Hughes starts Rovers' revival as Jansen comes in from the cold

Blackburn Rovers 1 Portsmouth

"Right time, right place," was Mark Hughes' answer when he was asked why he joined Blackburn Rovers last week, and now he might like to add "right man" too. Needing a goal to crown his first match as manager, Hughes searched his memory, came up with the forgotten striker of Ewood Park and was rewarded with a victory.

"Right time, right place," was Mark Hughes' answer when he was asked why he joined Blackburn Rovers last week, and now he might like to add "right man" too. Needing a goal to crown his first match as manager, Hughes searched his memory, came up with the forgotten striker of Ewood Park and was rewarded with a victory.

Matt Jansen had faded so far into the shadows under Graeme Souness he was considering leaving the club, if not football all together, but a new manager brought a new chance and he came off the substitutes' bench to grab it yesterday and give his club their first win of the season. It was his first goal for a year and brought a much-needed glimmer of light.

Two years ago Jansen was being considered for a place in England's World Cup squad but a motorcycle crash put his career in jeopardy and he has found form elusive since his recovery.

But the talent is there and Hughes, who played alongside Jansen at the end of his career, will be eager to rediscover it. "It was fantastic for Matt," Hughes said. "He's had a difficult time and I feel he needs a little bit of confidence in himself so the goal will help. I know the ability the boy has. He's an asset to the football club."

Hughes, who gave up managing Wales to take over at Ewood - save for the next two World Cup qualifiers - kept an unchanged side and, but for his brief walk on to the pitch by way of introduction, you could have been forgiven in the first half for thinking nothing had changed.

Blackburn had plenty of possession but the Rovers supporters were soon pleading for more action up front. "Get into 'em" they chanted and you could understand their frustration because the sum total of home aggression had amounted to optimistic shots from Barry Ferguson and Jon Stead.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, had contorted the Blackburn defence into an ugly shape with a charge through the centre by Aiyegbeni Yakubu. Taking his cue from that, the Jamaica international Ricardo Fuller tried a solo run of his own from the right flank after 38 minutes. He was unfortunate when, following his good work in beating Michael Gray and Dominic Matteo, his shot rebounded off the outside of the post.

Blackburn had had an insipid first period, and Hughes thought the introduction of Jansen would provide momentum. So it proved, but before he could made any impact Portsmouth should have taken the lead on 72 minutes. Yakubu had done the hard part by using his considerable bulk to lever Matteo off the ball, but when he was faced by just Brad Friedel from near the penalty spot his composure went almost as high as the ball into the Lancashire air.

It was looking as though neither side would score when Blackburn suddenly struck with 15 minutes remaining. Lucas Neill found space ahead of him, accelerated and then played an exquisite pass into the area. Jansen's first touch was poor but his turn had created enough time for him to recover and his next was much better, a shot into the corner with his favoured left foot.

The goal proved decisive but it might not have done if the referee Mark Clattenburg had taken a different view to a late challenge on Fuller by Friedel. The American goalkeeper appeared to barge the Portsmouth striker over but rather than award a penalty, the referee chose to book Fuller instead.

"It was a nailed on penalty," said the Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp. "How can he book him when he gets knocked over? What is he supposed to do, is he superman? You watch it on the box, you'll see he gets barged."

Redknapp, you can be assured, will have studied the television last night and Jansen is likely to have tuned in too.

"The fans kept me going," he said, responding the warm reaction of the Blackburn supporters. "I'm indebted to them because they kept me going over the the last two years. I'll be reading the papers tomorrow."