HAVING relied on a backdoor entry to Europe via the Intertoto Cup last season, Blackburn Rovers should not need to follow such a dubious path this time and who is to say that their sights ought not to be fixed on the Champions League?

Mark Hughes’s vibrant side will have to provide more compelling evidence than this win over a Reading team that appear to be sitting ducks away from the Madejski stadium, and chose a miserable way to mark Steve Coppell’s 200th game in charge, to suggest that they can really muscle their way into the top four.

But just one defeat in the Premier League all season, in a record that includes draws against Arsenal and Chelsea, and the way in which they brushed Reading aside in the opening half-hour hints at a serious challenge.

Blackburn’s defeat in Europe to Greek side Larissa was a serious blot on their copybook but could yet prove to be something of a blessing as yesterday was already their 16th game of the season.

Hughes has a degree of depth to his squad but will want his best players available as often as possible and in reuniting Benni McCarthy and Roque Santa Cruz he was able to call on one of the best striking partnerships around.

Both scored in an opening salvo that must have had Reading fearing a repeat of the seven goals they shipped at Portsmouth last month, although the best goal of the game belonged to Tugay.

The veteran midfielder had not scored in the Premier League for 11 months but the quality of his long-range shot almost made the wait worthwhile. Allowing Reading two second-half goals will have come as an annoyance to Hughes but his side’s real strength is in going forward where their myriad of attacking options is also bringing out the best in David Bentley and David Dunn and proved far too varied for a Reading side whose defensive record is bettered by everyone bar bottom club Derby.

Despite apparently repairing some of the damage inflicted at Fratton Park with a clean sheet in their last game, Reading still opted to change their back-four with Ibrahima Sonko making his first appearance since January. Coppell had expressed concern at exposing the central defender, who had been sidelined with a knee injury, to Blackburn’s attack and those fears were quickly realised as the home side picked their way through the visitors’ back line at will.

McCarthy’s spell out of Hughes’s starting lineup lasted only a month but the message from the manager that he had been underperforming in the light of last season’s 24-goal haul had evidently got through.

After scoring as a substitute against Birmingham a fortnight ago, the South African continued in a similar vein, initially by teeing up Christopher Samba and David Bentley for shots that had Marcus Hahnemann scrambling to save, and then putting Blackburn ahead after 17 minutes. Brett Emerton was the architect with a swinging cross to the far post that Roque Santa Cruz headed back for McCarthy to volley in his fifth goal of the season.

Five minutes later it was 2-0 as David Dunn, getting back to near his best, threaded through a perfect pass for Santa Cruz to run onto and shoot through the legs of Hahnemann. The goalkeeper was bypassed a third time with half an hour gone when Tugay unleashed a stunning 30-yard shot into the roof of the net.

Reading, with Leroy Lita and Brynjar Gunnarsson on at half-time, improved after the break, although in truth, they could hardly have got worse.

Lita tested Brad Freidel with a low shot from 20 yards, Michael Duberry headed against the bar and Stephen Hunt had an effort cleared off the line by Tugay.

Blackburn evidently felt their work was done and finally paid for their sloppiness when substitute Kevin Doyle headed in a Nicky Shorey corner 10 minutes from time. But typifying their approach to defending, Reading immediately gifted Rovers a fourth goal when Sonko tripped Matt Derbyshire and McCarthy slotted home the penalty.

Still there was time for another goal, and while they are incapable of keeping them out at one end, Reading can make an impact at the other and Doyle headed home his second from another Shorey delivery in the final minute.

Star man: Benni McCarthy (Blackburn)

Player ratings: Blackburn: Friedel 6, Emerton 7, Samba 6, Ooijer 6, Warnock 6 (Khizanishvili 55min, 6), Bentley 7, Savage 7, Tugay 8, Dunn 7(Gamst Pedersen 66min), Santa Cruz 8 (Derbyshire 77min), McCarthy 8

Reading: Hahnemann 5, Murty 5, Sonko 5, Duberry 5, Shorey 5, Harper 5, Rosenior 5 (Gunnarsson ht, 7), Bikey 5 (Lita ht, 6), Fae 6 (Doyle 64min, 6), Hunt 6, Kitson 5