Blackburn v Everton 08/11/97 3.00

Blackburn               (1) 3 Everton                 (1) 2 FT
Gallacher 37                  Speed 7
Duff 81                       Ferguson 55
Sherwood 84                   

Substitute Damien Duff and Tim Sherwood scored in the last 10 minutes to snatch victory from Everton at Ewood Park.

The visitors were on course for their first away win of the season after Gary Speed and Duncan Ferguson scored either side of a Kevin Gallacher effort to give them a 2-1 lead.

But with 80 minutes on the clock, Duff equalised with his first senior goal for Rovers and then four minutes later Sherwood headed home the winner.

But dominant Rovers were well worth their victory and the win lifts them to second in the Premiership.

Tore Pedersen had replaced the injured Colin Hendry in the heart of the Blackburn defence, while Garry Flitcroft came in for Duff.

Everton welcomed back Slaven Bilic from suspension, while Terry Phelan started in place of John Oster.

Everton scored from the game's first shot on target after six minutes. Ferguson headed a cross down to Danny Cadamarteri, who set up Speed to drive home his fourth goal of the season from just inside the area.

Gallacher then unleashed a 20-yard effort, which went wide of Neville Southall's post, while he was also not too far away with a chip after 11 minutes.

Southall totally missed Stuart Ripley's left-wing corner and the ball flew right across the gaping Everton goal.

Rovers continued to pile on the pressure and Gallacher narrowly failed to connect with Chris Sutton's through ball on 16 minutes.

Billy McKinlay tested Southall, who was making his 800th senior appearance and playing with a foot complaint, but the Welsh international was equal to his 25-yard drive.

Gallacher won a free-kick on the edge of the Everton box on 25 minutes after referee Paul Alcock ignored the assistant referee, who had been flagging for offside seconds earlier. However, Sutton shot over from the free-kick.

Everton nearly scored a second from a swift counter-attack on 31 minutes. Cadamarteri broke down the left before finding Ferguson with a cross-field pass, but his shot was blocked by Tim Flowers.

A minute later, at the other end, Southall denied Gallacher again, this time from 20 yards.

Rovers continued their search for an equaliser and McKinlay fired a long-range effort just over the bar.

Southall then saved brilliantly from Flitcroft's header, but from the resultant corner in the 36th minute Rovers scored the goal they had threatened for so long.

Ripley's corner was driven back in by Gary Croft and Gallacher touched the ball home for his eighth goal of the season.

Flitcroft ratted the crossbar with a great 20-yard drive before the visitors retook the lead against the run of play after 54 minutes.

Oster, who had replaced Cadamarteri at half-time, crossed after good work on the left and Ferguson slotted the ball home from close range. It was only the Scot's second goal of the season and his first since the opening day of the campaign.

Back came Rovers and Ripley had a header cleared off the line. Duff, who had come on for Flitcroft after 72 minutes, brought Blackburn level when Southall produced a superb save to keep out Sutton's header only for the Republic of Ireland youth international to fire home the rebound.

Still Rovers pushed forward and captain Sherwood scored the winner they so richly deserved when he nodded home Ripley's corner for his second of the season to send the home fans delirious.

Blackburn: Flowers, Kenna, Sherwood, Pedersen, Ripley, Gallacher, Sutton, Flitcroft (Duff, 73), McKinlay, Croft (Wilcox, 79), Henchoz.

Subs not used: Bohinen, Broomes, Fettis.

Booked: Wilcox.

Everton: Southall, Barrett, Hinchcliffe, Williamson (Farrelly, 76), Phelan, Stuart (Branch, 84), Ferguson, Speed, Short, Bilic, Cadamarteri (Oster, 45).

Subs not used: Watson, O'Toole.

Booked: Bilic, Phelan.

Attendance: 25,397.

Referee: P E Alcock (Redhill).

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