Rafael van der Vaart's brace earned a 2-1 victory
for Tottenham at struggling Blackburn to increase the
pressure on Rovers boss Steve Kean.
• Kean staying positive
Another protest was staged outside Ewood Park by disgruntled
Blackburn fans prior to kick-off, and the heat was turned
up further on Kean when Van der Vaart put Spurs in front
inside the opening quarter of an hour.
The hosts equalised through Mauro Formica's fierce
strike in the 28th minute, but Van der Vaart produced
a brilliant winner from outside the box eight minutes
after the restart.
The result leaves Rovers bottom of the Barclays Premier
League with just five points from nine games, and the
calls for owners Venky's to dismiss Kean are only getting
louder.
The club's supporters again made their unhappiness
known after the final whistle, with a section in the
Ronnie Clayton End remaining in their seats, unfurling
`Kean Out' banners and chanting for the Scot to be sacked.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are up to fifth, their unbeaten
run extending to six games in all competitions.
Kean made three changes to his side from the 1-1 draw
at QPR with Formica, Simon Vukcevic and the fit-again
Morten Gamst Pedersen coming into the first XI.
For Spurs, Aaron Lennon, Kyle Walker and Sebastien
Bassong were the only survivors from the team that had
started Thursday's Europa League victory over Rubin
Kazan, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Van der Vaart, Luka Modric,
Gareth Bale and Scott Parker - who was named as captain
- among those restored to the side.
Rovers skipper Christopher Samba made the first attempt
at goal, sending a looping header over the bar, before
Pedersen delivered a long-throw into the box which Brad
Friedel managed to punch away while back-pedalling and
Junior Hoilett drove forward before firing over.
At the other end the visitors were looking threatening,
though, and after Jason Lowe and Gael Givet had made
important interceptions to avert the danger, Tottenham
broke the deadlock.
Walker beat Givet for pace down the right and pulled
the ball back for Van der Vaart, who slotted it past
Paul Robinson.
Spurs continued to press, with a Bale cross diverting
off Martin Olsson to bring a save out of Robinson and
the Blackburn goalkeeper then getting down to save at
the feet of Adebayor.
Rovers appeared vulnerable, but just before the half-hour
mark they were suddenly level as Samba's knock-down
from Pedersen's free-kick came to Formica, who smashed
the ball home.
The goal gave the hosts a lift and Vukcevic saw a strike
tipped wide by Friedel before Lowe whipped a ball across
the box that Jason Roberts was just unable to get on
the end of.
Modric called Robinson into action with a shot from
outside the area, but Blackburn finished the first half
strongly, with Friedel batting away an effort from Hoilett
and the ball going inches wide when Samba and Younes
Kaboul rose together to meet Pedersen's free-kick.
At the start of the second half it was Tottenham who
began the livelier, Adebayor scuffing an effort high
and wide and Robinson parrying a Modric shot, with the
follow-up crossed by Lennon but completely missed by
Bale.
There was nothing wrong with Van der Vaart's accuracy
moments later as the Dutchman netted his second of the
afternoon, collecting the ball when Benoit Assou-Ekotto's
pass ricocheted off Vukcevic and curling it delightfully
beyond Robinson.
Blackburn looked to make a swift response and, after
Friedel had made a hash of dealing with a long kick
direct from Robinson and then a cross from Pedersen,
Steven Nzonzi blazed over.
Vukcevic went down in the box under the attentions
of Assou-Ekotto but referee Stuart Attwell waved play
on, and Olsson put a cross into the danger zone which
nobody was able to finish.
Friedel then touched a Samba header over the bar, but
Tottenham went close soon after as Robinson blocked
a firm strike from Modric.
Kean made a double substitution in a bid to give fresh
impetus to his attack, with Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Ruben
Rochina coming on for Formica and Vukcevic.
Yakubu was straight into the thick of the action, narrowly
failing to convert a Samba header from close range and
then sending a shot wide from Hoilett's cross.
Roberts put a header on to the roof of the net and
Rovers knew their luck was out when Yakubu met Olsson's
cross in front of goal, only to skew his attempt horribly
off-target.
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