Half-time: Blackburn Rovers 1 Everton 0

8:59pm Wednesday 24th September 2008

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Young gun Martin Olsson repaid Paul Ince's faith by giving Blackburn the advantage going into the second half of this Carling Cup third-round match.

The left-back made the breakthrough in the 10th minute after a neat one-two with Robbie Fowler, who was making his debut.

Fowler is on a three-month performance-related deal at Ewood Park after leaving Cardiff.

Blackburn were forced to make a change of goalkeeper three minutes later when Jason Brown replaced Paul Robinson.

He had been hobbling as early as the ninth minute.

Fowler saw a lot of the ball and latched on to a flick from Matt Derbyshire, only to fire wide.

Everton almost drew level in the 33rd minute when Marouane Fellaini got away from his marker and on the end of a cross from Jagielka but headed narrowly wide.

Four minutes later Blackburn launched a swift counter-attack with Carlos Villanueva releasing Derbyshire.

He cut the ball back to Fowler but the striker could not get a good enough touch and the chance was lost.

Fowler then linked up with Villanueva a minute before half-time, only for the winger to send his effort over the bar.