Football / Round-Up: Blackburn cling on for draw

BLACKBURN ROVERS were fortunate to escape with a point last night when Ewood Park's smallest crowd of the season, 13,556, saw Southampton have much the better of a goalless draw.

When Bobby Mimms, the home goalkeeper, tipped a header from Iain Dowie over the bar after five minutes, it proved the first of a host of chances the visitors had to wrap up the points. In the end, they nearly went home empty-handed, Blackburn's Jason Wilcox racing clear but rolling his shot wide.

Portsmouth, Millwall and Tranmere Rovers maintained their pursuit of a Premier League place with 1-0 victories. Mark Chamberlain earned Portsmouth a home win over Watford by finishing off a fine move started by Chris Burns six minutes after the interval. Pompey's night was spoiled by another addition to their injury list, the defender Lee Russell being carried off with a suspected broken leg.

Millwall kept pace with them in fourth place courtesy of Phil Barber, who scored at Bristol City from Malcolm Allen's pass. Kasey Keller preserved their lead by saving Andy Cole's 57th-minute penalty after Andy Roberts handled.

Pat Nevin condemned Brentford to their seventh successive home defeat when he beat Keith Millen and goalkeeper Graham Benstead to knock in Tranmere's winner 18 minutes from time at Griffin Park.