It's getting tight

Damien Duff -- Blackburn's very own Champion hurdler -- is not normally known for his goalscoring prowess but he lit-up this otherwise nervy relegation battle with a strike of remarkable quality on a night when Rovers climbed out of the bottom three for the first time since February 9.

And, judging by the way he's currently terrorising defences like a man possessed, Japan and South Korea won't know what's hit them when the Republic of Ireland international rolls into town for the World Cup finals in the summer.

It's not long since manager Graeme Souness called on his inspirational winger to contribute more goals to Rovers' survival bid and the insatiable Irishman has responded in the most emphatic way possible over the last eight days.

First, Aston Villa were the ones to perish at the tip of his sword after his stunning left foot finish left Peter Schmeichel floundering last week.

But that goal seems average when compared to his latest effort which was a worthy candidate for any goal of the season competition in the land.

The Ipswich defence appeared to be in little danger when Duff received a throw-in with his back to goal over by the left-hand touchline in the 20th minute.

What happened next, however, was simply inspired.

A quick pirouette saw him slip the attentions of a couple markers in a blur then a quick dab on the accelerator left two further defenders trailing in his wake before he applied the coup de grace with a low right-footer which crept inside Matteo Sereni's near post.

It was a moment of pure genius which looked strangely out of place in an otherwise drab game.

But Duff certainly wasn't complaining afterwards as St Patrick's Day came early at Ewood.

"I think that's the first time I've ever scored two goals on the bounce so I'm absolutely delighted," purred Duff.

"It was similar to the one I scored against Spurs earlier in the season and I enjoyed seeing it hit the back of the net because it was with my right foot as well, which I get a lot of stick about off all the lads.

"But I know I'm capable of doing that and it was just great to score in such an important game.

"I know we made hard work of it in the second half but there was a great sense of relief when the final whistle went because this was a huge result for us."

Not surprisingly, Ipswich boss George Burley failed to see it in the same light.

"That was a poor goal to concede defensively," said the Scot.

"You can't let someone go past four defenders like that. It just shouldn't happen.

"But it did and it was an uphill struggle for us after that."

With so much at stake in the battle to beat the drop, Ipswich came to Ewood with a gameplan designed to secure a point and it appeared to be working until Duff suddenly intervened in spectacular fashion.

Then, when Andy Cole added a neatly-taken second in the 43rd minute, Rovers looked to be coasting to three points with the minimum of fuss.

But it simply wouldn't be Rovers -- would it? -- without a second half collapse which nearly proved their undoing.

Suddenly, Marcus Stewart's header in the 55th minute handed Ipswich the lifeline they so desperately craved which then sparked a manic last half hour.

Passes went astray, the midfield disappeared, and a defence which had previously looked water-tight started to creak under the pressure.

But, thankfully, the Blues lacked the necessary invention to make all their possession count as Rovers held on by the skin of their teeth.

If Premiership survival is to be achieved come the end of the season, though, then they've got to start playing for the full 90 minutes.

Ipswich looked like a Nationwide Conference side during a first half short on quality as Rovers cruised into a 2-0 lead without breaking sweat.

Hakan Unsal fired an early warning when his dipping 20 yarder forced Sereni into a full-length save after 15 minutes.

But the visitors' reprieve lasted just five minutes before Duff then illuminated a scrappy contest with a piece of magic.

That goal seemed to settle the nerves as David Dunn then threatened again with a beautifully weighted chip which had Sereni backpedalling.

But in a rare moment of danger at the opposite end, Alun Armstrong briefly thought he had poached an equaliser only to be denied by an offisde flag.

Rovers heeded the warning and two minutes before the break they struck again with a wonderfully fashioned second.

Tugay fed Dunn down the right whose cut-back then found Cole and the England man turned sharply in the box before neatly tucking away goal number seven since his move from Old Trafford.

The second half should have been a cake-walk but it wasn't.

Brad Friedel saved brilliantly after Stewart's volley appeared to be creeping into the bottom corner.

But from the resulting corner, Ipswich's leading scorer then pealed off his marker to flick a clever header inside the far post.

Cue the panic!

On came Marcus Bent and Sixto Peralta and the visitors suddenly looked a completely different side as Rovers conceded ground all over the park.

However, despite all their late pressure, Friedel was not called on to make another meaningful save.

And, in fact, Rovers could have grabbed a third themselves in the final 10 minutes as both Mark Hughes and Martin Taylor went desperately close.

In the end, though, two proved enough.....but it was mighty close!

ROVERS 2

Duff 20, Cole 43

IPSWICH 1

Stewart 55