Blackburn 5-2 Peterborough match report: The Daily Mirror verdict

Darren Ferguson was left feeling pig sick after swine flu-hit Blackburn dumped Peterborough out of the Carling Cup.

Steven Reid provided the cure for Rovers' ills, scoring his first goal since May 2006 following his return from knee surgery to guide them through to the last eight for the third successive season.

Nikola Kalinic also bagged his first goal for Blackburn since his £6million summer switch on a good night for Sam Allardyce and his makeshift side.

David Dunn, one of the three players struck down by the virus, also made his return to action to show Rovers are getting over their medical drama.

Peterborough deserve great credit and their 10 men pushed Rovers hard, pegging them back to 2-2 before the Premier League side made their man advantage count.

Rovers received the perfect pick-me-up after their 5-0 thumping by Chelsea on Saturday and being laid low by the swine flu virus when they took the lead on four minutes.

Morten Gamst Pedersen banged home a left-footed free-kick from 25 yards out into the top corner to register his first goal at Ewood Park this season.

Ferguson's men, who had accounted for Ipswich and Newcastle in the earlier rounds, hit back on 17 minutes when Chris Whelpdale headed home Tommy Rowe's left-wing cross at the back post.

After Kalinic headed against the bar, Rovers retook the lead a minute before half-time.

Russell Martin's weak header let in Pedersen and as he rounded Joe Lewis, he was tugged down by Peterborough's England Under-21 international goalkeeper.

Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot and red carded Lewis in the game's defining moment.

Benni McCarthy stepped aside to let Reid take the penalty and the midfielder scored to prove to his Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni he is far from finished.

Reid was hurt by Trapattoni's comments that he will never fully recover from his serious knee surgery and last night was only his third game in 13 months.

Sam Allardyce was furious and has demanded an apology from the veteran Italian, branding his comments "disgraceful" and "totally out of order".

Reid has some way to go yet, but last night he showed flashes of his old self as continues his comeback and builds up his match fitness

Back came Posh's 10 men again and the impressive George Boyd cracked home Lee Frecklington's ball on 50 minutes to make it 2-2.

Pedersen then missed a sitter to restore Blackburn's lead when he shot wide of a gaping goal.

The Norwegian could not believe his miss and Michel Salgado spared his blushes in the 57th minute when he latched on to Brett Emerton's lovely pass to restore Rovers' lead.

It was the Spaniard's first goal for Rovers since his summer move and he showed all his experience with his cool finish.

Peterborough's knackered players could not come back a third time at Ewood and Rovers took advantage to seal their victory.

Kalinic made a powerful run before releasing McCarthy and the South African hitman showed he has lost none of his predatory instincts during his months out of the first team as he converted the pass for Rovers' fourth on 72 minutes.

Posh were still reeling when Blackburn added a fifth two minutes later through Kalinic.

Craig Morgan handled Martin Olsson's left-wing cross to concede a penalty and the Croat stepped up to slot home his first goal for Rovers.