CHRIS SUTTON may have turned his back on a ticket to France this summer, but he booked Blackburn's place in Europe next season with a sensational goal to earn himself a share of the coveted Golden Boot as the Premiership's joint leading scorer.
England reject Sutton's winning strike, two minutes from the end of this niggly clash, took his League tally for the season to 18, leaving him in a three-way tie at the top of the scoring charts with Liverpool's Michael Owen and Coventry's Dion Dublin - two men who could be going to the World Cup.
Rovers' Player of the Year scored with a scorching free-kick to complete a miserable return to Ewood Park for Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish, striker Alan Shearer, midfielder David Batty and goalkeeper Shay Given.
It was a particularly forgettable afternoon for Batty, as he was sent off for violent conduct midway through the second half. The midfielder, who helped Blackburn to the title three years ago, received the red card after a 65th minute flash-point involving Rovers' Garry Flitcroft.
Batty appeared to throw a punch, leaving referee David Elleray with no option in his own mind, at least - but to send the bloke off. Whether his club and country team-mate Shearer would have received the same treatment is open to conjecture.
It looked as though ten-man Newcastle would thwart Rovers' bid for a UEFA Cup place, however, until Sutton settled matters after substitute Martin Dahlin had been brought down on the edge of the box by Steve Watson, his right-foot shot beating the wall and leaving Given helpless.
A fiercely competitive contest was shaded by Blackburn, although FA Cup finalists Newcastle wasted an early chance when Gary Speed failed to make contact with John Barnes' defence-splitting pass.
Blackburn controlled much of the first half and Sutton twice went close after great play by Damien Duff. After Batty's dismissal, Rovers surged forward in even greater numbers, but it looked as though their finishing would let them down, until Sutton struck late on.
His winner had the Ewood fans at fever pitch and manager Roy Hodgson led his players on a lap of honour after achieving the European goal he had set himself when taking charge of the club last July.

BLACKBURN: Flowers, Kenna, Hendry, Ripley (Croft 4), Gallacher, Sutton, Wilcox, Flitcroft, McKinlay, Henchoz, Duff, Croft (Dahlin 73)
Subs Not Used: Andersson, Filan, Broomes
Booked: Hendry, Henchoz, Dahlin

NEWCASTLE: Given, Batty, Shearer, Barnes (Andersson 54), Speed, Ketsbaia (Hamilton 67), Watson, Pistone, Albert, Dabizas, Griffin
Subs Not Used: Rush, Pearce, Hislop
Sent Off: Batty (65)

Att: 29,300
Ref: DR Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill)

HAMMER GOAL RUSH TO NO AVAIL West Ham United 4 Leicester City 3 WEST HAM and Leicester produced a final day goal rush at Upton Park as both sides sought a place in the UEFA Cup but results elsewhere mean neither side will be in Europe next season. The afternoon began with a small demonstration by a section of home fans, who unfurled a banner which read: '30% increase on prices. Sack the board. Hammers fans robbed again'. But by the end, the board was probably wondering what they were moaning about, as this thrilling encounter was typical of the football served up at Upton Park all season. Frank Lampard Jr started the ball rolling with a stunning strike after 14 minutes with a goal manufactured by Eyal Berkovic, teeing it up for Lampard to drill the ball into the far right corner from 20 yards. Sadly for West Ham, that was the last significant contribution of the Israeli's successful first season for the club, as he limped off 11 minutes later to be replaced by Scott Mean. But the home fans were soon celebrating again, as Samassi Abou doubled their lead after 30 minutes. Stan Lazaridis picked him out with a long ball and the French under-21 striker produced a burst of speed, turned inside Steve Walsh and rammed the ball home. Ex-Hammer Tony Cottee came off the bench early in the second half and received a rapturous welcome from both sets of fans. But the West Ham defence showed too much goodwill to Cottee as he capitalised on hesitancy by keeper Bernard Lama to pull a goal back just four minutes later. Both managers would have been unhappy with their defences by now and, after 64 minutes, Trevor Sinclair forced home a Lampard corner to restore the two-goal cushion yet within a minute Emile Heskey had struck for Leicester. 3-2. The ding-dong afternoon conclusively swung West Ham's way again after 73 minutes when Lazaridis' great run ended with a second goal for Abou. But Cottee made the home fans sweat right to the end as he nipped in again on 82 minutes to pull it back to 4-3, which meant Lama had conceded 15 goals in his side's last four games of the season. The fans went home pretty happy, as did the managers, in spite of the wins for Aston Villa and Blackburn that meant the afternoon's work was pointless. Hammers chief Harry Redknapp said: I'm disappointed that we didn't get into Europe, but if you'd said at the start of the season we would finish eighth, not many people would have believed it. Those positive thoughts were echoed by Martin O'Neill: It has been an amazing season for us. We finished 10th, but got six points more than last season and if someone had said we would have had a chance for Europe by beating West Ham on the last day of the season I would have taken that. As it is, both sides will look forward to next season with justified optimism. WEST HAM: Lama, Unsworth, Pearce, Ferdinand, Berkovic (Mean 25), Lomas, Lampard, Sinclair, Abou, Lazaridis, Omoyimni Subs Not Used: Forrest, Keith, Hodges, Berthe Booked: Sinclair LEICESTER: Keller, Savage, Guppy, Kaamark, Elliott, Walsh (Cottee 55), Izzet, Lennon, Zagorakis (Parker 45), Marshall (Wilson 76), Heskey Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Fenton Booked: Elliott, Guppy, Walsh Att: 25,781 Ref: UD Rennie (Sheffield)

RAMS BREAK JINX BUT STILL MISS OUT Derby County 1 Liverpool 0 DERBY boss Jim Smith has set his sights on qualifying for Europe next year after his side narrowly missed out this season. The Rams' first victory over Liverpool in 20 years was not enough to secure a UEFA Cup spot because results elsewhere went against them. The only goal of the game came just past the hour, when Paulo Wanchope headed home a corner. It was a terrible goal for goalkeeper Brad Friedel, letting the ball slip through his grasp on the line. Earlier, the American had made some fine saves as a weakened Liverpool side struggled to compete. Missing Paul Ince, Steve McManaman, Jason McAteer and Oyvind Leonhardsen, the Reds were not the side that had put nine goals past West Ham and champions Arsenal in the last week. Friedel was by far the busier of the keepers, having to save well from Francesco Baiano and Lars Bohinen early in the two halves. Wanchope should have scored after 54 minutes from the best move of the match. Rams' Player of the Year Baiano released Dean Sturridge, who in turn played in Wanchope on the left, but the Costa Rican fired his shot past Friedel and the far post. Carsley then went close with a 25-yard drive before Sturridge waltzed past Bjorn Kvarme and Phil Babb, only to shoot straight at Friedel. The Rams won a succession of corners and from one in the 61st minute, Sturridge just failed to connect with Baiano's far-post cross, two minutes later Wanchope finally headed the ball firmly down, and, though it was close to him, Friedel couldn't hold on. Although Liverpool had chances of their own, the ball rarely fell for Michael Owen not born the last time Derby beat the Reds who was looking to confirm his Golden Boot status. All he picked up was a yellow card for throwing the ball away in frustration, as the Rams played out time. In the end, Liverpool could have few complaints about this low-key defeat, though manager Roy Evans was unhappy about the goal: We had defended well before then, but at the time we lost the goal, we gave away five or six set-pieces and that cost us. We had a few chances ourselves, but we seemed to ram everything down the goalkeeper's throat. But give him his dues, he held onto them well. Smith, meanwhile, was rueful, but optimistic. Our bad run came at the wrong time and if we had got three more games after today we would have got into Europe, he said. But we have got nine points more than last year, which in percentage terms is quite an improvement. If we show similar progress next season, we will get into Europe. DERBY: Poom, Rowett, C Powell, Sturridge, Wanchope (Burton 77), Delap, Bohinen (D Powell 84), Laursen, Carsley, Dailly, Baiano Subs Not Used: Hoult, Van Der Laan, Kozluk LIVERPOOL: Friedel, Kvarme, Babb, Harkness, Riedle, Berger, Thomas, Owen, Bjornebye, Carragher, Murphy Subs Not Used: James, McManaman, Gudnason, Roberts, Williams Booked: Murphy, Harkness, Owen Att: 30,492 Ref: SJ Lodge (Barnsley)

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