Yakubu scored four times as Blackburn secured a much needed win to lift the pressure on manager Steve Kean beating Swansea 4-2 at Ewood Park.
The Nigerian was the star of the show scoring all of Rovers’ goals to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League and extend the Swans’ winless run on the road to seven games. In a game that will have proved enthralling for the football purists as both sides went for all out attack with defending put firmly on the back burner with Leroy Lita and Luke Moore scoring consolations for Brendan Rodgers side. Once again Kean was subject to a series of protests and chants over his tenure in the Ewood Park dugout but this win will go a long way to repairing his relationship with supporters. After a disappointing Carling Cup defeat at the hands of Cardiff on Tuesday victory was the only thing that would silence the Blackburn boo boys. From the outset it was the home side who looked the hungrier with Kean’s decision to rest his key players in mid-week appearing to pay off in the early stages as Rovers came firing out of the traps.
It didn’t take them long to take the lead with Yakubu scoring his first of the afternoon in the 20th minute lashing home from the edge of the area after being set up by Gael Givet. In an entertaining first half that fluctuated from end-to-end it was no surprise to see the visitors grab a swift equaliser and it was Lita who provided it stealing in at the back post to nod home Mark Gowers cross on 35 minutes. The hosts were still in the supremacy and regained their lead in first half injury time with Yakubu snatching his second of the game instinctively diverting Simon Vukcevic’s left footed volley past Michael Vorm. The former Everton forward was at it again just after the restart giving Rovers a vital two goal cushion prodding home Christopher Samba’s header to complete his hat trick.
However the South Wales side weren’t out of it yet and displayed the fighting spirit that has endeared them to many in the top flight this season as substitute Luke Moore came off the bench to put the Swans within sight of a comeback. However their task of salvaging a point were dashed once Joe Allen was sent off after being handed his second yellow by referee Chris Foy. It got worse for Rodger’s men as Neil Taylor sent Vukcevic sprawling in the penalty area allowing Yakubu to score his fourth with eight minutes remaining to secure Blackburn’s first win since mid-September and lift them to within a point of safety.
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