Rovers extended their unbeaten run to 16 games as they scored a late winner, courtesy of Richie Smallwood, to grab all three points in a 2-1 win at Highbury against Lancashire rivals, Fleetwood Town.
During the build-up to the game, in his pre-match interview, Rovers boss Tony Mowbray highlighted the importance of Rovers’ focus for this game as he underlined that Fleetwood would not be an easy opposition to turn over. The gaffer had also pointed out that Fleetwood were a tough nut to crack as he highlighted their ability to take Leicester City to a replay in the FA Cup as he stressed the importance of Rovers being at their best to defeat the Cod Army.
The team that lined-up at Highbury was the first time Rovers had gone unchanged this season, as it saw the same eleven that beat Shrewsbury Town last week, start this game. Rovers’ latest recruit Amari’i Bell was ineligible to play in the tie against his former club as he was not registered as a Rovers player in time for the deadline, which meant that the 23-year old would have to wait until next week for his potential debut. Despite that, fellow new recruit Jack Payne was eligible and he found himself starting on the bench alongside Adam Armstrong, who showed some positive glimpses of his ability against Shrewsbury Town last weekend.
The game, which saw 1,125 Rovers fans travel in the away end – with there no doubt being a few Roverites in the home end – was kicked-off by Fleetwood Town who were looking for a victory to help boost any chances they had of grabbing a playoff spot, despite them being 7 points off 6th, come kick-off.
Rovers started the game brightly, as Dominic Samuel should have had Rovers in-front, just two minutes in. Bradley Dack did brilliantly to twist and turn away from the defenders to find an opening for Samuel to latch onto the ball, but the forward was unable to turn his body quickly enough to angle the shot on target, as the ball went out for a goal kick.
On the 11th minute, Rovers had another chance at breaking the deadlock which, once again, fell to Dominic Samuel. Ryan Nyambe did some good work on the wing as he was able to beat a defender and cross the ball into the box, towards Samuel. The forward was able to take the ball down and strike at goal, however his attempt was blocked and subsequently cleared by the Fleetwood defenders.
Five minutes later, Elliott Bennett had a shot on goal of his own. Charlie Mulgrew whipped a corner in which was only cleared as far as Bennett who lined up a shot towards goal, which deflected for another corner off a resilient Fleetwood defender.
Two minutes after Bennett’s attempt, Rovers had the ball in the back of Fleetwood’s net, courtesy of Bradley Dack, however the midfielder’s glancing header was ruled out for offside by the referee’s assistant, despite it looking like a close call that could have easily been allowed.
Rovers soon upped their performance levels into another gear as they created two chances in as many minutes. The first came through Derrick Williams, who was able to get on the end of another Mulgrew corner and glance a header towards goal. Although Williams connected with the ball well, the Rovers left-back was denied by the crossbar, as the ball cannoned behind for a goal kick. Rovers weren’t too dispirited however, as they came back a minute later with their second chance. Dack was able to use his slick footwork to find some space on the wing and float in a ball towards Danny Graham whose header looked destined for the net, but for the smart save of Chris Neal in the Fleetwood goal, who managed to tip the ball behind for another Rovers corner.
Despite the corner leading to nothing, Rovers’ tempo did not decrease as they soon found themselves in the lead on the 28th minute mark, after Bradley Dack claimed his 11th goal of the season. After some lovely spell of possession by Rovers, which saw 8 of the Rovers players touch the ball before it nestled into the net, the ball found its way to Danny Graham who nodded it onto Dack who had made the run in behind. The midfielder’s first touch was brilliant to stop the ball dead and bring it down, and his second was even better as he casually toe-poked the ball through the legs of Chris Neal to put Rovers ahead.
After the restart, the next piece of action came on the 35th minute mark, as Rovers tried to push for a second. Dominic Samuel had a claim for a penalty dismissed after he was clearly pushed by a Fleetwood man, however the match officials seemed to disagree as referee Andy Woolmer, waved play on.
As half-time approached, Rovers nearly had a second as Fleetwood’s centre-back Cian Bolger nearly sliced the ball past his own keeper. Ryan Nyambe did well to fizz in a cross along the ground, which caused mayhem in the area after Bolger’s clearance was missed. With Rovers players scrambling to try and get on the end of the cross, the pace of the ball was too quick and it eluded everyone before going out for a throw-in.
As the half-time whistle blew, Rovers were in full control of the game, which was sure to please Tony Mowbray. Rovers’ play was becoming more and more intricate and slick as the half went on, which would have no doubt frustrated the home manager, Uwe Rösler, who reacted to the continuous Rovers pressure by making two half-time subs as he brought on George Glendon and Conor McAleny on for Devante Cole and Markus Schwabl.
After the two changes were made, Rovers kicked-off the second-half with the intent of finding a second goal to kill the game off.
That hope of a second goal came within inches of becoming a reality, two minutes into the half, as Dominic Samuel had a low driven effort palmed away by Chris Neal in the Fleetwood goal.
David Raya, who had nothing to do in the first-half, had his first piece of involvement in the game as he made an outstanding save to deny Fleetwood’s new striker, Paddy Madden. The forward’s shot was superbly denied by Raya from around two yards out, as the Spaniard made a great reflex save to deny Madden’s attempt, despite the good goalkeeping however, Madden’s effort wouldn’t have counted anyway, as he was deemed to have been offside.
From the free-kick awarded for the offside, Rovers went up the other end of the field and created a chance of their own on the 51st minute. The punt downfield fell to Richie Smallwood who played in Graham who only had the keeper to beat, but despite the forward being in good form recently, with 3 goals in his last 4 games, he was unable to find the back of the net on this occasion as his effort hit the post.
After Graham’s attempt, it only took 5 minutes for the hosts to regroup and find themselves level in the tie, courtesy of a mix-up at the back for Rovers, which allowed substitute Conor McAleny to fire Fleetwood back into the game. Rovers’ skipper Charlie Mulgrew, who has been incredibly reliable for his side this season, was the main culprit in allowing the hosts back into the game, as his back-pass sold David Raya short, which allowed the former Everton man, McAleny to dribble round Raya and slot the ball into an empty net.
As the game ticked over to having half-an-hour left, both sides had subsequent chances. The first came Rovers’ way as Nyambe crossed the ball to Dack who’s header failed to go on target, which gave the hosts a goal-kick. From that goal-kick, Fleetwood crafted a header of their own as Madden got on the end of a cross and headed wide of Raya’s goal.
Tony Mowbray had not liked what he saw from his side in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half and that was obvious as he brought on Adam Armstrong in place of Craig Conway in an attempt to freshen up Rovers’ attacking options, to try and get a win.
The game ticked on with both sides failing to create adequate chances, and Mowbray decided to once again shuffle his pack on the 71st minute by throwing on debutant Jack Payne for Danny Graham in the hope that Payne could unlock Fleetwood’s defiant defence. Concurrently, Fleetwood made an attacking change of their own as they brought on Ashley Hunter for Wes Burns.
On the 79th minute, Paddy Madden once again had a shot that went wide, as he tried his upmost to get his new side in-front. The Irishman received the ball on the edge of the box, turned and shot in the hope of finding the back of the net, but unluckily for him, his attempt was spooned wide. That breakage in play allowed Rovers to make their final substitution of the afternoon, which saw Dominic Samuel be replaced by Joe Nuttall, who was hoping to mark his new contract – which was confirmed to have been signed, on Thursday, with a goal.
With all of Rovers’ substitutions being made, the Blues intensely pushed forward in the search for a winner which would put them into the top two as a result of other games going in their favour and on the 85th minute, Richie Smallwood popped up with a rare goal to put Rovers in-front and into the automatic promotion spot. Jack Payne’s ability to pick out a pass was shown as he played it into the feet of Smallwood who took a touch to shift the ball onto his stronger right foot before powering the ball into the back of the net, past the despairing Chris Neal from around 20 yards out, to send the travelling support around the ground into hysterics.
Rovers had one more chance before the added time was allocated. Bradley Dack, who never stopped running in this game, got the ball on the left-hand side and drove forwards, before cutting inside and striking the ball with his right-foot, however the midfielder’s efforts didn’t trouble Neal as the ball trickled wide.
The referee then added on 5 minutes of added time, but that went by as quick as a flash as Rovers did well to hold onto a barrage of Fleetwood long-balls, after they had thrown their centre-back Cian Bolger, up-front, in order to claim a priceless victory and much needed three points.
With all three points secured, the Rovers players and fans would have been delighted to make the short-trip back to Blackburn, knowing that they were in the automatic promotion spots, after leapfrogging Shrewbury Town, who only managed a draw against mid-table Doncaster Rovers. This victory over Fleetwood, despite the effect it had on the league table, showed everyone that Rovers were never going to lie down and accept a draw, or a defeat and the pure character and strength of the squad, both mentally and physically, was shown with their ability to fight back after a poor mistake set them back.
With this victory coming at a crucial stage in the season, Wigan Athletic on the summit of the table, who at one stage looked impossible to reach, are within touching distance of Rovers, despite the Latics beating Plymouth Argyle today. Wigan sit top with 27 games played, 60 points and a +40 goal difference, Rovers sit second with 27 games played, 55 points and a +25 goal difference and Shrewsbury sit in third with 27 games played, 55 points and a +16 goal difference. In terms of Rovers’ ambitions for automatic promotion, it was important to follow-up last week’s beating of Shrewsbury with another victory, to keep the pressure on both Wigan above them, and Salop below them.
With Rovers’ team spirit ever increasing, both on and off the pitch, their next two games see the Blues host Northampton Town on the 27th of January and Walsall on 30th of January, respectively, before making the long, arduous trip to the south coast to play Plymouth Argyle on the 3rd of February.
