GARRY Flitcroft has never been one of the most prolific goalscoring midfielders of his generation.

In 242 appearances with Blackburn Rovers, Flitcroft has managed to find the net on just 18 occasions.

But when the skipper does score, he certainly knows how to pick his moments.

Rovers appeared to be heading for another damaging defeat on Saturday after Nicolas Anelka had fired Manchester City ahead with a stunning free-kick.

It was difficult to see where a goal would come from as Graeme Souness's side showed all the nerves of a team who were fighting for their lives.

But when the going gets tough, players like Flitcroft invariably get going.

So when the ball suddenly broke kindly in the box in the 55th minute, who was there to sweep the equaliser past a helpless David James but the Ewood enforcer himself.

It was a crucial strike and it's true importance in terms of Rovers' survival fight will only be known at the end of the season.

Another defeat at the hands of a side which has relegation concerns all of its own would have been too much to bare on the back of last week's debacle against Bolton.

Let's give credit where credit is due, though.

This might not have been a vintage performance but Flitcroft and his team-mates showed the kind of spirit that will be necessary if Rovers are to win their battle against the drop.

In the words of Souness himself, his players must show they have the genitalia for a scrap during the next three months.

"Mental strength is going to be a big factor between now and the end of the season," said Souness.

"It's time for your big players to stand up and be counted - the ones with big balls, if the ladies present will excuse that expression.

"We worked very hard. Unlike last week, when we collapsed in the second half, we kept going throughout and finally got our reward."

Based on this evidence, it's easy to see why City's plush new Eastlands Stadium has been re-christened the 'Temple of Doom' by gloating Manchester United fans.

The last time Kevin Keegan's side won a game here was on October 18 when they thrashed Bolton Wanderers 6-2.

Since then, they have drawn six and lost two and even Keegan's position as manager has come under increasing scrutiny as City have tumbled down the table.

That whispering campaign is now likely to gather even more momentum following the loss of two more precious home points.

It's a far cry from when these two sides met at Ewood earlier in the season.

Then, a late goal from Anelka secured a 3-2 win that sent City to the top of the Premiership for the first time in their history.

However, both clubs stars have waned since then and they now find themselves in a dog-fight.

It was no surprise, therefore, to see both sides gripped by fear in a game that neither could afford to lose.

Rovers lacked fluency going forward, rarely testing James in the City goal on his debut.

But the home side similarly found the going tough.

Nissa Johansson, who was drafted into yet another new-look Rovers back four in place of Martin Taylor, formed a formidable alliance with Markus Babbel and they needed to be on their guard against the classy Anelka.

However, the game's most outstanding player was Flitcroft who was at his ankle-biting best in the centre of the park.

His non-stop energy and raw aggression prevented City from taking a firm stranglehold in the engine room.

That meant the supply to Anelka was cut off at its source and City increasingly pumped long balls forward - hardly the kind of tactic you would associate with any side of Keegan's.

Before kick-off, both teams formed a guard of honour as a special presentation was made to retiring goalkeeper, David Seaman, to mark his achievements in the game.

However, the action that followed was hardly award-winning stuff as both sides failed to show the kind of urgency their managers would have demanded in their pre-match team talks.

Anelka raced onto a flick from Trevor Sinclair only to be denied by an imperious challenge from Babbel.

Then Sinclair cut in menacingly from the right but screwed his shot hopelessly wide of the post.

Midway through the half, both sides were temporarily reduced to 10-men when Sinclair and Jonathan Douglas were involved in a nasty clash of heads on the halfway line.

After treatment, both returned with bandaged heads but as the half wore on, it was City who began to work up a head of steam.

Antoine Sibierski struck the base of a post with a venomous drive from 25 yards.

Then Brad Friedel reacted brilliantly to scoop out Richard Dunne's header from a Michael Tarnat corner.

James was a relative spectator in comparison at the opposite end where his one meaningful contribution of the half was a routine save from Dwight Yorke.

The mercury rose significantly in a 15 minute spell immediately after the break.

City stormed ahead in the 50th minute when Lucas Neill was adjudged to have fouled Paul Bosvelt on the edge of the box.

It looked to me like a generous piece of refereeing on Mike Dean's part but Anelka wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth as he stepped up to bend an exquisite free-kick inside Friedel's left-hand post.

The home fans' celebrations were to last just five minutes, however, before Rovers struck back courtesy of a player who was once revered in these parts.

Neill's hopeful punt forward was flicked on by Andy Cole and, as Yorke tried to pounce, the ball squirted free to Flitcroft who gleefully swept a low drive past James.

Rovers gained the ascendancy for a spell after that as Douglas and Brett Emerton both went close with shots from distance.

However, that was the closest that either side came to a winner in an increasingly tense finale - meaning it's 'As you were' for those fighting to improve near the bottom of the table.

MANCHESTER CITY 1

Anelka 50

ROVERS 1

Flitcroft 55

Att: 47,090