Hughes' men fall to epic Greeks

They had good reason to rue the first-leg defensive errors that horrified Mark Hughes as Brazilian forward Cleyton's goal left them with an impossible mission despite Matt Derbyshire and Stephen Warnock hitting back for Rovers.

Blackburn boss Hughes had urged his players and the Ewood Park crowd to make it a night to remember as his side attempted to claw back the two goals they had conceded in Greece.

The manager stuck to his guns over the three star names he dropped for the victory at Sunderland on Saturday — Benni McCarthy, Robbie Savage and Morten Gamst Pedersen all found themselves on the bench.

Hughes was convinced that his new-look formation could do more damage to Larissa than the side that struggled to make any impression on the Greek Cup holders in Volos a fortnight ago.

But he warned that being caught out by an early goal would leave them with an almost insurmountable task and his worst nightmare unfolded painfully in the 17th minute.

Blackburn failed to clear Nektarios Alexandrou's cross and Marco Foerster laid the ball to Cleyton, who steadied himself to fire inside Brad Friedel's far post.

The 700 Larissa fans erupted in delight. There was stunned silence in every other part of the ground as dismayed home supporters realised it would now take four goals for Blackburn to reach the group stage.

Time was on their side but accuracy in the finishing department was not. Christopher Samba connected with a David Bentley free-kick but headed over the bar before Bentley and Derbyshire both fired wide.

First-half injury time brought a glimmer of hope as David Dunn was upended by goalkeeper Stefanos Kotsolis.

Derbyshire's first spot kick was saved but put a second attempt away when the referee ordered a retake.

Stephen Warnock's 50th-minute strike raised hopes of a famous comeback but the Greeks were not about to give up their own night of glory.

BLACKBURN (4-2-3-1): Friedel; Emerton, Ooijer, Samba, Warnock; Mokoena (Pedersen 63min), Tugay; Derbyshire (McCarthy 69), Bentley, Dunn (Savage 78); Santa Cruz. Booked: Tugay, Warnock, Samba.

LARISSA (4-5-1): Kotsolis; Galitsios, Dabizas, Foerster, Katsiaros; Cleyton (Kalantzis 78), Sarmiento, Kyriakidis, Fotakis, Alexandrou (Kotsios 56); Bakayoko (Gikas 90). Booked: Sarmiento, Kotsolis, Cleyton, Fotakis.

Man of the Match: Tugay.

Referee: Claudio Circhetta (Switzerland).