Per keeps Rovers off the boos!

THE 'boos ban' suggested by Jack Walker in the long-term interests of Blackburn Rovers was successfully self-imposed by the hard-core Ewood faithful last night.

And, fortunately for all concerned, a substantial measure of 'spirit' was still prevalent both on and off the field to avoid the kind of really unhappy ending that might well have driven us all to drink.

Just how important Per Frandsen's late, late goal proves to be when the points are counted at the end of the season remains to be seen.

For, last night's match against a respectable Norwich City side - far superior to some of the opposition at this level - could be a watershed in this traumatic season.

Hammered for some of their performances in recent weeks, and deservedly so in many respects, there just had to be a positive response from Rovers' players if they were to retain any credibility of making something of the current campaign.

Thankfully, they dug deeper than ever before to produce Frandsen's pointsaver around three minutes into stoppage time.

Make no mistake, defeat would have been a huge burden to shoulder for a club who have still so much to sort out.

Victory had been expected and should really have been delivered. But, in the circumstances, a draw was eventually welcomed with a huge sigh of relief. How much, I wonder, did it owe to the fact that the fans did their utmost to help the team? Does it make a difference? Who knows?

But the roar that went up when the fourth official's board read '5' minutes extra time was as galvanising as anything that had been heard all night.

Most important of all, the players responded.

To be fair, they had more spark and sparkle about them all night than for the past few weeks.

Yes, they had won the two previous games but last night produced a far more convincing performance.

And, those who really know the game - football people like Tony Parkes - readily acknowledge that it takes better performances to produce long-term results.

Others simply react to results, thinking a win means everything is hunky-dory, defeat is disaster - a short-sighted, short-term view.

Rovers had to improve their performance level to have any hope of achieving the points total required for the play-offs.

They could have done with three last night and should have had them. But, then again, they could so easily have finished empty handed. For once, the match statistics do not lie.

They suggest that Rovers dominated the game. But they also illustrate the obvious problems which have been apparent all season.

For the amount of possession and attacking play the team enjoy they do not create sufficient genuine openings.

And, from those chances they do make, the return simply is not good enough.

One goal from 28 scoring attempts is not just abysmal, it is typical of the way this season has gone from the first match.

At least it produced a point. If Norwich, playing a classic counter-attacking game, had taken one of three excellent chances they created in the second half, the game would have been up for Rovers.

The lowest League crowd of the season certainly did their best to lift the players and we saw a bright start.

Damien Duff was heavily involved, so too was Jason McAteer, playing in a central midfield role as Parkes made changes, not least to his strike force.

The best chance of the opening half fell to Keith Gillespie, fed by McAteer. The winger's first touch, however, was poor and his eventual shot was blocked by Jean De Blasiis, almost at the risk of an own goal.

Rovers continued to dominate but with their first goal attempt, Norwich took the lead.

The ball was played from left to right by Iwan Roberts and Darel Russell for the fast-arriving Daryl Sutch to check inside and smash a terrific shot high into the net.

The absence of Rovers defenders was bitterly disappointing. Poor-quality crossing was one factor why Rovers did not equalise before half time but Gillespie, after good work by Simon Grayson, wasted another golden opportunity when he fired yards wide with his weaker left foot.

Just before half time, Andy Marshall saved well from Garry Flitcroft, Rovers' 13th goal attempt and the first on target. That, really, said it all.

The second half followed a similar pattern, though Norwich were more dangerous on the break, with Paul Dalglish twice off target with decent chances and a lucky escape on the hour when Alan Kelly saved brilliantly from Roberts.

Egil Ostenstad, Nathan Blake, Christian Dailly - twice - Matt Jansen and Jason McAteer all either wasted or were unlucky with goalscoring chances.

It looked as though a resolute Norwich defence were going to hold out until more than halfway into the stoppage period.

The ball broke to Callum Davidson on the left. He managed to find a deep cross, Dailly headed it towards goal and there was Frandsen, leaping in front of the keeper in the six-yard box, to loop a header over his outstretched arms.

It was a dramatic finale but maybe the real drama has still to come.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.