BLACKBURN kept up their charge for a Champions League spot by getting the better of a spirited Sunderland side. An individual goal from Steven Reid on 15 minutes proved the match-winner with the midfielder firing home after running half the length of the pitch.

Bottom-placed Sunderland, without a home win in the league this season, showed plenty of heart after the break. Liam Lawrence went close with a 20-yard free-kick, but a lack of cutting edge proved the hosts' downfall.

There was little action at either end in the opening stages before in-form Blackburn broke the deadlock with their first attack on the quarter hour mark when captain Ryan Nelsen found Irish international Reid on halfway and he set off towards goal at pace. With the Sunderland midfield trailing in Reid's wake, it needed somebody to step out to confront him. But the defence backed off and allowed him to step inside and blast home.

Sunderland might have been level within five minutes when Chris Brown got up well to head the ball back across goal. But Nelsen got a block on Dean Whitehead's shot, and the chance had gone. Both sides were struggling on the uneven playing surface, although Sunderland seemed to suffer most as Reid and Craig Bellamy threatened each side of the break.

A lively start to the second half continued as Sunderland's Brown was presented with a super chance to draw things level from a one-onone opportunity, but he saw his low drive blocked by Friedel. Sunderland showed much determination and spirit in an improved secondhalf showing, but again their lack of punch upfront was all too evident. The home side, in fact, laid siege to the Blackburn goal in the latter stages but despite a Lawrence 20yard free-kick and minutes later a low shot from the same player, for all their huff and puff they couldn't find a way past a resolute Blackburn rear-guard.