Blackburn Rovers 3 Lazio 2

BLACKBURN Rovers lived up to Graeme Souness's pre-match billing as the kings of entertainment after they conjured up a thrilling friendly victory over Lazio at Ewood.

A deadly three-goal blitz in the space of 19 stunning first half minutes saw Rovers complete their pre-season friendly programme with a morale-boosting win in front of their home fans.

But the Italians very nearly pulled off a brilliant come-back of their own when they were denied a dramatic late equaliser by the width of a post on a night when Rovers boss Souness was given plenty of food for thought ahead of the big kick-off in seven days time.

After scoring 24 times in their previous four friendlies, Rovers once again underlined their attacking qualities by racing into a 3-0 lead before the visitors had chance to work up a sweat.

But then, slightly worryingly for Souness, they also showed their defensive frailties by nearly throwing away a game they were in complete control of during a sloppy second half.

Despite that, however, there were still plenty of positives to come out of what was Rovers' most vigorous work-out to date.

And if they can make a side of Lazio's stature defend like the Keystone Cops at times then just what are Duff, Cole and Yorke going to do once the serious stuff starts in earnest against Sunderland a week today?

Once again, Yorke made his mark with his fourth pre-season goal in as many outings since his bargain £2 million move from Manchester United.

But it was the form of fellow United old-boy Keith Gillespie which the visitors found too hot to handle in an absorbing first half.

Rovers had the game sewn up inside the opening 19 minutes as the Lazio defence pressed the self-destruct button.

Barely 38 seconds had elapsed when Damien Duff fed a ball out to Hakan Unsal on the left and the Turk's cross was sliced past his own keeper by a red-faced Paolo Negro.

However, not content with that act of generosity, the Italians then gifted Rovers a second six minutes later courtesy of another piece of comic defending.

A shot from Duff looped into the air but Emanuele Pesaresi then made a complete hash of his attempted back-pass and Yorke nipped in as quick as a flash to coolly round keeper Luca Marchegiani before stroking the ball into an empty net.

By now, the Italians were in complete disarray and another incisive move involving David Dunn and Gillespie saw Andy Cole head wide from eight yards out.

But a third did arrive in the 19th minute when the irresistible Gillespie was the instigator again, this time tricking his way past a defender following a short corner on the right before delivering a pin-point cross for Henning Berg to steer home a stooping header at the near post.

That prompted taunts of 'Are you Burnley in disguise?' from a joyous Blackburn End and the visitors could have suffered even further embarrassment when Fernando Couto sliced yet another Gillespie centre against the outside of a post when attempting to clear.

Had that gone in the game really would have been up but the Italians then gave themselves a lifeline when Claudio Lopez suddenly raced clear of a flat-footed Rovers defence to latch onto a flick from Simone Inzaghi before steering a cool finish beyond Brad Friedel in the 25th minute.

And they could have reduced the deficit even further three minutes later but Lopez's composure deserted him when a cross from Dejan Stankovic found him unmarked at the far post.

Nevertheless, Lazio coach Roberto Mancini still decided to make wholesale changes at the break as star men such as Hernan Crespo, Jaap Stam and Alessandro Nesta entered the fray as part of an eight-man reshuffle.

As a result, the second half bore little resemblance to the first as the visitors really took the game to the home side.

Inzaghi headed wide from a Massimo Oddo cross in a sign of things to come before the Italians then underlined Rovers' defensive uncertainty when they did pull another one back in the 71st minute.

Craig Hignett -- on as a sub for Gillespie -- lost possession deep in his own half and, though Crespo's cross was initially cleared, the ball was then returned from the left for Fabio Liverani to steer a low drive inside Friedel's right-hand post.

By now, Rovers looked increasingly ragged as tired legs caught up with them.

And Lazio very nearly took full advantage by conjuring up a late equaliser in the 87th minute.

Oddo produced a peach of a cross from the right which fell perfectly for Crespo but his diving header crashed against the post and bounced to safety.

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Unsal, Tugay, Berg, Todd, Gillespie, Dunn, Cole, Yorke, Duff. Subs: Taylor (for Berg, 60), Hignett (for Gillespie, 65), Grabbi (for Yorke, 72), Johansson (for Todd, 78) Not used: Pelzer, Kelly

LAZIO: Marchegiani, Cesar, Stankovic, Pesaresi, Lopez, Simeone, Pancaro, Fiore, Inzaghi, Negro, Couto. Subs: Baggio (for Stankovic, 46), Crespo (for Lopez, 46), Nesta (for Couto, 46), Giannichedda (for Simeone, 46), Gottardi (for Fiore, 46), Oddo (for Pancaro, 46), Liverani (for Cesar, 46), Stam (for Negro, 46), Favalli (for Inzaghi, 74), Concetti (for Marchegiani, 78)

REFEREE: Mr J Winter