JUBILANT Blackburn boss Graeme Souness last night saluted his Worthington Cup heroes after Rovers booked their first major Cup final appearance in 42 years.

Fab four Matt Jansen, Damien Duff, Andy Cole and Craig Hignett all grabbed a goal apiece as Rovers beat First Division strugglers Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 in last night's semi-final second leg to cruise through 6-3 on aggregate.

And now only the winners of tonight's second semi-final between Spurs and Chelsea at White Hart Lane stand between Rovers and their first major Cup triumph since 1928.

"It's fantastic to get to the final and we deserve to be there because we've played some wonderful stuff on the way," said Souness.

"The players have performed magnificently in this competition and I just hope when we get to Cardiff that we do our stuff, and make our supporters proud of us.

"Certainly, no-one will be looking forward to it more than me.

"I've had the experience of getting to a major final before and it's one of those things you want time and time again.

"In the back of my mind, I'll be thinking 'Will this be my last one?' So I'll really, really enjoy the day.

"But I'm sure it won't be my last."

Already leading 2-1 from the first leg, Rovers looked to be cruising after two goals in the space of three first half minutes from Jansen and Duff had put them firmly in the driving seat.

But skipper Garry Flitcroft then saw red for a reckless two-footed tackle eight minutes after the break and Rovers' 10-men then suffered a further blow when Stig Bjornebye handled in the box five minutes later, allowing Efan Ekoku to pull a goal back from the penalty spot.

However, late strikes from Cole and Hignett, sandwiched either side of a Trond Soltvedt header, eventually saw Rovers through -- although Souness admitted they were made to sweat.

"It was a dramatic game but we deserved to win," said the Rovers boss.

"It wasn't part of the gameplan to get our captain sent off and, after that, the tie changed completely.

"But even with 10 men we caused them problems and still had several chances.

"Eventually, Andy Cole scored from his most difficult chance of the night and Higgy got his usual goal.

"So, overall, we have to be delighted with our night's work.

"We're in a final and they are great occasions. It's not just a nice event, it's the whole build up as well, so we'll enjoy it."

As for who he would prefer to face in the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Sunday, February 24, Souness insists he has no preference ahead of tonight's second semi.

"I don't think it matters who we play in the final. Both of them are very good teams and they try to play the game in the way we try to play it.

"So it should be a really entertaining game whoever it is. We'll go there and try and win it. We certainly won't be going to try and nick a result because that's not our style -- we don't have the players to do that.

"So we'll have a go, and on any given day we are capable of giving anyone a game, as we proved at Old Trafford on Saturday -- the hardest place of all."

* Rovers' reserves are in action against Liverpool tonight at Morecambe's Christie Park (kick-off 7pm).