BLACKBURN turned up the heat in the battle for promotion with a fourth straight victory against struggling Crewe on Saturday -- but it came at a price with influential duo Mark Hughes and David Dunn now facing suspensions.

Hughes and Dunn both collected their fifth bookings of the season which means they now face bans in a fortnight's time.

And that is sure to test Ewood chief Graeme Souness's resources with midfield hard-man Garry Flitcroft likely to be out for two to four weeks after fracturing his big toe in the Boxing Day triumph over Birmingham.

That took the gloss off a Blackburn victory which lifted Souness's troops to within three points of second-placed Bolton.

But, having tasted just one defeat in 15 games since a 2-1 loss at Fulham in October, Rovers went to Norwich today in confident mood as they looked for their fifth straight victory of the festive period.

"We've had a good holiday programme but we've still got another difficult game to come today," said Souness. "On Saturday against Crewe I thought we were a yard off the pace in the first half but, to be fair to the players, it was a little bit tricky kicking towards that end.

"Some of our passing wasn't up to scratch and our control let us down. But we stepped up a gear in the second half and caused them all sorts of problems.

"We could easily have scored the goals that would have sent our supporters home happy.

"The most difficult part of the game is to put the ball in the back of the net. The second most difficult is to actually create those chances. "We are doing the second most difficult part and, considering the amount of good chances we are creating, we should be winning in a more convincing way. But that will come.

"You have to give Crewe a great deal of credit, though, especially on their resources. They attempt to play the game the way I think it should be played and they deserve credit for that."

Matt Jansen grabbed the all-important goal, stroking home his 10th of the season after a succession of chances had gone begging.

But the game is more likely to be remembered for an astonshing Jansen miss just five minutes after the break.

"Only a few people could have scored the kind of goal Matt scored against Birmingham but now we have two candidates for miss of the season -- Mark Hughes at Burnley and now Matt Jansen at home to Crewe," said Souness. "But I have to be happy with our second half performance.

"This was always a banana skin for us because in everyone's eyes it was our easiest game over the holiday period. But I didn't see it that way. Crewe are a team who if you stand off them will pass it and cause you problems.

Meanwhile, Souness was hopeful of bringing back Brad Friedel for this afternoon's clash at Carrow Road.

The United States international missed Saturday's game after suffering from double vision against Birmingham. "We just felt that, given it was a knock to the head, we would give him an extra few days," said Souness. Alan Mahon is struggling with a knee injury.

Rovers were expected to choose from: Friedel, Curtis, Bjornebye, Taylor, Berg, McAteer, Dunn, Hughes, Duff, Jansen, Bent, Hignett, Dailly, Short, Kenna, Ostenstad, Filan, Kelly.

Midfield star David Dunn escaped without injury after a minor bump outside Ewood on Saturday.