SSV REUTLINGEN 0 Blackburn Rovers 2

PAUL Gallagher underlined his determination to nail down a regular starting spot in the Rovers attack with two well-taken goals in the opening game of the SSV Reutlingen tournament.

The Scotland international bagged a goal in each half to add to the one he got against SG Schorndorf last Friday.

And the 20-year-old might have even made it a hat-trick only to see a late chance curl just the wrong side of the far post.

With Andy Cole now a Fulham player and Dwight Yorke seemingly out of the picture, Gallagher knows there's two potential striking places up for grabs with three weeks to go before the start of the season.

Jon Stead and Paul Dickov are still the favourites to start against West Brom on August 14.

But Gallagher may yet muscle his way into Graeme Souness's plans after taking his tally to three goals in two games on the back of another lively performance here in Germany.

SSV Reutlingen, a German fourth division outfit, provided stiffer opposition than SG Schorndorf, who Rovers crushed 8-0 last week.

But Souness's side still had too much fire-power for the tournament hosts and may well have added to their tally had they shown a little more composure in front of goal.

David Thompson took the opportunity to step up his comeback by playing the whole of this 50 minute game and he impressed in a central midfield role, the highlight of his performance being a rasping 35-yard volley which forced home keeper Marco Langner into an acrobatic tip-over.

Gallagher could have opened his account in the eighth minute when he wriggled free on the left but Langner saved sharply at his near post.

Five minutes later, however, the former Academy starlet did find the net, burying a shot from close range after pouncing on Vratty Gresko's cut-back.

Reutlingen had their moments as Giuliano Saggiamo and Markus Schneider both fired wide.

But Rovers continued to call the shots in the second half and Gallagher grabbed his second when he clinically polished off Garry Flitcroft's centre with a low finish.

With two minutes left, he could have completed a hat-trick but his shot from an acute angle crept just wide of the far upright.

SSV ULM 0 BLACKBURN ROVERS 0 (Rovers won 4-3 on penalties)

JAVIER De Pedro joined the ranks of Garry Flitcroft and Steven Reid by managing to get himself sent off on his Blackburn Rovers debut here in Germany last night.

Flitcroft and Reid have suffered similar fates in the past and it took Rovers' new Spanish signing just 17 minutes to join the exclusive club.

In fairness, the 30-year-old was the victim of a ludicrous decision by a referee clearly intent on making a name for himself.

There's no real need to send anyone off in a pre-season friendly when the match officials have the option of insisting on a player being substituted instead.

But the decision to dismiss De Pedro was even more ridiculous than most as he was shown two yellow cards in a matter of seconds for what were petty offences.

The referee then lost all control after that and started brandishing cards like confetti as Lorenzo Amoruso, Michael Gray and Paul Dickov all ended up in his notebook.

De Pedro's dismissal overshadowed what could have been an entertaining final against SSV Ulm, another German fourth division side.

In the 17 minutes he was on the pitch, he had looked a different kind of left winger to someone in the Damien Duff mould.

Whereas Duff is all about speed and slight of foot, De Pedro is a more of a ball player who likes to get crosses into the danger zone early.

He's not particularly blessed with pace but what he does appear to have is a sweet left foot - something Rovers were missing in midfield for the whole of last season.

The former Real Sociedad player was just beginning to get into this game when he caught an Ulm defender with a late challenge.

It was slightly petulant perhaps, though not malicious, but the referee wasted little time in reaching for a yellow card.

When De Pedro then contested the decision, he was booked again.

After that, Rovers had to dig deep with Dominic Matteo, another new signing making his debut, one of the more accomplished performers at the back.

Chances were few and far between for both sides in an increasingly scrappy encounter but Jonathan Stead spurned a couple of presentable opportunities to win it for Rovers.

So to penalties and Friedel saved Ulm's first two efforts to set-up a 4-3 shoot-out victory. Amoruso, Emerton, Stead and Douglas scored, Dickov missed.