THE Carling Cup proved the catalyst for success last season at Everton. Last night, though, the competition underlined why such progress has been checked.

Hopes of a morale-boosting cup run were dashed as the Goodison outfit floundered at the first hurdle at Ewood Park.

With Saturday’s Merseyside derby followed by a crucial Uefa Cup clash at Standard Liege next Thursday, this was a dreadful start to a season-defining week for Everton.

A 10th-minute goal by young Blackburn Rovers left-back Martin Olsson, created by former Liverpool nemesis Robbie Fowler, was enough to see off the visitors.

For the fifth time in seven games, David Moyes’ side conceded the first goal.

But unlike the recent battling displays against Standard and Hull City, there was to be no reprieve for Everton, only recrimination. The jeers that rang out at the final whistle from a disgruntled away end said it all.

If only Everton’s play had been as bright at their luminous yellow away kit.

Moyes had publicly feared his team weren’t ready for the new campaign – an assertion that is now being given worrying credence.

The drawback of the mad rush to bring in reinforcements before the transfer window, and the subsequent lack of preparation time for the newcomers, has become apparent in the past week.

Many eyebrows were raised when Moyes made Marouane Fellaini the club’s record signing by splashing out £15m on the Standard Liege midfielder.

At 20 years old, the Belgian is clearly still learning his trade and, while showing flashes of early promise, it will take time for him to settle in a new team, a new country and a new culture.

That, though, is time Everton don’t have right now amid a spell of games that, even during these formative stages of the campaign, could shape the remainder of their season.

Segundo Castillo also arrived with the intention of shoring up the midfield and signified his intent with a blistering strike against Standard Liege.

But, as at Hull City on Sunday, the Ecuador international was substituted at half-time, hauled off along with Fellaini with Everton in arrears.

The double change paid off at the KC Stadium, but last night’s hosts were never going to be so accommodating.

Phil Neville had accurately surmised that, given the clutch of all-Premier League ties in this round, victory would have opened up the competition for Everton. What a missed chance this was.

There seemed almost as many Everton supporters inside a half-empty Ewood Park as home fans, such was the lack of interest among the local population.

Indeed, Blackburn’s line-up reflected the low priority in which the Carling Cup is viewed by many, manager Paul Ince making seven changes of which the most notable saw former Liverpool striker Fowler make his debut in attack.

Moyes, by contrast, regards the competition of greater importance, made four alterations from the team that started the 2-2 draw at Hull on Sunday.

Louis Saha was rewarded for his second-half contribution on Humberside with a first Everton start alongside James Vaughan, with striker Ayegbeni Yakubu and Tim Cahill dropping to the bench.

Joleon Lescott, who also came on at half-time at the weekend, retained his position at left-back the expense of Leighton Baines while Mikel Arteta succumbed to the illness that had affected him over the past few days and was replaced by Jack Rodwell

It’s testament to the youngster’s versatility that, after beginning the season as a holding midfielder, Moyes had no qualms in employing Rodwell on the right flank.

Not bad for a player who many see as a future centre-back, and who ended the game back in more accustomed central role.

But those changes in personnel couldn’t alter one worryingly recurring theme, with Everton conceding first again.

It wasn’t the only familiar feature of the evening. Fowler, the boyhood Blue turned Liverpool legend, has assumed arch-villain status with the Goodison faithful for his exploits against their team.

And he didn’t waste any time continuing that form with an instrumental part in Blackburn’s goal on 10 minutes.

After a period of sustained Blackburn possession, Olsson, breaking forward from left-back, played the ball in to Fowler and then raced on to a perfectly-weighted return pass before holding off Neville and slotting beyond Tim Howard.

The goal was just reward for a bright start from the hosts, and their lead could easily have been doubled soon after.

Lescott was alert to challenge Matt Derbyshire as the striker sought to meet a dangerous low Keith Treacy cross before Fowler’s pass released Treacy to unleash a powerful cross-shot that a stretching Howard parried with enough strength to evade the approaching Derbyshire.

However, once Castillo’s shot was deflected wide and Saha headed the resultant Leon Osman corner off target at the far post, Everton became a greater threat.

Rodwell was the source of their next two chances. First, his right-footed cross was headed wide by Phil Jagielka, and then a delivery with his other foot was nodded agonisingly off target by Fellaini.

Moyes had seen enough and hauled off both Fellaini and Castillo for Cahill and Yakubu.

But it was Blackburn who missed a gilt-edged chance to double their lead on 58 minutes, Jagielka’s loose header inadvertently playing the former Wrexham striker clean through but the striker was too casual in his finish, lifting the ball over Howard and wide of the goal.

Everton came close on 70 minutes when Vaughan’s driven cross was nodded back across goal by Lescott but a stretching Cahill couldn’t guide his header on target.

Vaughan had a goal chalked off five minutes later following an infringement on Blackburn’s substitute goalkeeper Jason Brown, who had replaced the injured Paul Robinson early on, while Fowler saw a delicate chip float harmlessly over.