By Stephen Fottrell

West Brom said goodbye to the Premier League with a stalemate

Blackburn and West Bromwich Albion played out a goalless draw that had an end-of-season-feel written all over it.

Both sides had their fair share of opportunities, but effort was lacking in the blazing sunshine at Ewood Park.

The main talking point came on 71 minutes when Rovers substitute Jason Roberts was sent off for an elbow on Baggies defender Jonas Olsson.

Blackburn's veteran playmaker Tugay made his final appearance and fittingly picked up the man-of-the-match award.

Dutch defender Andre Ooijer was also playing his last game for the club and the fans gave the two players warm send-offs, particularly the 38-year-old Turkish midfielder, who was serenaded from the kick-off.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce then gave the Turk his moment in the sun as he took him off with five minutes remaining to receive his plaudits on his 294th appearance from an adoring Ewood Park crowd.

Despite having guaranteed their Premier League status, Rovers looked lively enough early on and chased the game, with Christopher Samba blazing over from the edge of the box and hitting the base of the post minutes later.

Morten Gamst Pederson saw a long range free-kick saved by West Brom goalkeeper Dean Kiely on 20 minutes and Tugay nearly sealed his swansong with a goal, but saw his effort from the edge of the box sail past the goal.

Blackburn's player of the season Stephen Warnock was busy as ever down the left but failed to see any of his crosses find a striker.

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Samba continued to make his sizeable presence felt, but it was not going to be his day and he was replaced by Roberts on 59 minutes.

Roberts lasted less than 15 minutes as he received what looked like a harsh red card, as he was adjudged by referee Mike Jones to have struck out at Olsson.

Albion's day and season was summed up when captain Jonathan Greening swiped at a free-kick twice only to see it roll well wide.

The visitors went close when Chris Brunt's fine close-range volley was pushed onto the bar by Paul Robinson in the Blackburn goal.

Baggies midfielder Robert Koren also blazed wide when he should have hit the target early in the second half.

But Tony Mowbray's side could not find a way to breach Robinson's goal and bid goodbye to the Premier League quietly.

Blackburn: Robinson, Andrews, Ooijer, Givet, Warnock, Diouf, Tugay (Olsson 85), Pedersen, Samba (Roberts 59), McCarthy, Grella (Mokoena 69).

Subs Not Used: Bunn, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Treacy.

Sent Off: Roberts (71).

West Brom: Kiely, Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Borja Valero (Kim 83), Greening, Brunt, Menseguez (Wood 90), Fortune.

Subs Not Used: Carson, Moore, Simpson, Downing, Sawyers.

Booked: Borja Valero.

Att: 28,389

Ref: Mike Jones (Cheshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Blackburn's Tugay with 10 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

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