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Shearer Shoots Rovers
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At Ewood
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of the Week--Guestbook--Multimedia--Noarlunga
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Match Report
Shearer Shoots Rovers
Down
At Ewood
Blackburn Rovers
1 ..
Jansen '26
Newcastle United
2........
Shearer '20, '79
(Sorry, no pics again ((It's official, Daily Soccer is shit...))
ALAN SHEARER fired Newcastle United a step closer to a
third consecutive FA Cup Final as he broke the hearts of
his former club. The £15m striker delivered the goods
after 20 minutes and then again 11 minutes from time
as United weathered a Blackburn storm and then
produced the killer punch.
Both goals were greeted with celebrations which differed
from the England man's usual one-hand salute, which
has been mocked over the years and was even imitated
by Tottenham's Chris Armstrong when he scored against
Newcastle earlier this season. For the first goal, Shearer
dropped to one knee and pointed at the Blackburn fans
who had been taunting him, and for the second he dived
to the turf in the style made famous by Jurgen
Klinsmann.
Rovers will feel desperately disappointed after dragging
themselves back into the game through Matt Jansen's
26th-minute equaliser and then looking the more likely
to win it until Shearer and substitute Didier Domi decided
otherwise.
The Newcastle striker had never scored against his old
club at Ewood Park, but as the home fans who once
worshipped him jeered instead, he took his season's tally
to 21 goals to send the travelling black and white army
home in high spirits.
Much of the pre-match discussion had revolved around
how Rovers could cope with the twin threat of Shearer and
Ferguson, but for long periods it was the less vaunted
Nathan Blake and Jansen who caused the trouble at the
other end.
Indeed, had it not been for a superb 65th-minute save
by Steve Harper from Jansen, it could have been the
Division One side heading for Prenton Park.
Rob Lee returned to the Newcastle midfield after injury,
taking the place of Peruvian Nolberto Solano, who picked
up a knock in training last Thursday. Portuguese
international Helder replaced Spaniard Marcelino in
central defence, but striker Ferguson shook of a
hamstring problem to partner Shearer in attack.
The home side made two changes with Jansen and Lee
Carsley returning for Egil Ostenstad and Damien
Johnson, who had to make do with places on the bench
alongside former United winger Keith Gillespie.
Jansen found himself in the action early on when
Newcastle keeper Harper stubbed an attempted clearance
straight at him, but as he controlled the ball 25 yards
out, Nicos Dabizas was able to get in a covering
challenge.
Jansen and Blake were making life difficult for Dabizas
and Helder, and the Welsh international should have
done better with a free header a minute later after the
Greek mistimed his challenge.
But as Lee and Gary Speed started to gain the upper
hand in the engine room battle with Carsley and Per
Frandsen, Newcastle forced their way into the game.
Shearer, who took up a series of wide positions to good
effect as the game unfolded, cut in from the left and
curled a shot wide on nine minutes and then sent an
overhead kick harmlessly wide as Darren Peacock and
Christian Dailly struggled to cope with Ferguson in the air.
But the visitors took the lead with 20 minutes gone just
as it looked as if they might fall behind. Frandsen's
through ball looked to have put Jansen in the clear, but
Helder arrived from nowhere to get in a vital foot, and
when Harper cleared, Ferguson flicked on into Shearer's
path and the striker fired past Alan Kelly for his 20th of
the season.
Dailly almost deflected a Shearer cross into his won net
four minutes later as Blackburn rocked temporarily, but
they were back on terms on 26 minutes when Newcastle's
fragile looking defence finally cracked.
Frandsen's ball over the top allowed Jansen to burst
between Dabizas and Helder, and with Harper stranded in
no man's land, the striker stabbed the equaliser home,
his first goal since September 18.
Blake again failed to beat Harper with a header after
being given yards of space inside the Magpies' box, but
Bobby Robson's side thought they should have had a
36th minute penalty when Kieron Dyer went down under
Callum Davidson's last-ditch tackle.
Ferguson glanced a header just wide after again
out-jumping Dailly four minutes from the break, but it
was the home side which held sway immediately after the
restart.
Helder was replaced by Aaron Hughes with 51 minutes
gone, but it was Dabizas who had his hands full as Blake
sent a header over and then drove a shot across the face
of goal.
Simon Grayson, who had picked up a first-half booking
for a trip on Kevin Gallacher, had his heart in his mouth
six minutes later when he brought down Dyer inches
outside the box after Ferguson and Shearer had
combined well on the edge.
The England skipper opted for power from the free-kick,
but drove his effort into the defensive wall. In a
breathless encounter, Harper scrambled back across his
goal to tip away a cheeky effort from McAteer, and the
keeper was fortunate to see Blake's header deflect off
Jansen and safely land in his arms.
But the keeper had to be at his best on 65 minutes when
he dived full length to block Jansen's point-blank effort
after Blake put Frandsen clear on the right.
Jansen sent a left-foot shot on the turn just wide with 17
minutes left, but Newcastle were fighting for their FA Cup
lives as Dabizas at last got something of a hold on
Blake.
But it was Domi who fashioned the decisive breakthrough
for the visitors as he found space on the left, skipped
past McAteer and then delivered the perfect cross for
Shearer to blast into the roof of the net at the far post.
Kelly kept out a late Ferguson effort and Harper saw an
injury-time free-kick from Frandsen sail high and wide to
put United into their third successive quarter-final.
