It's there: Nikola Kalinic beats Tim Howard to put Blackburn aheadYou could feel the agony of the moment Everton’s Tim Howard gave Blackburn their winner.
Every graphic detail will be with him forever. Just 14 minutes of to-and-fro football of this new season had elapsed when Howard went to collect a slow, looping header from El-Hadji Diouf. His central defender, Sylvain Distin, moved with him as insurance.
They may have brushed together because Howard caught the ball and then dropped it in the old butter-fingers way. Lurking was Blackburn’s Croat, Nikola Kalinic. He snapped up the chance, swivelling one way, turning back and rolling the ball into the vacant goal.
In a footballing moment of rare poignancy, Distin draped a consoling arm around the goalkeeper’s shoulder. Howard’s hurt was visible.
His manager, David Moyes, was conciliatory, saying: ‘It happens but it is costly. It was the deciding moment in the match but Tim has been very good for us. But we never put them under any pressure until the last 15 minutes.’Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce was delighted with his team, pointing out that it was a third win in succession if you link it with the end of last season.
He added: ‘I asked the players to continue where they left off and they did the job very well. I know people will talk about Tim Howard but Kalinic took his goal so well that I hope it will give him confidence to go on and score more.’
Blackburn’s line-up has changed very little but Allardyce may have struck gold with young Phil Jones. He is essentially a central defender but with Chris Samba and Ryan Nelsen having such a sound understanding in front of Paul Robinson, Jones was deployed in midfield.
He looked born to the role in front of the back four, frequently breaking up attacks and keeping a keen eye and delivering a firm tackle on Everton’s main playmaker, Mikel Arteta.
Everton, looking to march into the top four of the Premier League, were as workmanlike as ever but it was not until the 90th minute that they forced a shot, through Phil Jagielka, that stretched Robinson, the recently-retired England keeper. His save was goal-defying and came at the end of Everton’s only sustained pressure.
Both sides proved that neither need fear relegation and Blackburn’s desire to find security in the top half of the table should be attainable. Allardyce says he will have a firm view on their prospects after eight to 10 games.
You beauty: Blackburn's Nikola Kalinic (centre) is congratulated by Morten Gamst Pedersen (left) and Chris Samba For the moment he is content. Moyes, never comfortable in defeat, was prepared to put it down as a one-off.
He has been in the Goodison Park chair for more than eight years and has created an admirable spirit and understanding in the team.
He has brought them together and united them without any of the big money of his neighbours. Tim Cahill came back from pre-season injury to play just behind their striker Louis Saha and caused Blackburn more than a few problems.
Tussle: Steven Pienaar attempts to break clear of Blackburn's Chris Samba
Allardyce, too, has put together a team who arefull of promise, even if their ambitions are not quite as lofty as Everton’s.
He has brought in just one player, Senegalese striker Mame Biram Diouf on loan from Manchester United, and his trickery as a late substitute excited the 25,869 spectators.
The home fans gave their team a standing ovation. Happy days could be returning to Ewood Park.
source: dailymail
