Trailing 2-0 to Larissa after the first leg in Greece, a well-taken strike from Silva Cleyton after 17 minutes left Rovers needing four to progress.

Matt Derbyshire scored a retaken penalty in first-half injury-time after David Dunn was felled and Stephen Warnock fired a fine second on the volley from David Bentley's cross six minutes after the break - but it was too little, much too late.

Striker Benni McCarthy and winger Morten Gamst Pedersen had both had to content themselves with a place on the bench for Rovers, as Roque Santa Cruz claimed the sole striker's berth in Mark Hughes' team.

For the Greek Cup winners, first-leg scorers Cleyton and Ibrahima Bakayoko started in a team captained by former Newcastle defender Nikos Dabizas, and managed by one-time Rover George Donis who spent two seasons at the club.

And an uphill task became a mountainous challenge after 17 minutes when the home defence failed to deal with a cross from the left which eventually ricocheted off Marco Foerster into the path of Cleyton, who sidestepped the defender to finish clinically from 10 yards.

The towering Chris Samba almost got the score Rovers so desperately needed, but he headed Bentley's free-kick just over from six yards when he should have hit the target.

Marcelo Sarmiento then received the first caution for throwing the ball away.

Dunn teed up Bentley on the half-hour but he screwed his effort wide from a good position in the left channel.

Blackburn were looking shaky in defence and Nektarios Alexandrou's volley was deflected just wide as the Greeks sought a killer second.

Derbyshire should have done better moments later when Santa Cruz knocked back for him to shoot from 15 yards after good work from Bentley on the right, but again the shot was pulled lamely wide.

A hopeful prodded through ball then played Dunn into the clear but his touch was poor and Larissa goalkeeper Stefanos Kotsolis was able to get down and save at his near post.

Dunn was soon at it again with a jinking run but his shot from 20 yards lacked power and was easily gathered and he then looped a header straight into the keeper's arms.

The livewire Dunn then won a penalty when he was tripped by Kotsolis and Derbyshire scored at the second attempt after the keeper saved, but he was asked to retake and duly dispatched it in the left-hand corner to give Rovers a glimmer of hope in first-half injury-time.

Rovers hopes were raised further six minutes into the second half when Bentley jinked down the right and delivered a perfect cross for Warnock to volley home crisply at the far post.

Bentley almost created a third with another cross moments later but Derbyshire could only put his shot over the bar from close range.

The England Under-21 striker had another half-chance from Warnock's brilliant low cross from the left but again was off target under heavy pressure.

Larissa brought on defender Ilias Kotsios for Alexandrou in a bid to stem the tide, while Hughes threw on Pedersen for Aaron Mokoena to try to force an unlikely comeback.

Tugay and Cleyton were both booked for reacting angrily to a heavy challenge by the Turk before McCarthy was at last given his chance with 20 minutes left, replacing Derbyshire.

Santa Cruz almost fashioned a third out of nothing when he turned two defenders and unleashed a thunderbolt from 25 yards, but his effort was straight at Kotsolis who was able to hold on.

And the Larissa keeper was at full stretch to palm away Bentley's deflected cross with 15 minutes left, before Robbie Savage replaced the tiring Dunn.

Cleyton also left the action soon afterwards as the Greeks showed their intention to hang on for dear life.

Blackburn were increasingly frustrated as the match reached its conclusion and Samba was booked for berating the assistant referee before heading a yard over moments later.

And Larissa were fairly comfortable in the closing minutes as they held on for a famous win.