| Blackburn Rovers | 3 - 2 | Leyton Orient |
|---|---|---|
| Date | : | Tuesday, Sep 20, 2011 |
| Time | : | 21:00 CET |
| Competition | : | English Carling Cup |
Blackburn Rovers
Jason Roberts (pen 44')
Ruben Rochina (71')
Simon Vukcevic (75')
Leyton Orient
David Mooney (64')
Dean Cox (86')
Blackburn mixture of old and new secured a place in the fourth round of the Carling Cup with victory over Leyton Orient League wrestlers.
And what a difference four days make. The weekend protests demanding the dismissal of coach Steve Kean seems even more distant now, after Rovers won two-straight games for the first time since Jan. 8.
Saturday's 4-3 victory over Arsenal brought renewed confidence to the team after a terrible start to the season, but remains fragile and a slip against minor league opposition have put back to square one.
But after a number of half chances went begging in the first half Roberts, 33 years old, Jason, in his sixth season at Ewood Park, eased the nerves with a penalty just before halftime.
After a break of two newcomers, January Rochina signing Ruben and Simon Vukcevic, who joined last month, scored goals at important moments after David Mooney tied briefly.
Consolation Dean Cox is expected almost like the way the season has gone so far Kean, but not enough to stop Rovers revival.
It was virtually all one-way traffic in the first half because, even taking into account a difference of 52 posts in the league, East played like a team that won only once - in the last round - the campaign.
Rochina started the game in a midfield role on the left side face but was granted the freedom of Ewood Park by visitors who traveled around the final third.
The midfielder, from Barcelona in January, provided creative focal point for Rovers', but what they lacked was a cutting edge two-goal hero of Saturday Ayegbeni Yakubu dropped to the table with Formica fellow front center Mauro and lightning-fast junior forward Hoilett.
In their place came Roberts and striker Nick Blackman reserve team, making his first start in only his second first team appearance.
Despite his inexperience, the 21-year-old looked confident and after being near the left Rochina connection with the cross to the near post who drilled a long-range shot just wide.
Roberts, who has made more appearances in a study of BBC radio phone-ins you have for Rovers this season, had a career rushing into the area that was displaced by Ben Chorley and keeper Lee Butcher.
Rochina fast, the probe continued, but at the same time created the openings for his teammates continued to happen.
After having launched the right wing Blackman with a perfectly weighted through ball that he could only see Vukcevic, signing the summer making his first start, drilled under the cross on the side of the network.
If Terrell Forbes was fortunate to escape a penalty award when he appeared to pull down Roberts by his shirt, while trying to cross the control Vukcevic, then Elliot Omozusi was not so.
At 22 years of age, the right side was caught by Martin Olsson pace and burst into the area and hit the defender to provide Roberts with his first goal of the season.
East took his hosts expected to reappear in the second half, but if it was what spurred them on in life or manager Russell Slade words in the interval, came out more positively.
Looping header Jimmy Smith, Cox corner fell at the top of the net before Mooney shows the type of contact agile worthy of the Premier League when he killed long butcher free throw for a moment before firing a shot Bunn saved low at the near post.
Mooney did not finish seemed very high standard flight, with only the goalkeeper Bunn shot directly after a quick counter-attack left the defense exposed Rovers since the passing of George Porter.
However, the amendment to 26 years old, made in minute 64 with an elegant finish of the cross of Porter, which guarantees an audience better than the little people inside Ewood Park.
But Rovers bounced back six minutes later when Roberts was half shot saved by Butcher and Rochina roll the ball into the empty net for his fourth goal in as many games.
Hoilett was denied by Butcher for the second time since he arrived in half the time, but the goalie can not keep out powerful Vukcevic 75 minutes after Ryan Lowe cross shot was only half-cleared.
But there was no direct final for the homeless as Cox was shot in the post with three minutes left, although too late to force overtime.
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