Pedersen fires home the equaliser

ROVERS crashed out of the Carling Cup at the first attempt after a 7-6 penalty defeat in a game that Rovers really should have wrapped up at Ewood Park long before extra time and the dreaded spot kicks.

It had been some seventeen months since Rovers were last awarded a spot kick, so maybe they could be forgiven for being a litte rusty from 12 yards out, Jonathan Stead and Tugay being the culprits from the spot, both players blazing high over the bar.

Before the spot kick drama Brett Emerton had given Rovers the lead after just 8 minutes, but that was quickly cancelled out by Gareth O'Connor. Rovers then ran the show for the remainder of the game, but it still took Morten Gamst Pedersen to take Rovers into extra time after Karl Broadhurst looked to have won it for the visitors with eight minutes remaining. Paul Gallagher then blasted Rovers back in front a minute into extra time and you thought Rovers would go on and win the tie, but John Spicer capitalised on some sloppy Rovers marking with five minutes of extra time remaining.

Before the game Mark Hughes made no less than nine changes to the side that started in his first game in charge against Portsmouth at the weekend. Only Brett Emerton and Lucas Neill kept their places as the new manager took advantage of the cup fixture to give the chance for others to impress.

That meant first starts of the season for Enckelman, Douglas, Jansen and Bothroyd, with Amoruso, Johansson, Gresko, Tugay and De Pedro returning to the starting eleven.

In contrast Sean O'Driscoll kept faith with the same eleven that defeated Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 at the weekend.

And Mark Hughes' side got off to the perfect start, when on eight minutes De Pedro's surging run ended with the Spaniard picking out Jansen with a threaded pass, his near post shot squirmed underneath goalkeeper Neil Moss, leaving Brett Emerton with the simplest of tap-ins to give the home side the lead.

But a defensive lapse five minutes later and Bournemouth were level. There seemed little threat when Wade Elliott had the ball out wide on the right, but his centre was missed first by Johansson and then Amoruso leaving Gareth O'Connor time to lash the ball past Enckelman and into the back of the net.

For the remainder of the first half it was all one way traffic as Rovers laid seige to the Bournemouth goal.

Emerton saw a header saved by Moss in the Bournemouth goal following good approach play by De Pedro and Gresko down the left.

On 18 minutes Jansen missed a glorious opportunity to give Rovers the lead once again, Emerton the creator as he curled in a shot from the right, Jansen arrived unmarked on the far side, but his first time volley was well wide.

Four minutes later Rovers went even closer to regaining the lead, when from a De Pedro corner Douglas saw his headed effort cleared off the line by Cummings, the ball fell nicely for Amoruso but his shot crashed off the underside of the bar and away for safety.

Bothroyd had no less than four headed efforts at goal in the remainder of the first half, but Moss was equal to all of the loan striker's efforts.

The second half continued in the same manner as the first, with Rovers camped in the oppositions half. But time and time again, despite excellent approach play, they were let down in front of goal.

Bothroyd headed wide following a De Pedro cross from the left on 51 minutes, then Jansen shot wide from the edge of the area.

Lucas Neill started and almost finished a fine move after he played it onto Bothroyd who in turn sent De Pedro wide down the left, his centre was perfect for the Australian who had continued his run, but his diving header was wide.

Just before the hour mark, Hughes threw on Stead and Pedersen for Bothroyd and De Pedro in an attempt to finally get the breakthrough.

Amoruso then wasted a golden opportunity in front of goal when an Emerton corner fell straight to him six yards out, but the Italian miskicked badly.

It was then Jonathon Douglas's turn to be wasteful in front of goal, following excellent approach play down the right, Emerton squared it to Dougas, who, 12 yards out, only managed to blast the ball high over the bar.

Rovers continued to huff and puff in front of goal, and then were hit with a classic sucker punch. With less than ten minutes remaining, goalscorer Gareth O'Connor was challenged for the ball in the penalty area by Amoruso, the visiting fans claimed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on, the ball then found its way back to the Bournemouth goalscorer and he crossed for Karl Broadhurst to rise above Vratislav Gresko and head the ball past the desparing dive of Enckelman.

With Rovers staring defeat in the face, just thirty seconds of time added on remained when Brett Emerton twisted and turned on the edge of the area. It looked like he couldn't find a blue and white shirt in the box, but somehow he played the ball through to Morten Gamst Pedersen advancing on the left and his crisp low shot nestled into the far corner of the goal.

So another thirty minutes would be required, and Rovers were back in the lead within a minute of the restart. The move was set up by Morten Gamst Pedersen who ran unchallenged from his own half he played the ball forward to Brett Emerton who in turn played it through to substitute Paul Gallagher who blasted the ball high into the back of the net.

From the restart Rovers nearly put the game beyond doubt as Tugay fed a delightful ball through to Stead on the edge of the area. The England man hit the ball hard and low across the goal, but Neil Moss just managed to get something on it to turn the ball behind.

The last action of the first period of extra time saw Lucas Neill shoot just over the bar after his excellent run had been picked out by Tugay.

But with five minutes of extra time remaining, Rovers were once again caught napping, Alan Connell crossed from the right, it was headed back across goal by fellow sub Derek Holmes, and John Spicer was on hand, stooping to head the Cherries back on level terms.

And so to penalties, Amoruso, Cummings and Neill made no mistake, then Rovers had the edge when Enckelman dived to his right to save Derek Holmes kick. Pedersen slammed the ball home, whilst O'Connor sent Enckelman the wrong way.

Stead had the chance to give Rovers a 4-2 penalty lead, instead he curled his shot high over the bar whilst Connell's kick found the back of the net.

Gallagher scored Rovers fifth, Douglas and Jansen scoring in sudden death, but with Elliott, Spicer and Maher also finding the back of the net for Bournemouth, it was left to Tugay to tip the balance the visitors way, the former Turkish international found the fans behind the goal instead of the back of the net.

It meant Eddie Howe had the chance to be the hero for the visitors, and the defender on loan from Portsmouth sent Enckelman the wrong way to see Rovers out of a cup competition at the first attempt once again.

Manager Mark Hughes must now pick his side up for the trip to Charlton on Monday night.

ROVERS: Enckelman, Neill, Amoruso, Johansson, Gresko (sub Gallagher 84 mins), Emerton, Tugay, Douglas, De Pedro (sub Pedersen 58 mins), Jansen, Bothroyd (sub Stead 61 mins). Subs: Friedel, Matteo.

BOURNEMOUTH: Moss, Broadhurst, Maher, Stock (sub Andrade 96 mins), Rodrigues (sub Holmes 73 mins), Elliott, O'Connor, Hayter (sub Connell 73 mins), Howe, Spicer, Cummings. Subs: Coutts, Stewart.

Att: 7226

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