Blyth Had Their Chances To Dent Big Sam's Cup Hopes!

Last updated : 06 January 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

Blackburn beat the non-leaguers by a narrow 1-0 margin at Croft Park, and survived a major scare five minutes from time when substitute Andrew Wright came within inches of scoring.

And a wayward header from Blyth two minutes later, with the goal at their mercy, could have put the Premiership side out of the cup!

Allardyce has either made Premiership survival his priority, or he didn't expect much of a fight from the Blue Square North side, because he rested his entire first team.

Allardyce: "We hadn't lost in three matches - now we haven't lost in four.

"These lads have done well tonight, but I can't see me making too many changes.

"That team that has played so well with such little reward - because they should have had more than five points - will be very much in the frame to play against Fulham."

Blyth boss Harry Dunn was left to reflect on what might have been: "If Sam had put his first team out, you have got to be realistic, we probably wouldn't have had a hope in hell.

"The main feature from our point of view was not to concede goals because if we had conceded two, we weren't going to score three.

"But at one, you always have a chance and for us to stay in the game as long as we did was great testament to the players."