Green and Ashton give Hammers boss Curbishley a happy anniversary

The relegation survivors of last season have had more flair in their teams from a different age — but Curbishley's controlled and pragmatic style, though not winning too many friends, is winning points.

Accused of being over-aggressive against Chelsea in their last away game, West Ham produced a disciplined effort at Ewood Park four days before Curbishley's anniversary, a victory and a clean sheet that leaves them in a safe mid-table place and a record that shows only 12 goals conceded in 15 Barclays Premier League games this season.

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Much of that is down to goalkeeper Robert Green. Judged not good enough to be in the England squad, he produced another brilliant save to halt a Tugay drive that swirled through air as it travelled through a crowd of bodies.

"If it had swerved any more I'd have been in trouble," said the goalkeeper whose penalty saves against Portsmouth and Tottenham recently preserved West Ham's unlikely reputation for being mean.

"We are defending well away from home and hitting teams on the break."

Hardly the West Ham way.

But with Dean Ashton climbing from the bench to score in the 52nd minute, it gave Lucas Neill a happy return to the club he left for Upton Park and the riches of a new Icelandic master.

Ashton, back after five weeks out with hamstring problems, is set to start Wednesday's Carling Cup quarter-final with Everton as West Ham face David Moyes' UEFA Cup heroes twice in four days.

Out-of-sorts Blackburn, still only four points off the top four despite winning only once in six games, finished with 10 men after Andre Ooijer was helped off with a calf problem six minutes from the end.

Manager Mark Hughes said: "For the first time, our performance wasn't anywhere near the level it needed to be. We conceded a poor goal, they were strong and powerful. They counter-attacked well."

Rival Crubishley added: "It's a tough place to come, so we're delighted. The first goal was always going to be the decider."

Perhaps the match might have turned out differently had David Dunn's early speculative shot not swirled inches over Green's crossbar.

A goal then would surely have concentrated some minds.

But Blackburn appeared to be more concerned with stamping their authority on the game after allowing Aston Villa to walk away with the three points on their last appearance at Ewood Park.

Aaron Mokoena, again preferred to Robbie Savage in midfield, was lucky to escape with a few words of advice from referee Alan Wiley after clattering outstanding midfielder Scott Parker.

But defender Ooijer, having a fine game and enjoying his settled run in Hughes' side, did collect a yellow card for taking out Luis Boa Morte effectively but quite illegally.

Tugay, having seen the ball move earlier under Dunn's influence, had a crack of his own at outwitting Green from range and he was not far off squeezing inside the angle.

West Ham, controversial winners here last season with the victory that kick-started their late scramble clear of relegation, gradually began to make their own mark on a dull game.

Parker's snap effort from outside the box whipped past Brad Friedel's right-hand post, but the goalkeeper would have been more alarmed if he had seen the TV replay.

Despite sterling effort from Ooijer and Chris Samba at the back, without skipper and defensive rock Ryan Nelsen — banned for his red card against Villa — Blackburn are more vulnerable.

The comedy of errors as half time approached, which ended with Nobby Solano firing his free shot over Friedel's bar, was a warning that would have been harsher had West Ham been a little sharper.

They were after the break, when Ashton replaced struggling Matthew Etherington.

Blackburn were soon caught out by raiding left back George McCartney and they paid dearly.

The defender's cut-back eluded Ooijer's attempt to intercept and it was the West Ham substitute who beat team-mate Carlton Cole to the punch by sweeping the ball home.

It was only the fourth goal of an injury-restricted season for the England striker, but it again highlighted Blackburn's worrying tendency to get caught suddenly after looking comfortable in a game.

Rovers also missed David Bentley as the winger served a one-match suspension, while Morten Gamst Pedersen has yet to regain his best form under Hughes.

Just as much of a concern to Hughes will be the failure of either striker in the first-choice duo of Benni McCarthy or Roque Santa Cruz to score in the last six games.

Santa Cruz had suggested earlier that the Premier League should consider a mid-winter break for England's sake.

An unkind soul might have suggested he was taking one himself regardless.

When the Paraguayan did at last have a late chance to score, he smashed the ball hopelessly wide of the relieved Green's goal having done the hard work by instantly controlling Tugay's clever lob.