Everton 1 Blackburn Rovers 2The dream may have always smacked of desperation, but any hopes Everton had of taking their first steps into the Intertoto Cup this summer have now effectively been dashed.
Meek surrender here to Blackburn had toes curling in the stands as red-faced players sheepishly plodded an end of season lap of honour. Barring a startling victory at Highbury on the season's final day, it will be Fulham and not the Blues who will have the dubious honour of cutting short their holidays to enter at the second-round stage in the first week of July.
Everton were infuriatingly listless, suggesting new personnel will be required. Not least in goal. Paul Gerrard had spent much of the season contemplating the folly of a dodgy display against Newcastle in October. Now restored, and with whispers already circulating about a summer move for Arsenal's Alex Manninger, he was back fluffing his lines after just 10 minutes. David Dunn's cross into the six-yard box should have been easily gathered but Gerrard remained static as Matt Jansen nipped in to nod home.
Sparked by a brief flurry of attacking pressure, Everton found parity early in the second half. Unsworth's corner was headed at goal by David Weir and with the ball ricocheting around the goal-line, Nick Chadwick back-heeled into the corner.
Yet Blackburn, whose own top-flight status had only been guaranteed a day earlier with Ipswich's failure to beat Manchester United, duly rallied to hoist themselves to the dizzy heights of 12th. Damien Duff's volley was blocked by Gerrard but with home defenders dawdling, Cole dived in to convert his 10th Rovers goal.
EVERTON: Gerrard, Watson, Weir, Stubbs, Pistone, Alexandersson (Radzinski 74), Gravesen, Gemmill, Unsworth (Blomqvist 82), Campbell, Chadwick. Subs Not Used: Linderoth, Pettinger, Carsley. Booked: Stubbs, Unsworth. Goal: Chadwick 51.
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Taylor, Short, Berg, Unsal (Johansson 64), Duff, Flitcroft, Tugay (Gillespie 64), Dunn, Cole, Jansen. Subs Not Used: Hughes, Yordi, Kelly. Booked: Jansen, Cole. Goals: Jansen 10, Cole 63.
Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
