Tyrone Mears proved just as diligent as he slid in to take the ball away from Riise as the Norwegian burst clear.

BBC: CHOOSE A SPORT

Then, 10 minutes after the restart, the midfielder needlessly felled Tyrone Mears, who was cutting in from the right, fractionally outside the area.

BBC: Daniel Fox

Blackburn had been dominant up to that point and Cruz was denied an early goal when his near-post header from Bentley's corner was hacked off the line by Tyrone Mears.

BBC: Blackburn celebrate David Bentley's winner