Ince: Ewood exit door slammed shut

Paul Ince vowed there would be no more big-name departures after Blackburn gave him his first win as a Premier League manager at Everton.

Ince: Celebrates victory at Goodison
Ince: Celebrates victory at Goodison

Ince has sold David Bentley and seen Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarthy and Stephen Warnock all linked with moves before the deadline comes to an end.

But after seeing his side beat Everton 3-2 with a winner four minutes into injury-time from defender Andre Ooijer, Ince hit back.

He said: "This has been going on and on - about Santa Cruz and other people.

"The more you keep on about it the more it unsettles what we are trying to achieve.

"I do not want to keep saying this, but nobody is going to be leaving the club.

"We want to keep our best players, be it Santa Cruz, Warnock or McCarthy and any one of a dozen players.

"Let's dispel all this. No-one is leaving the club, we have had a really good start in this game.

"We have won at Everton and not many teams do that apart from the top four. It was a great achievement.

"The whole performance was fantastic, to come from behind twice and win was outstanding. I would have settled for a point at one stage."

David Dunn put Blackburn ahead before Mikel Arteta's free-kick made it all-square at the break.

Yakubu headed Everton ahead from an Arteta cross but Santa Cruz and Ooijer gave Ince his first three points as a top-flight manager.

Ince continued: "That was very good stuff, I am very pleased with the win.

"In the first half we were the better team and controlled the game, and we should have been two or three up.

"Then they hit us with an equaliser that really killed us, it affected the way we started the second period.

"But once they got the second goal it seemed to lift us. We were level straight away and kept going right to the end.

"I would have settled for 2-2 at one point. But it is funny how things work out, on the balance of play we deserved the three points.

"The whole performance was fantastic, to come from behind twice and win was outstanding.

"I told my defence to stay back and keep the point, but in the last few minutes they ignored all that and went up to win us the game."

Former Macclesfield and MK Dons manager Ince also moved to end the theory that there is dressing room unrest in the camp.

He added: "This win showed great team spirit, it dispels all the crap that people are saying about us.

"The lads wanted to fight to the final whistle, and it showed. We had spirit in abundance."

Everton boss David Moyes was angry with his defenders after this defeat.

He explained: "Our defending at times was rubbish. We had experienced players, internationals, who were not at the races today.

"We gave away a daft free-kick for their winner, and even then Ryan Nelsen was offside when the ball came into the box.

"It was hard for the linesman to see that, but Nelsen had moved from an offside position to head against the bar.

"On the balance, Blackburn probably deserved the win, but we had enough chances and once we were ahead we should have had defenders out there who could have hung on to the victory."

 Everton 2 - 3 Blackburn

Your Comments

gojohnniegogo (Blackburn Rovers fan)

"Brilliant win that goes somewhat to dispelling all the rumours of unrest that the media have dreamed up to sell some papers. We played some very good football in the first half, some of the most enjoyable stuff to watch since the season before last. Hull next weekend and hopefully another 3 points and another good performance! Well done lads!"

VIP_Baggie (West Bromwich Albion fan)

"Mikel Arteta is roaylty amongst commoners at Goodison. They have a half-decent "spine" in Howard, Jagielka, Arteta, Cahill and Yakubu ..the rest is just not good enough."

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