Eustace 'delighted' as Blackburn go fifth in Championship after beating Portsmouth

Blackburn Rovers manager John Eustace was delighted with his team's 3-0 victory over strugglers Portsmouth on Wednesday, which put them fifth and back in the play-off positions.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, drop to second-bottom in the table by virtue of goal difference, though remain just a point behind Cardiff City, who sit just above the relegation zone.

The game itself had been a quiet affair in the first half, with both teams locked at 0-0 after the first 45 minutes before Rovers found the breakthrough in the second period.

"The aim is always to win the game, and it was a difficult one tonight," Eustace said.

"Portsmouth are a tough team to play against. They made it difficult for us. We had good moments in the first half, but we got sloppy.

"We spoke at half-time about needing one moment of quality to win the game and the goal we scored was very good. We thought we could hurt them, and it happened with that goal.

"There was big pressure on the boys tonight to win the game tonight, and I'm delighted that we did. As the first half went on, they frustrated us, but we told them to keep their head. We knew we'd have a piece of quality to win the game."

With the score still locked 10 minutes into the second half, Eustace turned to his bench and brought on both Makhtar Gueye and Amario Crozier-Duberry. It was the former who got the scoring under way, nodding in from a Callum Brittain cross on 61 minutes.

"We have scored 10 goals from substitutes and the build-up for the goal was very good. Makhtar didn't need much persuasion to go on, he was pretty peed off [that] he wasn't starting and that's the reaction I want," Eustace added.

"Makhtar was disappointed not to start, but I felt Andi's movement could hurt their defenders. It did, at times, but we lacked his physical presence. When he came on, he made a big difference.

"It's the best half an hour he's had for us. I might have to leave him out more to get performances like that. He's growing into the league, he's settling in. He has a big heart, and he wants to do well. He's had difficult moments, but I'm delighted he scored such a brilliant header."

Blackburn's second came in the 71st minute through Brittain, though the hosts could have conceded a penalty just seconds beforehand. Portsmouth striker Callum Lang had been wiped out by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears before Colby Bishop's header was cleared off the line and Blackburn broke.

But according to their manager, Blackburn potentially got away with one. He said: "It could've quite easily been a penalty, for sure.

"Over 46 games, you get your rub of the green and decisions for and against. We were probably a bit fortunate not to give the penalty away.

"We reacted though and scored a great goal and killed it off. We have been on the other end of poor decisions, and it levels itself out. We got away with a lucky call, but we deserved to win the game."

His opposite number, John Mousinho, meanwhile, was clearly frustrated at the non-awarding of the penalty.

"We don't need VAR in the Championship, referees just have to be better," he said after the match.

Rovers wrapped up the three points with a third five minutes later, as Andreas Weimann pounced on a rebound from a Gueye shot.