Soccer:Under-pressure Blackburn manager Steve Kean claims he "forfeited" their Carling Cup quarter-final against Cardiff in an effort to ensure his side are in the best shape for a series of crucial Premier League matches.

Goals from Kenny Miller and Anthony Gerrard condemned the visitors to a 2-0 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium as the Bluebirds did their bit to lift the spirits of a nation rocked by the death of Wales manager Gary Speed by reaching the last four of the Carling Cup for the first time since 1966.

Kean's side are bottom of the league table and he made five changes to his side for the trip to south Wales and also elected not to risk the defensive trio of Christopher Samba, Martin Olsson and Michel Salgado, who have all had hamstring injuries.

After a bright start, Rovers, without a win in five games, were outplayed by their npower Championship hosts, and while Kean was disappointed with their display, he felt he was right to make changes and save his first-choice line-up for Saturday's league meeting with Swansea.

He said: "It is a big disappointment. They were on the back foot to start, we had half-chances and pinned them back, but then the confidence starts back up for them when they scored because they're at home where they've been good. It gives everyone a spark.

"Before the game I had a decision to make in as far as I wanted to push Samba, Olsson and Salgado, who never travelled for this game. They could have played at a push and if we had been in a slightly different position in the league. We have Swansea coming up so I made five changes and left those lads behind. We wanted to make sure we have those lads available for Saturday.

"Saturday has to kick-start our season. We are in a position where we have forfeited going through in this competition and having the chance to reach a cup final. We now have games against sides who are within touching distance of us in the league and we need to treat those games as cup finals because we have not got through to the final of this competition."

A section of Blackburn fans have called for Kean, who signed a new contract last week, to be sacked and have staged a series of protests. And the travelling support made no secret of their dissatisfaction at their cup exit with chants of "Kean out" ringing round the ground.

But Kean, who will meet with club owner's Venky's tomorrow to discuss potential January transfer targets, insists their disapproval does not affect him and he is not concerned about a latest protest taking place before Saturday's Ewood Park contest against the Swans.

"It's never nice when the fans are negative but when you are focused on the game it's something you put to the back of your mind, it doesn't affect me," he said. "We all want the same things, we all want the club to win the game, the fans are frustrated but we all need to stick together."

Prior to the game a tribute was paid to Speed when the stadium united in a round of applause in recognition of his career before a minute's silence.

Both managers and Football Association of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford also laid floral tributes on a Welsh flag, and during the game there were chants of "there's only one Gary Speed".

And Cardiff manager Malky Mackay said the result was a fitting tribute.

"I am very proud of the group, and proud of everyone at the football club," he said. "It was an emotional evening for everyone at the club and everyone in Wales. We knew that going out tonight we would have a big attendance and it was a very moving tribute to Gary. We wanted to get through just as that little tribute to him to get Wales into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup."