Football: Yorke's Dwight in the groove as Rovers run riot

MANCHESTER United reject Dwight Yorke notched his first goals for Blackburn in Germany - and reawaked memories of his partnership with Andy Cole that once struck terror into the Premiership at Old Trafford.

Boss Graeme Souness reckons Golden Oldies Yorke and Cole, both 30, can recapture those glory days at Rovers. And on the evidence of this one-sided friendly he's definitely not wrong.

Two-goal Dwight, who scored in each half to celebrate his escape from United, once shared 53 goals in one season alongside Cole. And the two strikers linked up again last night as though they'd never been apart.

They helped each other to a goal apiece in the first half and combined to lay on a third for Damien Duff before half-time.

And even after Cole was substituted in the second half, Yorke went on to provide the same service for Italian marksman Ciccio Grabbi, who responded with a hat-trick in just 19 minutes.

The Germans were simply swept aside in a serious mismatch which was ended when Yorke fired the visitors into double figures just before the end.

A delighted Souness purred: "Dwight and Andy definitely look to be getting to know each other again, and I think Dwight showed out there that he is very fit.

"He has worked hard for us and for Manchester United in pre- season and you can see that in his football.

"Ciccio Grabbi has also come back with a more determined attitude, and if he continues in that way he could yet be a player for us in the Premier League."

The runout wasn't a serious test for Rovers but Souness added: "The result is really not important in these games. The players worked hard in hot conditions and got through the 90 minutes."

Grabbi, a pounds 7million buy from Ternana, spent most of last season on loan with Messina. But Souness won't let him go again if he keeps notching them up as he has in pre-season - with six goals from Rovers' three-match tour.

The trio of strikers were certainly too strong for the German minnows. And they promise to make life hot for Sunderland when they come to Ewood Park to open the season in a fortnight.

Yorke, playing only his second game for his new club following his pounds 2m move last month, took only 27 minutes to get on the scoresheet with a close-range tap in from Cole's cross.

He repaid the compliment a minute later by laying off the pass for Cole to chip keeper Matthias Gotz from the edge of the area.

And both players were involved in the action before Republic of Ireland winger Duff nabbed number three with a low shot that was slightly deflected before beating Gotz at his near post.

Keith Gillespie, sent off against Nuremberg in midweek, was given another chance by the Rovers boss even though he faces the threat of suspension at the start of the season.

Souness clearly wants to see whether the Northern Ireland winger can provide the ammunition to help shoot Blackburn up the Premiership table this season.

And Gillespie looked bright as Rovers went to town after the break.

Andy Todd was also impressive on his debut following his pounds 500,000 summer move from Charlton.

But keeper Alan Kelly was virtually untroubled in the visitors goal on a hot night for the overworked Gotz at the other end.

Grabbi made an instant impact as Cole's replacement when he laid on number four for midfielder Martin Taylor to head in.

Then the Italian got to work himself, shooting in from the edge of the area after 66 minutes, tapping in a Yorke pass after 72 minutes and completing his hat-trick with another simple sidefoot after 85 minutes.

David Dunn scored a nonchalant goal from the edge of the area after 70 minutes and Gillespie also scored, sweeping in number eight after further good work by Yorke.

Fittingly the former Manchester United man had the last word with a right-foot shot into the corner from 15 yards with four minutes left on the clock.

On this form, Yorke's a snip.

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