IFK Gothenburg 1 Blackburn Rovers 1 - Peter White reports from Grebbestad, Sweden

THE posters plastered all over the tiny Swedish tourist Mecca of Grebbestad were advertising the arrival of the 'Cirkus Maximum'.

But the couple of thousand folk who packed into Third Division club Grebbestad's homely and natural bowl that represents their Sillevi 'Stadium' did not need to go elsewhere for their thrills.

Not with the likes of young Englishmen such as Matt Jansen and David Dunn around and in the mood to produce virtuoso performances.

Under clear blue Swedish skies, leaving the grey of Norway's training weather behind them, Blackburn Rovers turned in a more than respectable opening show to hold IFK Gothenburg to a draw and it would certainly not have flattered them if they had won - with maybe a couple of goals to spare.

Their effort, with a team put together under duress and starting with an unfamiliar 3-5-2 formation, was admirable.

They looked to have the edge in class on a very ordinary IFK side, who are experiencing a rare spell of mediocrity in their own league, and, daft as it may seem with the Swedes well into their season, Rovers were not second best for fitness.

What was just as pleasing for the fans who travelled from England as well as those from the various Scandinavian supporters' branches was that the players seemed to enjoy it as much as the spectators.

They did all the right things before and after the match to win friends and influence people and, in the 90 minutes, there was no substitute for the skills displayed by players such as Jansen and Dunn. There were gasps of approval and rounds of applause when Jansen was in the mood to show a trick or three and the striker said afterwards: "Yes, the people were great weren't they and that's what football is all about.

"It's not about all this long ball stuff. I like to get it down and I like to see the kind of football that everybody else enjoys watching."

The surroundings - no banks of terracing or towering stands - may have been humble but it was an excellent workout for Rovers, who switched to 4-4-2 at the interval and used their substitutes wisely.

It was hot work and it must have felt like a real kick in the teeth in the 42nd minute when IFK snatched the lead totally against the run of play.

Substitute Par Karlsson had only been on the pitch five minutes before he found himself unmarked, coming in from the left, and struck a shot low into John Filan's far corner.

Before that, Rovers had been the more authoritative side.

David McNamee had a steady first taste, playing the opening half as a wing back on the right - Gary Croft was the other wing-back, operating one half on the left, the other right equally as well - and one of the long-term injured, Christian Dailly, was re-introduced at the back.

Dunn comfortably took the eye among the midfield trio, while Jansen's trickery often bamboozled bulkier Swedish defenders. He played alongside Kevin Davies, who certainly looks fitter and sharper than this time last year and could easily have been on the scoresheet.

Both Jansen and Davies were close early on but then Dunn began to monopolise the scoring attempts.

A solo run and shot was followed by a good set-up from the two strikers and a cracking shot drilled just wide.

The midfielder's most spectacular attempt was a remarkable 35-yard volley which, somehow, IFK keeper Bengt Andersson managed to touch onto the bar and over.

IFK threatened only fleetingly and found John Filan solid when they did. Then, minutes before the Swedes scored, Davies was agonisingly wide with a good shot.

Both sides made a couple of changes but the second half followed a similar pattern with Rovers taking control and pushing forward.

It was the introduction, however, of Damien Duff which made the difference.

He set up one headed chance from which Davies almost equalised but stepped in himself to level the scores on 74 minutes.

Rovers had been building a head of steam, penning IFK back and threatening from the flanks with Duff and Damien Johnson and the two full backs, Croft and Callum Davidson, willing to get forward.

From one such attack came the equaliser. Marlon Broomes looked certain to score it as he powered a header goalwards which the keeper could have done nothing about. Unfortunately, it hit Jansen and rebounded out. But Duff was in quick as a flash to drill a lethal replay into the net.

It was no more than Rovers deserved, maybe a little bit less, and, while Gothenburg huffed and puffed a bit in an effort to get back in front, sub keeper Alan Fettis was well protected by his defenders.

The toughest game of Rovers' tour has yet to come, against Norwegian title challengers Lillestrom on Monday.

But they can be well satisified with last night's work in a number of respects.

IFK GOTHENBURG (4-4-2)

B Andersson, Pedersen (sub Barlin 60 mins), Nilsson, Anegrund (sub C Karlsson HT), Landberg (sub Svensson HT), Lunden (sub Hoiland 60 mins), Persson, Erlingmark, Henriksson , Tetteh (sub P Karlsson 37 mins), P Andersson (sub Landstrom 81 mins).

ROVERS (3-5-2)

Filan (sub Fettis 60 mins), Dailly (sub Davidson HT), Peacock, Broomes, McNamee (sub Johnson HT), Dunn (sub Taylor 88 mins), Carsley, Wilcox (sub Duff 60 mins), Croft, Davies, Jansen.

REFEREE: S Holgesson (Loldeliopinge).

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