Blackburn 0-0 Stoke match report: The Sunday Mirror verdict

The pain has gone, the recovery complete, and now he is eager to reclaim his No 1 berth just as quickly as he possibly can.

No, I’m not talking about Sam Allardyce, who reports back to work as Blackburn boss tomorrow morning after undergoing minor heart surgery.

I’m referring to Rovers keeper Paul Robinson, who is clearly back to his very best after two traumatic years.

In that time, he has been usurped as England’s first-choice after his horror blunder against Croatia and was then offloaded by Tottenham to Ewood Park for £3.5million 15 months ago.

But it is all out of Robinson’s system now – and he proved it yet again with a masterful display.

Neil McDonald, Allardyce’s assistant and in temporary charge, said: “Paul worked very hard in the summer and has been tremendous since the start of the season.

“He is on top of his form and his confidence is high.

“He can regain his England place because he has the ability to do so. But that is up to Fabio Capello. All we know is that, if he gets the call, he is playing well enough to make the most of it.”

McDonald just wished his side had been as sharp in front of goal as Robinson was in protecting his.

He said: “Stoke are strong, well organised and hard to break down. But I am disappointed we were not more clinical with the ones that came our way.”

Potters boss Tony Pulis said: “We did not do enough on the road last season but we have turned that around.

“We have lost only once in seven away games and that shows how far we have come.”

Blackburn were the first to threaten when Franco Di Santo was through with only Thomas Sorensen to beat, but he allowed the keeper to dash from his line and smother the ball.

It then became the Robinson show as he took centre-stage with three breathtaking saves.

He launched himself to his right to cling on to a 20-yard strike from the hard-working Dean Whitehead.

Less than 60 seconds later, he did even better to keep out Whitehead’s low drive but saved the best of the bunch until six minutes before the interval.

Liam Lawrence’s close-range effort looked destined for the back of the net until Robinson sprang from nowhere to beat out the ball.

It was a different story  i n the second half  though, when Stoke were forced to defend for their lives – and, for the final 38 minutes, without the commanding presence of Ryan Shawcross after he was forced off through through injury.

Blackburn skipper Ryan Nelsen had a close-range effort brilliantly turned behind by Sorensen.

Steven Nzonzi then pushed forward for the home side and rattled the post with a blistering drive.

Still Stoke threatened on the break and substitute James Beattie should have done better than scoop his shot over from six yards.