Blackburn escape with draw against Fulham

London, March 19: Graeme Souness' Blackburn reign got off to a bad start against Division One rivals Fulham -- but he must have been happy...

London, March 19: Graeme Souness’ Blackburn reign got off to a bad start against Division One rivals Fulham — but he must have been happy to leave the capital with a share of the points from a 2-2 draw.

Fulham went ahead in Saturday’s match on 18 minutes through striker Barry Hayles with an individual goal. Hayles cut in past two Rovers players from the edge of the 18-yard box and rifled a right-footed shot high into the corner of the net, leaving Blackburn goalkeeper Alan Kelly helpless.

Earlier, Kelly had saved a penalty from former Liverpool striker Karlheinz Riedle.

Story continues below this ad

David Dunn then scored with a bizarre 40-yard effort on 38 minutes to put Rovers back in the contest. His shot bounced several times before ‘keeper Maik Taylor contrived to dive over it as the Lancashire side battled back.

But former German international Riedle was not finished and in the second half, he scored with a briliant diving header after 75 minutes.

Fortunately for Rovers, ex-Manchester United and Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie scored on 85 minutes to spare Souness’ blushes.

QPR ran out 3-2 winners at the Bescot Stadium, where the Londoners took an early lead when Walsall’s Bjarni Larusson put through his own goal in the 11th minute. The damage was worsened four minutes later when Stuart Wardley notched his 14th of the season to put Gerry Francis’ men 2-0 up.

Story continues below this ad

Walsall pulled a goal back through centre-half Tony Barrass on 36 minutes and the West Midlands strugglers equalised through Paul Hall on 63 minutes.

But QPR snatched the points through Chris Kiwomya on 73 minutes with a shot into the top corner for his 11th strike of the season.

Martin Smith’s goal on 22 minutes gave Steve Bruce’s Huddersfield a 1-0 win at West Brom. Steve Claridge scored the fastest goal of the day in England to put Portsmouth 1-0 up against Crewe at Gresty Road.

The veteran striker, with his eighth goal in nine games, found the back of the net on three minutes to give Tony Pulis’ men a great start.

Story continues below this ad

In the second half, Dario Gradi’s men equalised through Colin Cramb, who found the target on 57 minutes, before the game see-sawed back Pompey’s way with Thomas Thogersen’s strike on 62 minutes.

Portsmouth secured the points when ex-Derby winger Kevin Harper found the target on 86 minutes. Barnsley drew first blood in their important match with Birmingham at St Andrews, Craig Hignett scoring after 13 minutes to give Dave Bassett’s boys an early boost.

But Isaiah Rankin levelled for the hosts on 25 minutes and David Holdsworth put the Blues 2-1 up on the stroke of half-time. Rankin then made sure of the points with his second goal in the game on 63 minutes.