Bolton Wanderers 1 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

Bolton 1-2 Blackburn: McCarthy spot on

Updated: March 4, 2007, 12:00 PM UK

Benni McCarthy boosted Blackburn's belated push into European contention - but only after a dramatic twist had brought a dour Lancashire derby to life.

The South African kept his cool to fire spot-kicks low to Jussi Jaaskelainen's right in the 57th and 67th minutes before Bolton battled back to almost claim a point.

Nicolas Anelka found the net two minutes from time before an injury-time header from Abdoulaye Faye seemed to have brought the home side level - only for a linesman to flag for offside.

It was an explosive ending which such a tedious encounter hardly deserved, with dreadful conditions making what always threatened to be a gruelling encounter difficult.

David Bentley has missed the only clear chance of a dismal first period with the swirling conditions making it difficult for either side to establish any kind of momentum in this Barclays Premiership match.

• Hughes: We have style and substance

In fact there was a delicious irony in the fact that one of the most forgettable first halves of the season had been played out between two clubs who have led the way in reducing season ticket prices.

It was grim stuff between a Rovers side whose first intention must have been to make the short journey to avoid defeat, and a home side who harboured slim le realistic chance of playing in next season's Champions League.

Morten Gamst Pedersen sent an over-ambitious first minute free-kick sailing over the bar and it soon became apparent a set-piece would provide the best chance to break the deadlock.

El-Hadji Diouf looked lively enough for the home side on the left but seldom threatened to create a scoring chance, while at the other end David Dunn failed to pick out a clear Matt Derbyshire.

Nicolas Anelka's persistence almost paid off for the home side in the 22nd minute when he got the better of Brett Emerton on the right but saw his dangerous cross bustled out of play by Ryan Nelsen.

But it was Bentley who missed the golden chance in the 24th minute when he was played into the left side of the box by Derbyshire but sent his simple side-footed effort over the bar.

Henrik Pedersen's cutback from the byline would surely have led tot a goal for Diouf but for Emerton's timely interception, while Kevin Nolan headed inches wide as Bolton ended the half better.

Jaaskelainen's misjudged goal-kick almost presented Rovers with an embarrassing 50th-minute opener as it dipped to Dunn who volleyed it straight back and inches wide of an unguarded net.

But Rovers went ahead through McCarthy's first spot-kick after Bentley was upended by Gary Speed and referee Rob Styles had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Bolton came agonisingly close to equalising immediately when Henrik Pedersen's low effort was booted off the line by Dunn before Nelsen turned the follow-up around the post.

But Rovers extended their lead when Styles had a clearer decision to make, Faye hauling down McCarthy and Jaaskelainen failing to save his resulting spot-kick despite getting a touch.

Allardyce's introduction of Ricardo Vaz Te in the 70th minute sparked his side into launching a spirited recovery, although Jason Roberts should have scored when he raced clear but shot straight at the goalkeeper eight minutes from the end.

Anelka gave his side hope two minutes from time when Vaz Te knocked on a long Jaaskelainen goal-kick to the Frenchman who swept the ball under Friedel.

Then in a dramatic finale Faye appeared to have looped the home side level deep into injury-time - only for a linesman to decide otherwise.

Hughes: We have style and substance

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes watched his side move closer to UEFA Cup contention with a 2-1 win at Bolton and insisted Rovers are still not getting the credit they deserve.

Hughes said: 'We certainly don't get enough credit for the way in which we go about our business. I have got creative players in my team who want to be on the ball and show what they can do.

'At times we do get painted in a certain way which is a little bit frustrating. We can do the hard stuff but there is a lot more than getting stuck in.

'You don't get into Europe by kicking people.'

Hughes was full of praise for McCarthy, who took his tally for the season to 18 by accomplishing something his manager admitted he was always loathe to do.

'I would never take penalties,' Hughes added. 'You have got to have that belief and it is difficult to do it in a game where emotions are running high and the adrenaline is flowing.

'Benni grabbed the ball and he wasn't going to allow anyone else to take them. You need mental strength, courage and belief in your own ability to do that.'

Hughes feared the game may slip from his side's grasp after Anelka's late strike set up a grandstand finish which nearly produced an equaliser for Faye.

He added: 'With a few minutes to go you do worry it might slip away and it was a game we should have won comfortably. In the end I think we got what we deserved and it has been a big week for us.'

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce had no complaints with referee Rob Styles' two penalty decisions, nor the offside flag which ruled out what would have been a dramatic injury-time equaliser.

Allardyce said: 'It did look marginally offside but it is such a shame that an offside flag should have cancelled out what was such a monstrous header.

'It looked like a top quality goal and it is a shame but it is our own fault for giving two ridiculous penalties away today.

'If you are going to make a tackle because you think they are going to score a goal then yes, you should make it.

'But both players were going nowhere and probably would have ended up running the ball out of play. It happened twice and that was the difference.

'It was a tale of two penalties we didn't need to give away. The game didn't have much going for it until those two incidents and we tried to get back into it but you can't give yourselves that much to do.'