Rovers' chase for Premier League safety will have to run for a further week after they suffered 3-1 defeat at Eastlands.

After an opening period in which Rovers were much the better side, they were rocked by two quick goals that saw the home side take command.

The first came when Rovers failed to clear Elano's 27th minute corner and Caicedo pounced from close-range. Seven minutes later more hesitancy in the Rovers back line allowed Robinho steer an angled effort into the far corner.

Tugay and Ooijer both dragged efforts wide, whilst Benni McCarthy put a header on the roof of the net as Rovers looked for a way back into the game before the break, but on the stroke of half time Givet was adjudged to have intentionally handled Stephen Ireland centre. Elano made no mistake from the spot.

Rovers' striker injury jinx struck again as Benni McCarthy failed to reappear at the start of the second half, but when Morten Gamst Pedersen was hauled down in the area, Mike Dean evened up the penalty decisions by pointing to the spot.

El-Hadji Diouf saw his kick saved by Given, who then denied him on the follow-up but sub Keith Andrews converted from close-range.

Rovers tried to claw their way back further, Carlos Villanueva saw a free-kick deflect narrowly over, but City held on to claim their first win over Rovers in twelve outings.

Sam Allardyce kept faith with the same starting eleven that had served him so well a week earlier in the 2-0 home win over Wigan Athletic, whilst former boss Mark Hughes did likewise after his side's win over Everton.

But it was Rovers who were out of the blocks quickly keeping the home side pinned back in their own half in the opening few minutes.

From a corner kick El-Hadji Diouf teed up Ryan Nelsen in the third minute, but the Rovers captain couldn't repeat last week's goalscoring heroics, his side-footed effort was blocked.

There was an early scare for Benni McCarthy when in attempting a shot at goal he caught Wayne Bridge, after treatment the South African limped back into action, but he would go on to be replaced at half-time.

On ten minutes Vince Grella twisted and turned on the edge of the City box before making room to hit a curling right-foot shot, but Given made the save look easy.

The home fans weren't happy with their side's early showing as Rovers continued to look the side more likely to break the deadlock. Benni McCarthy had a decent shout for a penalty waved away by referee Mike Dean when the ball struck De Jong in the box. The when the ball rolled to Tugay on the edge of the area it presented the chance for the former Turkish international to shoot but his effort was wayward.

City had offered very little as an attacking force but inside the space of ten minutes they unexpectedly found themselves two goals up. The first was a catalogue of errors from a Rovers point of view as Rovers twice had chances to clear Elano's corner kick, Kompany turning the ball to Onuoha before Caicedo bundled the ball over the line.

The first goal came on 27 minutes and 7 minutes later the lead was doubled and again a failure to clear their lines proved costly. Elano's initial corner was headed away by Ooijer, but the Brazilian got a second cross in which Rovers failed to deal with and Robinho swept the ball home through the crowed past the unsighted Robinson.

Despite the obvious blow of going behind, Rovers continued to have the better of the territorial play, a great cross from the left by Chris Samba found its way to Andre Ooijer but the Dutchman hammered the ball well wide, then from a fine El-Hadji Diouf cross from the right, Benni McCarthy rose but his header landed on the roof of the net.

But any hope that Rovers may pull a goal back before the break were extinguished when Mike Dean gave the home side a penalty kick as the clock ticked into time added on. Robinho combined well with Ireland and as the ball was cut back it struck the arm of the sliding Gael Givet. There's no doubt that the ball struck the Frenchman, whether it was intentional is certainly open to debate.

And debate the Rovers players did, Ryan Nelsen, Vince Grella and Andre Ooijer all expressing their feelings a little too strongly, their reward a yellow card each.

Elano eventually stepped up to take the spot kick, the Brazilian sending Paul Robinson the wrong way with a low strike to the corner.

Rovers started the second half as they did in the first, Pedersen with a ball into the area is nodded back by Chris Samba, but Vince Grella sees his shot deflect for a corner kick.

At the other end Robinho curled an effort just wide as City broke quickly, but it was Rovers who were taking the game to their opponents. Samba turned well in the box but saw his shot blocked, the ball coming out to Tugay but he scuffed his shot into the arms of Given.

Villanueva, on since the start of the second half due to the injury to Benni McCarthy saw a free-kick deflect past Shay Given but unfortunately on the roof of the net, Rovers were getting closer and closer to pulling a goal back.

Allardyce threw his last role of the dice on 64 minutes, Keith Andrews and Aaron Doran coming on for Chris Samba and Tugay.

Less than sixty seconds later and Rovers were handed a lifeline as Morten Gamst Pedersen was hauled down in the box by Nedum Onuoha. With McCarthy not on the pitch the penalty duties were left to El-Hadji Diouf, but his spot-kick was saved by Given diving to his left. Diouf got to the rebound first but was again denied by the former Rovers goalkeeper, but Keith Andrews was there to fire into the empty net from a tight angle.

Aaron Doran looked lively on the right, whilst Carlos Villanueva caused City problems with is running at the defence, but try as they might Rovers couldn't fashion the chances that could have led to a nervy ending to the game as City saw the match out comfortably.

So it is onto Portsmouth at Ewood Park next week and hopefully the three points to secure Rovers' Premier League status.

MAN CITY: Given, Richards, Onuoha, Robinho, Ireland, Elano (sub Petrov 79 mins), Caicedo (sub Bojinov 63 mins), Dunne (c), Bridge, Kompany, De Jong.

Subs not used: Hart (GK), Garrido, Fernandes, Berti, Evans.

ROVERS: Robinson, Ooijer, Nelsen (c), Givet, Warnock, Diouf, Grella, Tugay (sub Doran 64 mins), Pedersen, McCarthy (sub Villanueva 46 mins), Samba (sub Andrews 64 mins).

Subs not used: Bunn (GK), Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Olsson.

Booked: Caicedo, De Jong (Man City), Ooijer, Nelsen, Grella (Rovers),

Attendance: 43,967