DANE KEEPS HOPES ALIVE
GREAT Dane Philip Billing scored at the double AND set up Dominic Solanke for his 30th to turbo-charge Bournemouth towards promotion.
But the convincing victory snuffed out brave Blackburn’s remaining play-off chances, and flagged up the end of line for boss Tony Mowbray.
It was all over for Rovers when Solanke set up the Cherries with a powerful right-foot blockbuster, with Billing adding two second-half strikes in a nine-minute spell.
Cherries boss Scott Parker praised his side for being “clinical and deadly” in front of goal, and said of Tuesday’s automatic promotion showdown against Nottingham Forest: “We have the opportunity, and a positive result gets us promoted.
“We look forward to that challenge and we will be going out to win it.”
Parker agreed that Billing has been “a massive part of this team’s success”.
He said: “We missed him when he’s been injured. I’m so pleased that he scored his two goals and was in form out there. And I’m happy for Dominic Solanke. He scored a beauty for his 30th and that was vital for us.” Mowbray made a passionate farewell speech, and said: “It’s confirmed in my mind that I’m leaving the club.
“I don’t know where my next job will be, but I do know that I’m leaving this club with considerable assets and in a better state.
“We’re frustrated we have missed out on the play-offs, but the aim is for this club to continue its growth.
“I’ll be seeing it through in our last match at Birmingham, and then my contract ends.”
Only a post and two alert saves from Cherries keeper Mark Travers kept out strong efforts by Rovers’ Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz.
The back-in business striker should have levelled matters in the first half but failed to add to his 21 goals when he blasted on to a post. In the second half, he bamboozled Bournemouth with a weaving run before hitting a rising drive that keeper Travers kept out.
For an encore, he watched as a low blast was again saved by Travers.
But Bournemouth had their own chances before Billing hit the goal trail.
Jaidon Anthony’s rising drive hit the bar and Jefferson Lerma blasted a low shot that was saved by keeper Thomas Kaminski.
Sub Siriki Dembele and Solanke then combined to set up Billing in the 70th minute, and his cracking effort zipped into the top corner.
Nine minutes later, Dembele again played his part for Billing to smash home inside the near post for his 11th of the season.
BLACKBURN: Kaminski 7; Lenihan 7, Van Hecke 7, Wharton 6, Pickering 6; Travis 6, Rothwell 7 (Dolan (60th) 6), Buckley 6; Hedges 6 (Poveda (60th) 6), Gallagher 7 (Dack (68th) 6), Brereton Diaz 7
BOURNEMOUTH: Travers 7; Phillips 7, Kelly 6, Zemura 7, Smith 6; Cook 6, Lerma 7, Billing 8; Christie 6 (Mepham (74th) 6), Solanke 8 (Lowe (83rd), Anthony 7 (Dembele (62nd) 6)
STAR MAN: Phillip Billing
REF: R Jones