 minutes to power a header high into the net from Ripley's corner.

Ten minutes later, the striker was almost taking the Micky as he struck a fierce free kick towards goal from more than 25 yards and the hapless Mark Crossley helped it unwittingly into the net. A hat-trick to celebrate but the thrills were far from finished.

Shearer fooled Forest from a similar free-kick position, this time chipping the ball in and when it fell for Bohinen around the edge of the penalty area he gratefully hammered the shot home via Crossley's flailing arm.

The sixth too came courtesy of Shearer. Freed by Batty's brilliance, he crossed low and hard and Crossley made a hash of his block, allowing Mike Newell to force the ball home from barn-door range.

While the crowd willed Batty and Ripley to get the goals that would have meant so much to those particular individuals it was not to be.

But there was even better to come.

How good to see Le Saux back in the old routine along the left flank and he crowned a marvellous Rovers show with a sensational last-minute goal.

A corner was cleared to about 35-yard range. Le Saux looked up, picked his spot in Crossley's top right-hand corner and smashed a magnificent shot in off the crossbar.

The frustrations that have built up at Ewood this season were finally forgotten.

What promised to be their toughest test against the form team of the Premiership turned into a demonstration of all that is, and has been, good about Blackburn Rovers since Mr Walker took control.

How fitting that they should pick the day his contribution was officially honoured to produce a record-breaking performance.

It was, without doubt, one for the history books.

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