An extra time Gael Givet goal secured a 4-3 win for Blackburn over Newcastle on Wednesday night, and provided under-fire manager Steve Kean some respite as his team progress through to the cup quarter finals.

Rovers flew into a 2-0 lead through goals from Ruben Rochina and Yakubu, but two injury-time goals by Danny Guthrie and Yohan Cabaye forced the game into extra-time.

Morten Gamst Pedersen recovered the Lancashire club's lead in the first half of injury time, but the visitors refused to lie down, and Peter Lovenkrands made it 3-3.

French defender Givet scored the winner on the 120 minute mark in an epic display, and received sparkling praise from manager Kean.

"Gael Givet encapsulates the whole spirit we have got here - he had a hamstring nick but would not come off," the Scottish coach told The Daily Mail.

"He's a warrior, he has put his head where other people wouldn't put their feet. He was fantastic."

The win will give Blackburn a cup run and be a welcome distraction for the league, where Rovers are bottom. Despite this, Kean has admitted that he has been working on his side's defence in training.

"We had worked so hard to get a clean sheet so when their first goal went in it was a horrible feeling.

"It's tough mentally when they scored so late to go and score again but we did it.

"We are always going to score goals but we have been working day in, day out defensively so that when we lose possession we get a good shape," he concluded.

By Gareth McKnight

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