Gillingham 1 - 3 Blackburn Rovers

Rovers survive Gills test

Updated: August 26, 2009, 8:49 AM UK

David Hoilett capped off an impressive full debut with a goal as Blackburn overcame plucky League One Gillingham 3-1 in the Carling Cup second round.

The Canadian teenager was lively throughout and grabbed Rovers' second goal less than a minute after half-time as they eventually eased through to the third round.

• Job done for Allardyce

David Dunn got the ball rolling in the fifth minute and Hoilett's goal gave Rovers breathing space.

It was breathing space they needed as Simeon Jackson pulled one back from the penalty spot 21 minutes from time, but Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner went in via an unfortunate deflection from Gills skipper Barry Fuller five minutes later to seal the win.

Rovers made seven changes from the side beaten at Sunderland on Saturday and after a blistering start it was one of the new faces who put them in front.

Nicola Kalinic was the architect, getting free of John Nutter and laying the ball in to Dunn who slid the ball home under Simon Royce.

That was about as good as it got for the Croatian though as he endured a frustrating full debut in the Rovers attack.

The £6million signing from Hajduk Split had missed a host of chances after his introduction as a substitute at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, but had even less joy at Priestfield with makeshift centre-back Mark Bentley keeping him out of the game, while he was also booked for diving before being replaced by Jason Roberts at half-time.

Royce had already been called in to action to tip over Pedersen's free-kick before Dunn's goal, but the Gills gave a good account of themselves for the rest of the half.

Mark McCammon, making his first start of the season in the Gills attack, was a lively presence and came closest to a leveller for the Kent club when he met Jackson's cross at the far post but headed across the goal and just past the post.

Hoilett shot just wide for the visitors before former Gills stopper Jason Brown did well to keep out Fuller's free-kick, and McCammon was unable to score from the rebound.

Steven Reid was forced off at half-time as Vince Grella also joined the fray, and Rovers were two up within a minute of the start of the second half when the impressive Hoilett gave Royce no chance with a diving header after Keith Andrews' cross was deflected to him.

Rovers were rampant and Steven N'Zonzi headed just over the top, before Hoilett was also narrowly off target after good work from Roberts down the left.

Jackson had his first sight of goal from Fuller's cross-cum-shot but Brown clung on with little fuss, before Royce kept his side in it with a stunning save from Roberts' header.

And the Gills then went straight up the other end and got themselves right back in it when Jackson tumbled in the box under a challenge from Zurab Khizanishvili and the Gills top scorer picked himself up to score the penalty in the 69th minute.

But five minutes later the game was all but over when Pedersen's vicious inswinging corner was too good for the Gills defence and went in, despite the best efforts of Fuller on the line.

Rovers saw out the clash comfortably to progress to the third round and leave the Gills on the end of a fourth successive defeat - but they will be able to take heart from their battling efforts.

Job done for Allardyce

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce felt it was a job well done after his side eased past Gillingham.

"They gave us a bit of a run for our money in the first half," said Allardyce. "We got a nice goal which I thought would set the tone for us but we sort of slipped off the pace a little bit and let them get back into the game.

"We just had to sort that out at half-time.

"We had to just stop giving the ball away as much as we did, but that was down to some of the hard work that Gillingham put in to it, but when we went out in the second half and kept the ball and got the second goal it knocked the stuffing out of them."

The penalty was given for a foul by Zurab Khizanishvili on Jackson and although his players were unhappy, Allardyce's view of the incident was not clear - and it mattered not after Pedersen's goal.

"We missed another three or four chances that would have made it comfortable," he added. "Then we got a little edgy for a while and then the penalty was given.

"It was a little too far away for me to know whether it was or it wasn't, the lads were complaining about it but we got the goal, a great goal from Morten.

"I thought he deserved the goal. I think it was going in anyway but went in off the defender."

Allardyce saw Steven Reid go off at the break with a hamstring injury and also took off full debutant Nikola Kalinic at the interval.

"The only disappointment was that Reidy got a little hamstring injury, nice to see him back and Dunny looked really good with his goal and general ability.

"Nik felt a groin at half-time so we took him off but you can see the movement and where he wants to go but he's just not quite up to the pace of our game yet so that'll come I think.

"All in all a good night and we travel home in the hat and look forward to the next round."

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson was pleased with his side's performance after their weekend horror show against Hartlepool and hailed the performance of Pedersen.

He said: "I won't go home happy because we've lost, but the performance tonight to Saturday was a million miles better because we had a go. We had a go and unfortunately at the end the quality showed.

"At 2-1 you've got a chance and then the kid puts a corner in and it was unstoppable really. The lad (Jason) Roberts has done well on Simon Royce, he's just blocked him but the ball in was absolutely fantastic.

"If I'm honest, (Pedersen) was the one player we would have loved to be left out tonight, because he can unlock the door.

"When we saw his name on the sheet we thought 'why him?' and he's undone us in the end.

"I hope the fans can see what we're trying to build - we're trying to build a team that attack and are creative."