BOLTON Wanderers will be watched by one of their biggest away followings of recent times when they take on Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday afternoon.

Around 7,000 Whites supporters are expected to fill the Darwen End of the 31,000 capacity stadium after the last of the club's allocation of 5,600 cut-priced tickets were sold yesterday.

A further 1,500 tickets will be on sale to Bolton fans on the day of the game (kick off 3pm) - and the signs are that they too will be snapped up.

Wanderers supporters, who have had their interest sparked by their team's recent surge up to third position in the Premiership, have responded enthusiastically to Rovers' radical initiative to slash prices by more than half for the derby duel, which attracted a crowd of 28,862 in 2002-03 season but which last season was watched by only 18,180.

Adult matchday prices, which would have been £32 for this fixture, have been reduced for both sets of supporters to £15, with pensioners and under-15s paying £5.

Those prices will still apply on Sunday, when the additional allocation of 1,500 for Wanderers fans will go on sale from 1pm at the Darwen End ticket office.

Rovers have warned that they will ask for age identification from supporters who have bought or plan to buy concessionary tickets, but there will be a facility available to supporters who may need to upgrade from concessions to adult tickets.