Nonda strike enough for Rovers

Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda claimed his first goal for the club to condemn Middlesbrough to their second home defeat of the week. The 29-year-old, on loan from Roma, powered home a 27th-minute header to claim the 1-0 win as Boro were made to pay for missed chances.

Jason Euell wasted two first-half opportunities to level and substitute Mark Viduka volleyed high and wide with nine minutes remaining as a late flurry failed to pay dividends.

Boro, who lost to Rovers three times last season, were booed off by as a crowd of just 24,595 for the second time in four days.

Manager Gareth Southgate was adamant in the wake of Wednesday night's embarrassing 1-0 Carling Cup defeat by Coca-Cola league Two Notts County that his decision to rest eight key players was right.

Seven of the big hitters returned, with winger Adam Johnson the only casualty, and that meant a home debut for Middlesbrough-born skipper Jonathan Woodgate, who received rave reviews for his performances at Arsenal and Bolton.

The point taken from each of those games went a long way to erasing the memory of the 4-0 home defeat by Portsmouth in the previous league game at the Riverside Stadium, but the visit of Rovers was the first must-win game of the campaign for the new Boro boss.

However, by the time his side trudged off the pitch at the break, there were boos ringing around the stadium once again with Blackburn a goal to the good.

The visitors started brightly, but their hosts had just dragged themselves back into the game when disaster struck.

David Bentley's speculative right-wing cross did not look to pose a particularly serious threat, but Nonda managed to get himself between Woodgate and full-back Andrew Davies at the far post to power a 27th-minute header into the top corner.

But Boro, playing with just one striker, should have been level twice within four minutes. Gaizka Mendieta and Euell were the men charged with the task of supporting frontman Aiyegbeni Yakubu, and the pair combined to good effect within seconds.

The Spaniard's cross handed Euell a free header in front of goal, but he directed his effort tamely at Brad Friedel.

As luck would have it, an even better chance fell to the same man on 31 minutes when Fabio Rochemback's pass split the Rovers defence, but although Euell got to the ball long before the advancing Friedel, he stabbed his shot wide of the post.

Former Boro target Benni McCarthy curled a 38th-minute shot just wide, but Schwarzer kept his side in it with an instinctive save five minutes before the break when he blocked Neill's piledriver with his legs.

Viduka's emergence to warm-up ahead of his team-mates drew warm applause from the home fans, and he was joined by young midfielder Lee Cattermole as Southgate opted for `plan B'.

Viduka headed straight up to join Yakubu as Cattermole slotted into central midfield and Stuart Parnaby dropped in at right-back in a conventional 4-4-2.

Cattermole's first contribution was to floor Bentley with an untidy challenge, although it was McCarthy who earned a yellow card for his angry response.

Boro continued to misfire and almost handed the visitors a second goal on 52 minutes when Schwarzer and Davies collided and presented possession to Morten Gamst Pedersen, although his ball across the face of goal was scrambled away.

The home side were starting to make an impression, but all too often the quality of the final ball was sadly lacking.

Robbie Savage had to get in an important 69th-minute block to divert Rochemback's drive away from goal and defender Emanuel Pogatetz fired wide at the near post from the resulting corner.

The Teessiders were belatedly starting to impose themselves on the game, although Rochemback wasted an opportunity to test Friedel on 72 minutes when he drilled a free-kick straight into the defensive wall.

Yakubu, who had endured one of his less influential afternoons, went close 12 minutes from time when his angled shot was deflected just wide.

The Nigerian headed into Viduka's path on 81 minutes, but the Australian skied his volley high over to rescue the visitors' defence.

Rovers could have cemented victory with three minutes remaining when Emerton curled a shot towards the far post, but Schwarzer pulled off a fine save to preserve his side's fading hopes.