City made one, enforced, change to the starting line up from Tuesday night, with Hatem Trabelsi replacing the suspended Joey Barton.
For Rovers, there was no sign of Lucas Neill after the news that he was finally moving away from Ewood Park to West Ham.
The Match
Ousmane Dabo was on free-kick duty in the absence of Joey Barton, and he drove City’s first shot at goal straight into Rovers’ wall after five minutes.
There were no more chances to speak of until the 22nd minute, when Bentley’s shot on the turn rebounded away off Micah Richards.
The teenager was in action when he squeezed in to deny McCarthy inside the box on the half hour, the prolific Rovers marksman trying to latch onto Tugay’s through ball.
Two minutes later the crowd finally had something to come to life for when City had a chance cleared off the line. Dabo swung in a corner from the right and Micah Richards rose to head goalwards, but Bentley was in the way by the post. From the rebound, Distin tried his luck but Rovers were able to concede another corner. Andre Ooijer was stretchered off after falling awkwardly underneath Corradi between the two chances.
But with time running out in normal time before the break, Rovers took the lead. Bentley crossed from the right, and Morten Gamst Pedersen sneaked in front of Trabelsi to head home from close range, Nick Weaver with absolutely no chance.
City made two changes at the break, Beasley replacing Sinclair and Samaras coming on for Corradi.
The speedy American’s first real run was brought to an abrupt halt four minutes into the half when Henchoz hacked him down, the Rovers defender earning a booking in the process. City’s other substitute went close a minute later when a slight deflection took his curling shot behind for a corner.
The game was more open than before the break as City went all-out for the equalizer, but Rovers broke away on 58 and McCarthy’s raking shot from outside the box was just wide of the left hand post.
And three minutes later the visitors had doubled the lead. Richards fouled Pedersen just outside the box, and it was the Norwegian himself who scored with the free kick, bending the ball around the wall and just inside of Weaver’s right hand post.
The Blues made a spirited reply to cut the deficit and should have grabbed one back shortly after. Beasley crossed from the left but Vassell put the ball straight at Friedel from less than six yards - had it gone either side of the American, City would have been just one goal down.
Great control from Vassell in the area saw the striker give himself a chance with 13 minutes left, Brad Friedel palming the well-struck shot away.
Good work from Richards saw the defender pull the ball back to Miller with seven minutes left, but the substitute’s shot from the edge of the box lacked power and Rovers cleared easily.
City were throwing everything forward, but then Rovers killed the game with a sucker punch just before the end of normal time. Substitute Matt Derbyshire collected a clearance, eluded Jordan and rammed the ball under Weaver from just inside the corner of the six-yard box.
