Nikos Dabizas puts the ball in his own net

ROVERS REWARDED their loyal fans with a crucial victory over Leicester City even if the only goal arrived courtesy of the boot of the hapless City defender Nikos Dabizas.

In a scrappy game, the moment Dabizas turned past his own goalkeeper in the 42nd minute ultimately decided things although Rovers had second half chances to wrap up the points and ease the tension around Ewood Park.

It was Rovers first win at home since November 30 against Tottenham Hotspur and could not have come at a better time, almost certainly putting Leicester with four games left.

Graeme Souness named the same starting line-up that was involved in the pulsating victory at Fulham last Monday, as he looked for his side to show the same battling qualities.

Meanwhile Leicester City included three ex-Rovers in their sixteen, Billy McKinlay and Marcus Bent lining up from the start and Keith Gillespie on the substitutes bench.

Souness had warned beforehand the game might not be pretty and he was vindicated in a dour opening period.

Rovers recent home games have been marred by early goals for the opposition but this time it was the hosts who went closest to notching an early score.

When Lorenzo Amoruso lined up a free kick after eight minutes Ewood held its breath after the Italian's strike on Monday. Instead, Tugay fooled everyone by teeing up Vratislav Gresko whose shot took a huge deflection off the wall only for Ian Walker to pull off a superb twisting save. From the corner Amoruso headed Tugay's delivery high into the stand.

The defender was certainly in the thick of the action, getting a yellow card shortly afterwards for his role in a heated exchange with McKinlay.

One moment of amusement did arrive midway through the half when first Gresko belted a ball clean over the Riverside stand and then Craig Short repeated his teammate's action seconds later.

Leicester were having the lion's share of the possession and could have taken the lead as Muzzy Izzet fizzed over a corner and a rising Jamie Scowcroft headed over.

Rovers next attack came courtesy of a long ball from Brad Friedel which was touched on by Andy Cole into the path of Jonathan Stead. The impressive youngster took a while to get it under control before hitting a shot wide.

The Foxes spurned an excellent chance to take the lead when Paul Dickov and Les Ferdinand were two-on-one but Dickov didn't square and the chance was lost.

Martin Andresen again proved his talent for long-range shooting, a searing drive from the edge of the box flying narrowly over the top.

Then, ex-Rovers striker Bent should have done better when Izzet's corner picked him out eight yards from goal but he planted his free header well wide.

Friedel's only real save of the whole 90 minutes was a simple gather from Ferdinand's flick on Ben Thatcher's cross.

The goal that decided things came on 42 minutes as Rovers showed the first real quality of the first 45 minutes. Lucas Neill measured a pass into Cole's super run and his fierce cutback was put into his own net by a sliding Dabizas with Stead waiting just behind to convert anyway.

Dabizas' last trip to Ewood Park ended miserably when he was sent off after just two minutes for Newcastle with a handball on the goalline. He will want to forget this one just as quickly.

Souness chose to stick with his starting eleven for the second half but the expected pressure from Leicester City failed to materialise and they now look doomed to Division One football next season.

Indeed, Rovers should certainly have increased their advantage, first Matt Heath producing a great block to deny Stead, then Stead shot wide when well placed before Cole's neat turn and cross was just in front of his strike partner.

Dickov summed up the Foxes day when passing straight to Tugay in the centre circle and his instant pass released Cole. The Rovers striker beat one but blazed wide.

Cole gives chase

With the Rovers fans in good voice, the players were responding and from Friedel's long hoof once more Cole latched on again but shot wide.

The visitors' only pressure of note came in the 68th minute when Bent got to the byline before cutting back dangerously. The resulting shot hit a Rovers defender before rebounding to James Scowcroft who shot wide.

Seconds later Bent again caused problems, this time falling under challenge from Gresko but referee Rob Styles waved away Leicester penalty appeals.

Shortly after Scowcroft met Sinclair's cross with an ambitious overhead kick, the ball deflecting heavily off Neill but Friedel saving comfortably.

With the arrival of Brett Emerton from the bench, Rovers garnered much greater width and it should have brought more goals.

As the game reached its conclusion some wonderful skill from man-of-the-match Stead supplied the Australian with a shooting chance but it was well blocked.

Then, Neill stormed away from Thatcher down the right with 12 minutes left, Walker could only get a hand to his cross but Dabizas recovered to block Stead's follow-up.

For the second time in a week Stead was the victim of an opposition headbutt, this time Dabizas shoving his head up against him but Styles took no action.

With three minutes injury time signalled nerves were bound to be rife but Rovers held firm and Stead it was that forced Walker into a final full-length diving save.

After a massive two results, Rovers first consecutive wins since December, they now lie five points above the drop zone with just four games left. Emerging from Goodison Park with something next week would go a long way to securing survival.

Delight for Flitcroft at the end of the game

Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Short, Amoruso, Gresko, Flitcroft, Tugay, Andresen (Emerton 68), Douglas, Cole, Stead. Subs not used: Enckelman, Johansson, Reid, Gallagher.

Leicester: Walker, Sinclair, Izzet, Ferdinand (Guppy 63), Scowcroft, Dickov, Heath (Canero 78), McKinlay (Freund 46), Thatcher, Bent, Dabizas. Subs not used: Gillespie, Nalis.

Monday's Rovers World will bring you all the post-match reaction from this vital match.