ONE thing hasn't changed, Wimbledon are still capable of spoiling anybody's party.

But, at an emotional Ewood last night, no-one was going to cause it to rain on Alan Shearer's parade.

Not even these dashing, as opposed to the old destructive, Dons could manage it.

They conjured up one or two showers but the downpour was delayed by the arrival of Hurricane Alan - a force that simply would not be denied as he rewrote the game's record books once again.

You can't underestimate Wimbledon, especially when they are in a rich vein of form as they were before last night's eventful encounter.

But, if you have a man called Shearer in your side, you know they can always be beaten.

And, while Graham Fenton claimed the ultimate glory with another winning goal in front of a crowd who are fast taking to a likeable lad with a boyish grin and a flair for scoring goals - remind you of anyone? - this was, without doubt, Shearer's night.

The fans recognised that and he rewarded them as only Shearer can.

Two special goals hallmarked an evening when Rovers maintained their hopes of claiming a UEFA Cup spot next season- and gave the England striker the perfect finale to his personal season and made you wonder just how many goals he might have scored if he had been fully fit for the last couple of months!

And, if referee Robbie Hart had been on his mettle, we might well have been celebrating a Shearer hat-trick.

Surely he was fouled in the stoppage time that the referee conjured up from who knows where in a second half which didn't even stop for breath.

Perhaps the game had been so easy for the official, with both teams concentrating on playing football rather than anything else, that he had lapsed into a state of complacency.

But let's not waste words on the official, better to concentrate on the positive aspects of a match which was played in a splendid spirit and keeps that European dream alive.

In the past, I have been one of Wimbledon's biggest critics and the fact that they often attract opposing clubs' lowest crowds on their visit is an indictment of their reputation.

But the leopard has definitely changed its spots.

They came to Ewood to play, and to play in an adventurous manner. They also came to play in the right spirit and those who turned out to watch them were rewarded by a thoroughly entertaining evening.

Rovers, unusually at Ewood, were uncomfortable at the back. They didn't defend well in the first half, they didn't clear their lines with any conviction and they always looked susceptible against some quality crosses and the Dons' dominance in the air.

They did, however, rule midfield in the second half and could have run out far more convincing winners, enjoying a purple patch when the scoreline could have been doubled.

Tim Sherwood gave an excellent performance throughout, looking composed and comfortable on the ball, using it well and pulling the strings.

Billy McKinlay has also clearly found his feet at Ewood and it was appropriate that he should make such a major contribution to the winning goal.

Jason Wilcox, celebrating his England call, also looked full of confidence and, with Stuart Ripley a threat too, there were always going to be goals.

But Rovers, without the two-goal cushion they should have claimed, were often on edge against a side who have proved themselves more than worthy of escaping from the Premiership's danger zone.

Whenever there is a record or a milestone in sight, you can always bank on Shearer and it took him just 13 minutes to prove it once again.

A neat chip in from the left by Wilcox found the striker with his back to goal. Quick control, a sharp turn on the edge of the penalty area and that trusty right foot blasted the ball high into the keeper's top-left hand corner.

It was reminiscent of his sensational strike against Spurs and even more significant.

But Wimbledon had already posed numerous problems for Rovers and they were deserving of an equally spectacular equaliser.

A loose ball just around the edge of the penalty area saw Robbie Earle take advantage of poor defending to smash a shot high into the same corner of Tim Flowers' goal.

Level at the interval, the game was still in the balance but Shearer started the second half by putting Rovers back in front within just 30 seconds.

The Dons dithered, he pinched the ball off a defender, advanced towards the bye-line from left of goal and, when everyone expected a drag back to a team-mate, produced the unexpected.

Shearer swivelled onto his favourite right foot and curled a shot across the keeper and into the far inside netting.

Wimbledon - typically - hit back almost immediately for Ken Cunningham to cross deep from the right and Marcus Gayle rose high above Henning Berg to head down and in off Flowers.

It looked ominous but, during the course of the next 18 minutes, Rovers totally dominated and had a dozen notable attempts on goal.

One of them just had to pay off and it did.

More confusion in the Wimbledon defence saw Cunningham try to play the ball back to a colleague but fall short.

McKinlay was onto it in a flash and immediately headed for goal.

To shoot from outside the penalty area might have been the wrong option but it produced the right result.

His strike carried enough swerve and power to cause the keeper problems and, when he couldn't hold the ball, there was Fenton to sweep it home with his left foot.

Have Rovers snapped up another Geordie gem? Have patience and give the boy enough time and the answer could well be in the affirmative.

Shearer could so easily have completed his hat-trick, the closest he came being a save by the keeper's legs.

And Ripley did absolutely everything possible without claiming the goal he so desperately wants to end his drought.

The second half performance deserved more goals and caused a few flutters because they didn't arrive.

When Shearer seemed to be clearly bundled over in the penalty area during Mr Hart's "extra time" and the referee took no notice, the fans were jeering for the first time in the night.

But the jeers soon turned to cheers as the final whistle, eventually, went and they could salute their hero.

It was just as tough as it had promised to be but, like all good fairy tales, it had a happy ending.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.