Omens good for All Whites as Nelsen, Fallon and Smeltz all score

Since signing for Barclays Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, New Zealand skipper Ryan Nelsen has not only been made captain but has since penned new contracts but until today, has been unable to find his first goal for his English club.

This afternoon, that all changed as Captain Nelsen's 73rd minute header for his Blackburn put his home side was ahead, after dismal first-half when they trailed 0-1 to another relegation-bound side Portsmouth, and manager Sam Allardyce sent on two more strikers off the substitutes' bench, who went onto get three vital points for a 3-1 home win.

A Nelsen header from a David Dunn corner enabled sub Jason Roberts to equalise.

Nelsen's debut goal for Blackburn, will be a monkey off his back, as he has scored some crucial goals for New Zealand's All Whites, especially the 1-0 victory over Australia's Socceroos in the Confederation's Cup qualifier which took the Kiwis to Mexico back in 1998.

Meantime. despite injury worries for both Central Coast's Michael McGlinchey and Wellington Phoenix custodian, Mark Paston, on the goalscoring front, the All Whites' striking pair of Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast) and Rory Fallon (Plymouth Argyle) both also found the net - a good omen for next weekend's crucial World Cup tie against Bahrain in Wellington.

Paston has meantime failed a fitness test, and is unlikely to play against Perth Glory in the A-League tomorrow, whilst McGlinchey is reported unable to travel to Melbourne when the Mariners won 4-0 over reigning A-League title holders Melbourne Victory.

From the Bahrain camp, news comes in that they defeated Togo in a friendly 5-1, and are expected to arrive in Sydney on Tuesday when they set up a training camp, before heading across the Tasman for the Cup-tie next Saturday.