A LOOK at the key players and performances from the FA Cup replay against Barnsley at Ewood Park.
ROVERS
KELLY: First start of the season and reminded everyone what he can do with a cracking first half save from Mike Sheron...7
CURTIS: Starting to look like his old self again after lacking that bit of match sharpness in the previous couple of games...7
NEILL: Back in the side after suspension and made a strong case for keeping his place at Old Trafford with some thrusting forward runs...7
TAYLOR: Coolness personified at the back as Rovers comfortably snuffed out the Barnsley attack...8
JOHANSSON: Solid defensively and capped an impressive night with an expertly taken header in the second half...8
DUNN: Ran the show in midfield after being handed the captain's armband but sometimes guilty of being too flamboyant...8
JOHNSON: Good to see him back after a spell on the sidelines and he ran himself into the ground with a typically tigerish display...7
MAHON: Another who never stopped running all night and played his part in the second with a wonderful pass...7
GILLESPIE: His night had hardly got going before an injury meant he made an early exit...7
* HUGHES: Rolled back the years with a vintage display up front. Does anyone like this competition more than the Welshman?...8
GRABBI: Back in favour and back on the scoresheet. Let's hope that goal does wonders for his confidence...7
SUBS:
HIGNETT (for Gillespie, 24)...7
TUGAY (for Johnson, 77)...6
NOT USED: BJORNEBYE, DUFF, FRIEDEL
OPPOSITE CAMP
MILLER...Could do little about the goals 7
BARKER...Looks a decent prospect 7
WARD...Finally booked for his petulance 6
MORGAN...Conceded the penalty 5
CHETTLE...Couldn't handle Hughes 5
DONOVAN...Failed to impress 6
SHERON...Missed a crucial sitter 5
DYER...Scored a great consolation 6
BARNARD...Didn't impress down the left 5
NEIL...Tried to throw his weight about 5
MULLIGAN...Struggled to contain Mahon. 6
SUBS: CHRISTIE...(for Donovan, 63) 5
SAND...(for Ward, 75) 5
JONES...(for Sheron, 79) 5
STATS
TALE OF THE TAPE
(Rovers first)
12...Goal attempts...9
6...Shots on target...4
0...Woodwork...0
3...Offsides...4
6...Corners...5
20...Rovers...19
REFEREE...Mr P Dowd 6
BOOKINGS: Rovers; Gillespie (foul) Barnsley; Donovan (dissent), Ward and Neill (both fouls)
SENDINGS OFF: None
Attendance...10,203
TIME FOR ACTION:
06Veteran striker Mark Hughes forces a fine save out of Kevin Miller with a stinging low drive
11Martin Taylor connects with Alan Mahon's corner but his effort flies wide
22Alan Kelly plunges to his left to tip aside Mike Sheron's fierce volley
30It's 1-0 as Ciccio Grabbi turns and shoots past Kevin Miller after neat approach work by Hughes and Lucas Neill
36Sheron looks to the sky in frustration after shooting wide with the goal at his mercy
45David Dunn doubles Rovers' advantage with a cooly taken penalty after Neill is sent tumbling
49Game over as Nils-Eric Johansson rises to head home a Craig Hignett free kick
65Bruce Dyer gives Barnsley brief hope with a dipping 20-yarder which takes a deflection off Taylor
TACTICS:
GRAEME SOUNESS rang the changes but Rovers still possessed far too much quality, particularly in midfield where David Dunn and Damien Johnson complemented each other perfectly for an hour.
Lucas Neill's thrusting runs from the back also proved crucial as the Aussie played a part in two of the three goals
KEY MOMENT:
REFEREE Phil Dowd's decision to point to the spot in first half injury time. That was a huge psychological blow to Barnsley
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