Yakubu scores 4 as Blackburn beat Swansea 4-2
Yakubu scores 4 as Blackburn beat Swansea 4-2
The win was Blackburn's first in nine Premier League matches this season.

Blackburn: Ayegbeni Yakubu scored four goals as Blackburn won their first Premier League game in nine matches, beating Swansea 4-2 on Saturday.

The Nigerian striker scored in the 20th and 45th minutes at Ewood Park, before grabbing his hat trick in the 57th. He added a fourth with a penalty kick in the 82nd before being substituted in the 87th.

Leroy Lita and Luke Moore scored for Swansea.

The win moves Blackburn up two places to 18th — above Bolton and Wigan — and removes some pressure from under-fire manager Steve Kean.

Joe Allen was sent off and then Neil Taylor gave away the spot-kick in quick succession.

Yakubu grabbed his first after superb work from Gael Givet, who cut in from the left flank and crossed for the Nigerian to blast home the opener.

But even that goal did not placate some sections of the home support, who booed when Kean celebrated with the goalscorer on the touchline.

Swansea grabbed an equaliser in the 35th. Mark Gower sent in a looping cross from the right flank and Lita rose to angle a fine header in off Paul Robinson's left-hand post.

Yakubu restored Blackburn's lead in first-half injury time when he reacted with a point-blank header after substitute Simon Vukcevic volleyed across the box.

Formica shot just wide for Blackburn before Yakubu had the ball in the net for a third time after being fed by Vukcevic, but was rightly adjudged to be inches offside.

Robinson played a big part in Rovers' third when his booming goal kick was tipped over the bar by opposite number Michel Vorm. From the resulting corner Rovers grabbed their third, with Christopher Samba heading back Morten Gamst Pedersen's set-piece and Yakubu pouncing to finally complete his hat-trick from close range.

But Swansea were far from done and they reduced the deficit in the 66th minute when Moore fired home from inside the box after Robinson had parried an initial effort from Wayne Routledge.

Neil Taylor's foul on Vukcevic allowed Yakubu to complete his solo show, and with Swansea's Joe Allen getting a second yellow card seconds before the goal, Swansea's hopes were over.

Rovers' only previous league victory this season was a 4-3 win over Arsenal in September, with Yakubu scoring twice.

Despite the win, some Blackburn fans continued to chant for his dismissal. Blackburn exited the League Cup on Tuesday, beaten 2-0 by second-tier team Cardiff, with Kean saying he chose a weakened team to focus on the league.

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