Blackburn come from behind to condemn Saints to back-to-back defeats

After talking to Saints legend Matt Le Tissier about the art of goalscoring during the week, Scienza bagged his first for the club to seal the win.

But his teammates missed several big chances to extend the lead, before manager Will Still was booed for replacing Scienza with Jack Stephens after 68 minutes.

What happened next was everything he did not need, as Ryan Alebiosu and Andri Gudjohnsen netted goals to give Blackburn a first home win of the season.

Many of the 2,294 Saints fans in attendance responded with chants of 'Sacked in the morning', aimed at under-pressure Still, after a fourth defeat.

The result means Saints have only taken 12 points from 12 games, and they have lost back-to-back league fixtures for the first time this campaign.

Still made four changes to the team that were beaten 3-1 by Bristol City on Tuesday, but the manager's selections were heavily hindered by illness.

Tom Fellows, Flynn Downes and Caspar Jander were all ruled out through illness, giving Nick Oyekunle a chance to make the squad for the first time.

Under-21s midfielder Cam Bragg travelled from Leicester on Saturday morning, where he was due to play for the academy side, to make up the numbers.

Mads Roerslev, Josh Quarshie, Ryan Manning and Finn Azaz - this time playing in central midfield alongside Shea Charles - came into the starting team.

There were a couple of close moments in the opening exchange, including Taylor Gardner-Hickman hitting the crossbar directly from a corner.

A dangerous Adam Armstrong cross was held at the second attempt by Balazs Toth, but the general quality of the match was otherwise extremely low.

That was until the gifted Scienza injected some quality, latching onto loose possession, executing a ball-roll in the box and lifting it into the far corner.

It was the 27 year old's first goal since moving to Saints on deadline day in August, and gave his side a much-needed lead after 23 minutes at Ewood Park.

Alex McCarthy had to be alert to a snapshot low to his right immediately after, and he was, with just the one goal separating the two sides at the break.

Ronnie Edwards had the ball in the net for a second goal after the restart, but the referee's whistle had already blown to stop play for offside.

Ryoya Morishita then put wide with a huge chance to equalise after Joshua Quarshie's swing-and-miss clearance and a weak tackle from Edwards.

McCarthy then batted away a goalbound flick from Edwards minutes later, before Adam Armstrong chipped into the keeper one-on-one.

Armstrong, who had never scored in five previous appearances against his former Blackburn, then hit the post from another chance in a similar position.

Both managers were pelted with loud booing and chants of, 'You don't know what you're doing', for their unpopular substitutions that followed.

With just over 20 minutes to play, Still opted to withdraw goalscorer Scienza for captain Jack Stephens, who he put into the base of the midfield.

But the hosts got their goal anyway, with Alebiosu's cross from the right evading everyone, including McCarthy, as it went straight into the net.

Things went from bad to worse when Shea Charles pulled up unable to continue, leading to young Bragg's introduction as one of a triple-change.

Gudjohnsen compiled the misery with his first goal for Blackburn, a rebound from inside the box to put the hosts ahead in the final five minutes.

Saints finished the game with 10 men as Welington was sent off for an elbow, while challenging a header, deep into eight minutes of added time.

Blackburn Rovers: Toth; Alebiosu, Miller, Wharton, McLaughlin, De Neve (Henriksson, 67), Tronstad (Hedges, 67), Gardner-Hickman, Morishata (Montgomery, 67), Oshahi, Gudjohnsen.

Unused subs: Pears, Pickering, Ribeiro, Taveres, Gueye, Forshaw.

Booked: Gardner-Hickman, Wharton, Tronstad.

Saints: McCarthy; Edwards (Bragg, 80), Wood, Quarshie; Roerslev, Charles (Welington, 80), Azaz, Manning (Robinson, 80); Armstrong, Scienza (Stephens, 67), Archer (Fraser, 58).

Unused subs: Bazunu, Harwood-Bellis, Oyekunle, Downs.

Booked: Quarshie.

Sent off: Welington.

Referee: Robert Madley.