BBC SPORT | ENGLISH DIVISION 1 | Blackburn thrash sorry Burnley

Blackburn Rovers 5-0 Burnley

The efforts of defender Craig Short and Matt Jansen in attack helped Blackburn re-inforce their automatic promotion credentials as they thrashed local rivals Burnley.

The impressive win moved Blackburn second and level on points with Bolton, who have played two games more than the Ewood Park outfit.

Blackburn are now firm favourites to go up with runaway Division One leaders Fulham.

Key moments

7 mins: Jansen's effort comes crashing back off Burnley crossbar

13: Short puts the home side ahead

27: Davis scores an own goal for Burnley

36: Friedel saves well from Taylor and Moore adjudged off-side

40: Davis header narrowly wide

48: Mahon slices wide with 18-yard shot

55: Jansen scores his first and Blackburn's third

60: Mahon well-struck shot shot saved

70: Jansen scores again

82: Hignett adds Blackburn's fifth

But Burnley will be disappointed they could not do more to dent the chances of Graeme Souness' side and help improve their own slender play-off hopes.

Short opened the scoring after 13 minutes when he rewarded Blackburn's dominance.

The home side had quickly taken a stranglehold of the game with the energetic midfielder David Dunn's efforts proving influential.

Deflected

He crossed low for striker Jansen, whose close-range shot struck a Burnley defender before crashing back off the crossbar to safety.

Dunn dragged a shot wide shortly afterwards, but any sort of charmed life for the Burnley goal did not last long.

Burnley keeper Nik Michopoulos' punch away from a corner only fell to Dunn.

He struck a 20-yard shot which Short deflected past the wrong-footed keeper.

Blackburn then reaped the benefit of the referee playing an advantage in their favour.

Blackburn's David Dunn was an inspiring influence
Blackburn's Dunn was an inspiring influence

The official could have stoped play when Alan Mahon was strongly tackled.

But he allowed play to go on when the overlapping Craig Short gathered the ball on Blackburn's left and charged to the Burnley by-line.

Short's attempted cut back took a fortunate deflection off defender Steve Davis before squeezing into the Burnley goal from an acute angle.

Home goalkeeper Brad Friedel was forced to pull off an excellent save low to his left to keep out a Gareth Taylor header.

Ian Moore then put the ball in the net from the rebound only to be ruled off-side as Burnley tried to respond.

Attractive football

Davis headed wide for the visitors only for Blackburn to extinguish their challenge with a third goal.

As they continued to dominate, Marcus Bent used his pace to break clear on Blackburn's left flank.

He squared for fellow striker Jansen to slot in from close range.

Jansen then added his 18th goal of the season when he raced clear after 70 minutes before coolly slotting home.

With Blackburn playing incisive and attractive football, Burnley struggled to cope as they played for pride.

Substitute Craig Hignett compounded their misery by rifling home Rovers' fifth late on.

Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, McAteer, Short, Berg, Flitcroft, Dunn, Duff, Mahon, Jansen, Bent. Subs: Kelly, Bjornebye, Berkovic, Hignett, Hughes.

Burnley: Michopoulos, Davis, Thomas, Cox, Weller, Branch, Little, Cook, Ball, Taylor, Moore. Subs: Crichton, Armstrong, Maylett, Smith, Payton.

Referee: A Butler (Sutton-in-Ashfield)


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