02/05/2006  Blackburn 1 Chelsea 0
 
The Blues' last visit to Ewood Park ended in acrimony and angry words from Chelsea manager Mourinho as he lambasted Blackburn's roughhouse tactics.

But those days are long gone at Rovers as a relegation battle last season has been replaced by a glorious campaign that will see the club competing in next term's UEFA Cup.

Under Hughes, Blackburn are no longer brutal bullies, but instead shrewder and more tactically acute and that has led to their stark reversal in fortunes.

There were still the odd niggly challenges and shirt pull here and there that on another night with another referee might have earned Chelsea a penalty.

But on three separate occasions Steve Bennett was unimpressed as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Frank Lampard and Hernan Crespo all went to ground.

Instead, it was Blackburn who took the honours, and Steven Reid in particular with his fifth goal of the season on the stroke of half-time to book Rovers' return to Europe.

In part Mourinho paid the price for making eight changes to his side, although he cannot be blamed too after they clinched their second successive Barclays Premiership title on Saturday.

Crucially, Mourinho was without the stalwart leadership qualities of captain John Terry, with the armband passed on to Lampard.

Mercifully, after the injuries to England's World Cup stars Terry and Wayne Rooney at the weekend, Lampard came through unscathed on the occasion of his 50th appearance for the Blues this season.

Sven-Goran Eriksson will surely breathe a sigh of relief at that, and must be counting down the days to the season's end.

Lampard, though, perhaps failed to galvanise the side in the same way Terry does as the opening half hour lacked fluidity and rhythm.

Blackburn were only marginally better, but they too were without their captain after Ryan Nelsen cracked a leg bone in Saturday's 2-0 win at Charlton.

That resulted in Lucas Neill taking up the skipper's mantle for the first time from the start of a match, and producing another sterling effort in switching from right back to the centre of defence.

Yet Blackburn failed to capitalise on Chelsea's dishevelled nature, and it was not until the 25th minute that the fans from either side witnessed the first meaningful chance.

It was almost worth waiting for as Geremi picked up a loose ball on the right, turning inside Michael Gray before lining up his shot.

However, the Cameroon international drilled a low drive inches past the right-hand post of goalkeeper Brad Friedel from 25 yards.

That at least stirred Blackburn into a response, and within three minutes they should have taken the lead.

Gray's cross from the left was a piercing one into the edge of the six-yard box where Craig Bellamy beat Carlo Cudicini with a clever flick with the outside of his right boot, only for the ball to hit the bar.

The ricochet fell to an unmarked David Bentley, but he attempted to be too precise with his four-yard header, steering it a yard wide of the right-hand post when it appeared easier to score.

If Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief at that escape, Rovers followed suit in the 35th minute.

Geremi's curling delivery from the right was equally as incisive as that of the one shortly before from Gray.

Instinctively, and from six yards out, Eidur Gudjohnsen stretched out his left leg, but was denied by the left-hand post.

If Chelsea were frustrated at that point, there feelings doubled in intensity two minutes before the break, instigated by a booking for Geremi for handball.

From 10 yards inside the touchline and the by-line down the left wing, Robbie Savage whipped in the free-kick with pace, with Reid getting the faintest touch to glance the ball home for his fifth of the season.

Savage celebrated as if the goal was his, and the stadium announcer gave it to the Welshman - who was booked for his over-exuberance - but Reid decisively pointed to himself as the scorer.

The second half was at least more passionate, sparked by a right-foot volley from Gudjohnsen that Friedel turned aside 50 seconds after the restart, while Savage was denied by a sprawling stop from Carlo Cudicini less than a minute later.

Then there were the penalty shouts at various stages, but Bennett turned them all aside, notably substitute Aaron Mokoena's shirt pull on Crespo that was the most clear-cut of the trio.

Friedel also pulled off a flying stop from Chelsea substitute Joe Cole to preserve the eventual victory, and guaranteed sixth place in the league.