Gresko fluke helps calm Souness rage

Blackburn Rovers 1 Tottenham Hotspur

Graeme Souness will figure prominently in any Blackburn Rovers history, but a section may have to be written entitled "Things I probably shouldn't have said to referees". Last year he got a £10,000 fine and a touchline suspension for telling an official to "Go boil your head", and he is looking at more time in the stands after falling foul of Graham Poll at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Souness's defence last time was based on translation - "In Scottish it means go shake your head," the Blackburn manager said - but he will not be able to take the tartan phrasebook with him when he meets the Football Association after being dismissed by Poll here. Not that he was in any way conciliatory afterwards. "Why should I get a touchline ban?" he said. "I've not sworn. I've not said anything the referee could deem to be wrong."

The FA may beg to differ because Souness's comment - "I didn't know you were a Tottenham supporter" - will be seen to be questioning Poll's partiality. The Blackburn manager did, however, raise further good points even if his lectern was built on dubious foundations. Dialogue between officials, managers and players during games has broken down to the point where simple queries are interpreted as challenges to authority.

"It's been my biggest beef with referees for a number of years," Souness said. "They won't talk to the managers and coaches on the touchline and, worse than that, they won't enter into dialogue with players on the pitch. You have players who all demand respect, and if they ask, 'Ref, what was that all about?', he's told, 'Say that again and I'm booking you'. Dialogue is everything."

Despite the vehemence of his opinions, you suspect Souness would have been even more forthright on Saturday evening had the result been different. A defeat was never likely - Tottenham carried all the threat of a highly armed duster - but with Blackburn also limp in attack a draw and a place in the Premiership's bottom three was feasible until a helpful behind intervened on their behalf.

The backside belonged to the Tottenham captain, Stephen Carr, and when it came into contact with Vratislav Gresko's 78th-minute shot it caused the ball to spiral evilly away from Kasey Keller. Already set to go one way, the Tottenham goalkeeper did not have a chance of making up the lost ground.

That apart, the game was notable only for Souness's dismissal and another stage of the development of Blackburn's Paul Gallagher. The 19-year-old Scot made an instant impression when he came on against Manchester United last week and, starting in the Premiership for the first time, those good opinions were enhanced.

"He's got a great ability to get shots off early before goalkeepers can set themselves," Souness said while confirming Gallagher will be in the team at Birmingham next Saturday. "He's got a real eye for a chance, he'll have his back to the goal and before he's received the ball he'll have had a quick look to see where the goalkeeper is and he'll try ridiculous chips or volleys." The rider? "He's got one problem," Souness said, pausing for effect. "He's a Celtic supporter, but we're working on that."

Goals: Gresko (77) 1-0.

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel 5; Babbel 5, Todd 7, Short 6, Gresko 6; Emerton 5, Tugay 7, Ferguson 5, Johansson 4 (Reid 6, h-t); Gallagher 6 (Jansen, 82), Yorke 4. Substitutes not used: Taylor, Baggio, Enckelman (gk).

Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Keller 7; Carr 6, Richards 6, Gardner 5, Taricco 6; Dalmat 5 (Mabizela 5, 66), Anderton 6, King 4, Konchesky 4 (Ricketts, 81); Postiga 5 (Zamora 5, 68), Keane 5. Substitutes not used: Doherty, Burch (gk).

Referee: G Poll (Herts) 5.

Bookings: Tottenham: Taricco.

Man of the match: Todd.

Attendance: 22,802.