IT seems to be either feast or famine for Blackburn Rovers these days, but manager Roy Hodgson's pre-match battle cry to go all out for a shot at the Champions' League had a realistic ring as his team leap-frogged into second place, writes PETER WHITE.

Chris Sutton's magnificent hat-trick ensured that Rovers, without a Premiership goal since putting five past Aston Villa, satisfied their appetite on an afternoon dictated by the virtuoso performances from football's equivalent of the three tenors.

Sutton struck all the top notes, Damien Duff was in tune with everything that happened and Tim Sherwood provided the accomplished rhythm section, orchestrating every critical move against an on-song Leicester City side.

The build-up to a vital game had been dominated by the World Cup security conference.

In that respect, it is perhaps just as well that Sutton's presence in France remains unlikely.

As the delegates who came to look, listen, learn and discuss summer tactics sat watching, Sutton rendered the word 'security' meaningless, in a football sense at least.

No doubt Blackburn's distinguished visitors puzzled over how Glenn Hoddle can afford to be without the Premiership's prize dismantler of defences.

But will the England coach have time to consider rummaging through the waste bin for Sutton's telephone number?

At this very moment, he is probably heading for Somerset House to see if he can uncover an English grandparent for Duff!

That, of course, is a non-starter, but he does know where he can find Sherwood.

The trio stood out like the beacons which lit up the nation on Friday night. Some 24 hours before the countryside march moved on London, these three declared their own right of access to roam Ewood's green pastures.

There was so much to talk about.

Martin Dahlin marked his return to starting action at Ewood with a spectacular opener and the irony of Colin Hendry notching his first goal of the season in the wake of that penalty miss was obvious.

Throw in a remarkable semi-comeback by Leicester to bring a respectability of sorts to the scoreline and a raging debate about the offside rules and you wonder where to start. Hodgson, apparently angry at conceding three late goals, declined to attend the Press conference. But Tony Parkes had a sensible contribution to make to the offside debate following the disallowing of Graham Fenton's early "equaliser" when Emile Heskey, walking back, was deemed to be interfering with play.

Some officials would have allowed the goal, others wouldn't. That's the problem.

To be blunt, the officials raised more eyebrows than flags and Heskey rarely interfered with play.

Conceding those late goals meant something of an anti-climax for Rovers who created and clinically finished some brilliant goals.

The offside decision, however, could have made a huge difference. For Leicester had a good deal of the play.

But Rovers were at their deadliest and goals do change games.

One habit was broken, the other maintained as Leicester had not lost a Premiership game by more than one goal, Rovers had not lost a game in which they had been ahead.

And, despite that late flourish, it wasn't too nailbiting - a little like Wigan's belated revival in the FA Cup.

With some absentees after a stamina-sapping cup tie, Rovers' resources were severely examined and their football didn't flow as smoothly as we have seen. But, when they clicked, they were quite superb and the finishing was something else. In the early stages, they looked as though they had a cup hangover.

But their first two serious threats put them in the comfort zone.

On 11 minutes, Sherwood found Jeff Kenna whose ball to Dahlin prompted a lovely pass to Duff on the right. He timed his cross perfectly for Sutton to produce a deft header down to Dahlin.

The Swede had time and space to rocket his volley high into the net.

Fourteen minutes later came another glorious goal. Sherwood laid the ball off first-time to Duff and the youngster ghosted past opponents as if they didn't exist before picking out Sutton with a low cross and a lovely back-heeled flick did the rest.

In between, Fenton netted only for Heskey to be ruled offside as the ball passed close to him in the build-up.

Rovers, however, were warming to their task.

Starting with Sherwood, who neatly got out of trouble, a flowing move involved several players and finished with Garry Flitcroft's low cross to Sutton. The striker controlled the pass, swivelled and struck his shot across the keeper and into the bottom corner. Two minutes after half-time, when Sherwood's cross was only half cleared, Sutton produced an exquisite chip to leave the keeper floundering from the edge of the penalty area.

Sherwood was denied the goal he deserved with a 63rd-minute header cleared off the line but he challenged again and it fell for Hendry to blast the ball back through the pack with a hint of venom.

How many more were on the way? None for Rovers but Leicester's spirit saw them rewarded with a remarkable three-goal onslaught.

In a similar offside scenario to the early incident, Stuart Wilson (72 mins) raced through. Alan Fettis just got there first but his kick rebounded off Wilson who was left with an open goal.

Seven minutes later, Muzzy Izzet planted a brilliant header past Fettis from Steve Guppy's cross and Leicester were in dreamland when Robert Ullathorne's 20-yarder flew into the bottom corner with nine minutes left.

But that's where they stayed.

Hodgson's team had done his talking, eloquently for over an hour, though they were stuttering towards the end.

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