BLACKBURN Rovers came back from 2-0 down before falling to defeat at Portsmouth.

The first half was goalless but Pompey hit Rovers with a double blast in the first nine minutes of the second period, with Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe both beating Paul Robinson with superb finishes.

Blackburn’s defence was all at sea when Glen Johnson sent over one of his trademark right-wing crosses in the 49th minute and Crouch applied a firm but simple header to score his eighth goal of the season.

And four minutes later it was eight for the season for Defoe as well, as he twisted away from two challenges on the edge of the area to run on and thump a decisive finish past his former Tottenham team-mate.

But visions of AC Milan’s two-goal comeback surfaced when Blackburn pulled one back in the 62th minute - through substitute Matt Derbyshire, less than 30 seconds after replacing Benni McCarthy.

Derbyshire may be no Ronaldinho, whose fabulous free kick confounded Pompey last Thursday, but he left the home side collectively ball-watching again as he headed a bouncing left-wing cross from Morten Gamst Pedersen over David James.

And it was no surprise when Tugay rifled home an equaliser from 25 yards, beating James low inside his right post.

But Pompey substitute Sean Davis scored the winner for the hosts with 11 minutes remaining.

Papa Bouba Diop surged forward powerfully and fired in a shot that Robinson did well to save.

But Rovers failed to clear and Davis took advantage, nipping in to clip the ball over the advancing Robinson.

The result leaves Rovers second from bottom in the Premier League table.

Rovers: Paul Robinson, Andre Ooijer, Chris Samba, Ryan Nelsen, Stephen Warnock, Brett Emerton, Keith Andrews, Tugay, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Carlos Villanueva 87), Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarthy (Matt Derbyshire 61). Subs not used: Jason Brown, Aaron Mokoena, Danny Simpson, Robbie Fowler, Jason Roberts.

Portsmouth: David James, Glen Johnson, Sylvain Distin, Noe Pamarot, Nadir Belhadj, Glen Little (Niko Kranjcar 46), Papa Bouba Diop, Richard Hughes, Armand Traore (Sean Davis 77), Peter Crouch (Nwankwo Kanu 69), Jermain Defoe. Subs not used: Jamie Ashdown, Hermann Hreidarsson, Arnold Mvuemba, David Nugent.

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).