Long wait ends for Blackburn

Blackburn finally ended their away day jinx with a dominant display of football as they strolled to a 2-0 victory over Wimbledon at Selhurst Park, showing why they can challenge the runaway leaders, Fulham and Watford, at the top of the First Division table.

Blackburn finally ended their away day jinx with a dominant display of football as they strolled to a 2-0 victory over Wimbledon at Selhurst Park, showing why they can challenge the runaway leaders, Fulham and Watford, at the top of the First Division table.

Just two years ago, both teams were permanent fixtures in the top flight, but Wimbledon showed nothing to suggest they were once a feared team. Blackburn, on the other hand, passed the ball with assurance as they ended their search for an away win. It may have taken six months to arrive, but when Rovers ended their travel sickness it was done so with ease.

Blackburn could have gone ahead in the opening 10 minutes, but the home goalkeeper, Kelvin Davis, who conceded four goals against Gillingham at the weekend, thwarted a goal-bound effort from the Norwegian international Stig Inge Bjornebye. The full-back was not to be denied, however, as he was central to Blackburn's opener.

The former Liverpool man sent over a cross from the left and his centre, wavering in the swirling, wet conditions, was turned into his own net by the defender Chris Willmott after 22 minutes. The youngster tried to prevent the striker Egil Ostenstad from netting, but only succeeded in wrong-footing Davis as the ball fell into the net.

In days gone past, the loss of such a sloppy goal would have brought a spirited revival typified by the "Crazy Gang". But Terry Burton's side have a seeming lack of never-say-die spirit. In fact, Wimbledon, playing with three strikers, failed to trouble the visiting goalkeeper John Filan until the 75th minute. John Hartson shot from outside the box but, despite his effort going wide of Filan's left-hand post, the Australian keeper was forced to scramble across his line for his only real work of the evening.

Graeme Souness, the Rovers manager, saw his side double their lead on the stroke of half-time when the midfielder Garry Flitcroft unleashed a thunderbolt worthy of gracing any football stage, let alone the First Division.

Flitcroft let fly from 25 yards and his shot left Davis with no chance before striking the underside of the bar. In a week when efforts hitting the bar have caused so much controversy, the midfielder's effort left nothing to the imagination as it nestled in the back of the net.

Craig Hignett should have added his name to the score sheet in the second half but his goal-bound effort, after a 20-yard run, was clawed out by Davis.

The Premiership days are firmly behind both sides, but on the evidence of this match only one team could hold their own in the top flight. Souness's side have issued a stark warning - Fulham and Watford beware.

Wimbledon (4-3-3): Davis; Holloway, Willmott, Williams, Kimble; Andersen (Owusu, 81), Francis (Thomas, h-t), Hunt; Hartson, Euell, Gayle (Agyemang, h-t). Substitutes not used: Roberts, Feuer (gk).

Blackburn (4-5-1): Filan; Curtis, Bjornebye, Short, Berg; Flitcroft, Dunn, Hignett, Johnson (McAteer, 50), Duff; Ostenstad (Taylor, 66). Substitutes not used: Kenna, Kelly (gk), Carsley.

Referee: R Beeby (Northampton).