Blackburn 1 Everton 0:ROBBIE FOWLER ended 10 months of frustration by helping Blackburn reach the fourth round of the English League Cup. The former Liverpool striker marked his debut for the club by setting up the winner for Martin Olsson.
Fowler, 33, arrived on trial in the summer after failing to agree terms to extend his stay with Cardiff.
His enthusiasm for playing again in the Premier League was rewarded when manager Paul Ince handed him a three-month performance-related deal.
It already looks money well spent as Fowler played his first 90 minutes since last November following a hip operation.
The only downside for Ince was that goalkeeper Paul Robinson came off with a knock after 13 minutes to be replaced by Jason Brown.
Blackburn made the breakthrough in the 10th minute with Olsson's first goal for the club.
The left-back played a neat one-two with Fowler before rifling a shot beyond Tim Howard. It was a sweet move that was started by veteran Turkish midfielder Tugay.
Everton hit back and Segundo Castillo rattled in a shot that was blocked before Phil Jagielka headed wide after a good cross from Jack Rodwell.
Everton almost drew level in the 33rd minute when Marouane Fellaini got away from his marker and on the end of a cross from Jagielka but headed narrowly wide.
There was another scare for Everton in the 39th minute when Matt Derbyshire got clear, only to be pulled back as he had strayed offside.
Everton manager David Moyes decided to shake things up and brought on Tim Cahill and Ayegbeni Yakubu at the start of the second half for Fellaini and Castillo, who had both been ineffective.
But Blackburn poured forward and Villanueva saw his effort blocked by Jagielka. A minute later Derbyshire squandered a glorious chance of extending the lead. Clear on goal, he somehow contrived to send his close-range shot wide of the post.
BLACKBURN:Robinson (Brown 12), Simpson, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Olsson, Villanueva (Roque Santa Cruz 72), Kerimoglu, Warnock, Treacy (Pedersen 75), Derbyshire, Fowler. Subs Not Used: Samba, Nelsen, Kane, Roberts. Booked: Warnock, Villanueva. Goals: Olsson 10.
EVERTON:Howard, Neville, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Rodwell, Castillo (Cahill 46), Fellaini (Yakubu 46), Vaughan (Baxter 83), Saha, Osman. Subs Not Used: Turner, Hibbert, Baines, Nuno Valente. Booked: Neville, Vaughan. Att: 14,366.
Referee:M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
