Blackburn boss Kean relieved to survive QPR fight-back

Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean was relieved to survive QPR's fight-back for victory yesterday.

Rovers looked set for a comfortable afternoon at the interval, with strikes from Ayegbeni Yakubu (15), Steven Nzonzi (23) and a Nedum Onuoha own goal (45) putting them firmly in the driving seat.

But after Yakubu - returning to the side from suspension - had hit the crossbar with a chip eight minutes into the second half, the visitors mounted a fightback, substitute Jamie Mackie netting twice to set up a tense finale.

The hosts, who had been humiliated 7-1 at Arsenal a week earlier, managed to hold on for the 3-2 win and Kean said: "I felt the first-half display was really exceptional and I think we put to bed the disappointment of the Arsenal game a little bit.

"We worked really hard this week on trying to get pressure on the ball and making sure we could hold the high lines, and I thought in the first half we were brilliant.

"Then we had Yakubu's chance to go to 4-0, and I felt after that that QPR thought they didn't really have anything to lose, so they started throwing all sorts at it.

"They changed their shape, went very offensive and I think once the first goal went in, we had a bit of a wobble and got a little bit nervous - which is understandable considering how many young players we have got in the team."