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Steve Kean (File)
Blackburn - Under fire Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean insisted he'd continue in his post after a 2-1 derby defeat at home to Bolton sent his side to the bottom of the English Premier League table on Tuesday.
Bolton, who kicked off as the league's basement club and remained in the relegation zone even after this win, enjoyed a sensational start at Ewood Park, the home of their Lancashire rivals.
Mark Davies put them ahead inside five minutes and Nigel Reo-Coker made it 2-0 on the half-hour.
Davies's goal reignited the terrace taunts from Rovers fans towards Kean, who has been fighting a losing battle to win over supporters since he was appointed by Venky's, the Indian-based poultry firm that owns the club, a year ago.
However, the jeers were stilled when Blackburn striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu pulled a goal back with 23 minutes left
But that was as good as it got for Rovers, Premier League champions in 1995.
"The fans come and expect us to get at Bolton and we didn't," Kean told the BBC. "But I think they saw a response in the second half.
"It's not nice to lose any game, irrespective of what the fans are singing.
"Of course I will continue. We'll be positive and climb the table. There is no board meeting due, I spoke to the owners before the game and I am sure we will all stick together."
It had been suggested before kick-off that whichever of the two Scottish managers on show ended up on the losing side could be sacked before Christmas and Bolton boss Owen Coyle sympathised with Kean.
"I feel for Steve - the shoe could have been on the other foot, but I'm delighted to come out on the right end of the result," Coyle said.
"You could get the 20 best coaches in football and someone's got to occupy the bottom two. It's an easy story to write but sometimes changing manager is not the solution."
Cries of "Kean Out" could be heard all round Ewood Park after Bolton took a fifth minute lead when, after Rovers failed to clear a corner, David Ngog cut the ball back to Mark Davies whose first-time shot beat Paul Robinson.
And a well-worked move saw Bolton double their lead in the 30th minute.
Reo-Coker, making the most of yet more poor defending, burst through the middle and found Martin Petrov on the left.
Morten Gamst Pedersen failed to deal with Petrov's mishit cross but Reo-Coker, despite having his back to goal, was still able to turn and score.
But in the 67th minute injury-hit Rovers scored when Yakubu, played in by Junior Hoilett, lofted the ball over Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
And in the fourth minute of stoppage time Rovers nearly equalised only for defender Christopher Samba to power a header wide of the post.
Bolton are now second-bottom, two points above Rovers but still two shy of safety.
Bolton, who kicked off as the league's basement club and remained in the relegation zone even after this win, enjoyed a sensational start at Ewood Park, the home of their Lancashire rivals.
Mark Davies put them ahead inside five minutes and Nigel Reo-Coker made it 2-0 on the half-hour.
Davies's goal reignited the terrace taunts from Rovers fans towards Kean, who has been fighting a losing battle to win over supporters since he was appointed by Venky's, the Indian-based poultry firm that owns the club, a year ago.
However, the jeers were stilled when Blackburn striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu pulled a goal back with 23 minutes left
But that was as good as it got for Rovers, Premier League champions in 1995.
"The fans come and expect us to get at Bolton and we didn't," Kean told the BBC. "But I think they saw a response in the second half.
"It's not nice to lose any game, irrespective of what the fans are singing.
"Of course I will continue. We'll be positive and climb the table. There is no board meeting due, I spoke to the owners before the game and I am sure we will all stick together."
It had been suggested before kick-off that whichever of the two Scottish managers on show ended up on the losing side could be sacked before Christmas and Bolton boss Owen Coyle sympathised with Kean.
"I feel for Steve - the shoe could have been on the other foot, but I'm delighted to come out on the right end of the result," Coyle said.
"You could get the 20 best coaches in football and someone's got to occupy the bottom two. It's an easy story to write but sometimes changing manager is not the solution."
Cries of "Kean Out" could be heard all round Ewood Park after Bolton took a fifth minute lead when, after Rovers failed to clear a corner, David Ngog cut the ball back to Mark Davies whose first-time shot beat Paul Robinson.
And a well-worked move saw Bolton double their lead in the 30th minute.
Reo-Coker, making the most of yet more poor defending, burst through the middle and found Martin Petrov on the left.
Morten Gamst Pedersen failed to deal with Petrov's mishit cross but Reo-Coker, despite having his back to goal, was still able to turn and score.
But in the 67th minute injury-hit Rovers scored when Yakubu, played in by Junior Hoilett, lofted the ball over Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
And in the fourth minute of stoppage time Rovers nearly equalised only for defender Christopher Samba to power a header wide of the post.
Bolton are now second-bottom, two points above Rovers but still two shy of safety.
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