Marlon King gets first goal for club but Latics lose as both teams finish with ten men.

Goals, bookings, sending offs and penalties? this match had it all but unfortunately for Latics it meant an end to their four match unbeaten run.

Blackburn took the lead on 12 minutes when Chris Kirkland was forced to parry a long range shot from David Bentley, but the ball fell to Roque Santa Cruz who despatched the rebound into the empty net.

But it took Latics just five minutes to get back on level terms when Emile Heskey was hacked down by Christopher Samba in the penalty box when the Latics striker was clean through. The Rovers defender was then sent off by referee Mike Dean. Although Brad Friedal guessed the right way, Marlon King's spot kick squeezed through the hands of the American goalkeeper at the far post.

However, Steve Bruce was forced to make a change with three minutes before the break as Erik Edman came off injured after some brave defending. The Swede cleared away a Jason Roberts header before suffering a clash of heads with the former Latic hero. An awkward landing meant Edman suffered a twisted knee, who was replaced by Ryan Taylor.

Rovers scored a harsh second goal to take a half-time lead as Roberts cut past his marker Emmerson Boyce and slotted the ball through the legs of Kirkland.

Blackburn came out the stronger team in the second half and Santa Cruz added his second goal of the game on 62 minutes when he nodded home from a Bentley cross.

After what appeared to be a decent comeback in the first half, Latics' afternoon got worse as Wilson Palacios was sent off for a second bookable offence after a late challenge on David Dunn.

Losing at half-time was not a fair relection on Latics who had looked comfortable for most of the time, but in the second half Bruce's men were not able to break down a stong Rovers team who were comfortable at holding their two goal advantage.

King nearly scored an impressive second goal in the 19th minute when he received a pass from Antonio Valencia before curling a shot towards the top corner and forcing Friedal into a brilliant one-handed save.

Valencia had tested Friedal himself just prior to the equaliser though as he controlled a half-clearance dead twenty yards from goal and his dipping half-volley was caught at the far post by the Rovers goalkeeper.

Tough tackling Michael Brown also produced a good chance when his long range strike on 64 minutes forced Friedal to tip the ball around the post for a corner.

At the other end there was concern for Kirkland in the 4th minute who fell onto his back whilst grabbing a high ball from the air, but after consulation with the physios was given the all clear to continue.

It was a good job too as the goalkeeper made two superb saves to keep Latics in the game. The former Liverpool man had to parry a long range David Bentley strike around the post after 7 minutes and on 23 minutes Santa Cruz was prevented from netting a second goal on 23 minutes by another Kirkland save.

The Latics shot stopper must have been relieved though when Bentley had actually struck the post shortly before the end of the first half from a set piece, and there was also a scare on the half-hour as a Morten Gamst Pedersn free kick curled just wide of the far post.

Skipper Mario Melchiot produced a crucial tackle on Santa Cruz on 52 minutes as the Paraguayan raced into the box, but despite Rovers' fans appeals for a penalty the referee deemed it a well timed challenge.

After a decent start, Rovers were too strong for Latics on this occassion, but they only slip to 14th in the Barclays Premier League and remain five points clear of the relegation zone.

LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot ©, Scharner, Boyce, Edman; Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Kilbane, King (Bent 62), Heskey.

UNUSED SUBS: Pollitt, Taylor, Aghahowa, Bramble.

BOOKINGS: Palacios, Melchiot, Brown.

SENT OFF: Palacios.

GOALS: King 16 pen.

BLACKBURN: Freidal; Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Samba, Warnock, Bentley, Dunn (Mokoena 84), Reid, Pedersen, Santa Cruz (McCarthy 90), Roberts (Tugay 79)..

UNUSED SUBS: Brown, Derbyshire.

GOALS: Santa Cruz 11, Roberts 44, Santa Cruz 62.

BOOKINGS: Bentley

SENT OFF: Samba 11

REFEREE: Mike Dean

ATTENDANCE: 23,541