JULIO Cesar will escape a Premiership ban despite being sent off in last night's reserve match against Blackburn Rovers.

The Brazilian centre-back, who has not figured in the Premiership since Wanderers' August defeat at Fulham, saw his hopes of getting 90 minutes under his belt dashed, as he was harshly dismissed after picking up two bookings inside the first 23 minutes - both for kicking the ball away.

But FA regulations mean that Cesar will only have to miss one reserve match as a result of his red card, leaving him available for selection for Saturday's trip to Chelsea.

Reserve team manager Neil McDonald sympathised with his defender over the dismissal, saying: "It's not as if he's kicked it 25 or 35 yards - the referee didn't show any restraint, and we're very disappointed he's been sent off for just kicking the ball away so they couldn't take a quick free kick."

One man who did gain valuable match fitness though was Ivan Campo, looking as assured as ever in the atrocious conditions at Morecambe's Christie Park as he completed a full game for the first time since requiring plastic surgery after a clash of heads with Gary Speed in last month's victory over Crystal Palace.

And it was Campo's free kick that led to Wanderers taking the lead in the 17th minute - Ricardo Vaz Te acrobatically converting after Blackburn had failed to clear.

But the home side made their one-man advantage pay, levelling the match on half time through Gary Harkins' 30-yard blockbuster.

"That's Ivan's first game back since he had the injury, and it's done him the world of good," McDonald added. "I think he's played really well, and obviously he puts himself into contention for Saturday."

Wanderers (4-3-3): Poole; Livesey, Comyn-Platt, Cesar, Talbot; Knowles, Campo, O'Brien; Shakes, Vaz Te, Kribib. Subs not used: Powell, Hill, McGill, Whitehead, Luisi.

Blackburn (4-4-2): Yelldell; Peers (Nolan 83), Bruce, Fitzgerald, Morgan (Peter 77); Donnelly, Danns, Harkins, Byrom (Barker 70); Johnson, Derbyshire. Subs not used: Drench, Jones.