ROVERS will take a slender one-goal lead into the second leg of the UEFA Cup 2nd qualification round after Roque Santa Cruz's early goal was the difference between the two sides in Finland.

It took the Paraguayan international three minutes to score against Middlesbrough on Saturday, and he celebrated his 26th birthday by taking just six minutes to register at the Anjalankoski Stadium.

Rovers started well, but the manager will have been undoubtedly frustrated by his side's inability to break down a stubborn MyPa side, this lead to nervy moments in second half.

Substitute Brett Emerton had Rovers' best effort in the second half, the Aussie combined well with Santa Cruz, but saw his effort cleared off the line, but whilst it is always pleasing to come away with a win, a clean sheet and an away goal, the lack of any further goals will have annoyed Hughes.

The Rovers boss resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to the starting eleven, just the one difference from the side that defeated Middlesbrough on Saturday. With Benni McCarthy absent due to the head injury sustained in that match it meant a first start for Roque Santa Cruz.

Like Saturday at the Riverside, the Paraguayan international wasted little time in making an impact, just six minutes were on the clock when Jason Roberts's chest down was fed into the path of the Rovers frontman, he ran at the MyPa defence forcing them on the back foot, before taking the ball to the left of the area and slamming a left foot shot that skipped off the turf and into the far corner of the net.

You felt that Rovers would then take MyPa apart after such a promising start, but despite controlling the majority of the possession in the first half, they couldn't make it count in the goals scored column.

Santa Cruz saw a header saved at the back post, whilst David Bentley shot straight at Janne Korhonen in the MyPa goal after cleverly taking the ball past two defenders and shifting the ball onto his left foot.

MyPa weren't without their moments, especially on the counter-attack, Hyyrynen saw a low strike touched round the post by Friedel, whilst Eero Peltonen couldn't find a red shirt with his cutback at the far post.

The last action of the first half belonged to Rovers, Roque Santa Cruz played David Dunn into space, his fierce effort flashing inches wide of the post.

But despite the strong end to the first half, Rovers weren't at the races at the start of the second. A couple of early corner kicks for the home side created a spell of pressure for MyPa, but without ever forcing Friedel into making a save.

Mark Hughes, watching from the touchline, cut a frustrated figure as time and time again decent opportunities broke down. On one such occasion Rovers had men over as Santa Cruz broke upfield, he fed the ball out wide to David Bentley but the former England under 21 international's cross was easily cut out.

On 55 minutes Rovers were thankful for the quick thinking of Christopher Samba, a clipped ball over the Rovers back line saw Eero Peltonen in on goal, but those long legs of the Rovers defender did their job and the ball was cleared.

The home side continued to look the more likely of the two sides to score, a deep free-kick to the back post was headed wide by Pulkkinen, prompting Hughes into making his first change of the game, bringing Derbyshire on for Roberts.

Tugay and Emerton quickly followed suit and that helped Rovers restore their attacking prowess. One such move saw Tugay switch the ball over to Emerton on the left, he exchanged passes with Roque Santa Cruz and shot across goal, his effort beat the 'keeper but Pulkkinen was there on the line to clear the ball.

Derbyshire saw an effort deflected onto the roof of the net, whilst Roque Santa Cruz should have done better when he headed wide Stephen Warnock's left-wing centre.

But the second goal never came, so Rovers take a slender lead back to Ewood Park for the second leg in a fortnight's time.

MYPA: Korhonen (c), Huttunen, Pulkkinen, Miranda, Kansikas, Muinonen, Agboh, Kuparinen (sub Manso 65 mins), Mustafi, Peltonen (sub Nykänen 79 mins), Hyyrynen.

Subs not used: Luukkonen (GK), Marchis, Puhakainen, Kangaskolkka, Leilei

ROVERS: Friedel, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen (c), Warnock, Bentley, Savage, Dunn (sub Tugay 72 mins), Pedersen (sub Emerton 72 mins), Santa Cruz, Roberts (sub Derbyshire 65 mins).

Subs not used: Enckelman (GK), Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Rigters.