With the 2018-19 Championship season set to kick-off in 5 days, Rovers’ preparations for their return to English football’s second tier has seen them win a memorial trophy, triumph over a Premier League scalp and feel frustration at the hands of their neighbours.
Sunday 8th July 2018; Hibernian 0-2 Rovers; Paul Hanlon’s Testimonial
The first of Rovers’ pre-season games, saw Tony Mowbray travel back up to Edinburgh to face the side he managed between 2004-06 and although the game was seen as an ordinary friendly by supporters of Rovers, the local Hibernian crowd were celebrating a decade of their captain, Paul Hanlon, as he was applauded and given honours by members of the Hibernian board.
The game, however, unlike the pre-match pleasantries, would go Rovers’ way, as two sets of line-ups – one in the first-half, and another in the second-half – saw the Scots dispatched courtesy of second-half strikes from Craig Conway and Willem Tomlinson, as the Blues left Easter Road with a 2-0 victory.
Despite a balanced first 45 minutes, which saw both sides have chances to go ahead, neither were able to break the deadlock as Leutwiler in the Rovers goal did well to continuously deny the Hibs strike force. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the field, Rovers lacked the cutting edge they required to make their chances test Ádám Bogdán, who was between the home sides’ posts for the first-half.
Once the new sets of players were out for the second 45 minutes, it didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken as the first goal of the game, came through Craig Conway, 3 minutes after the break, on the 48th minute mark. A deep cross found the Scot on the other side of the penalty area, and he wasted no time in rolling back the years, as he turned his man and whipped in a finessed shot which settled into the far corner of the net as Rovers went ahead.
Much like London buses, it wasn’t long until Rovers’ lead was doubled through Willem Tomlinson, on the 52nd minute. The youngster, who had impressed for the u23s last season, used his pace, self-awareness and natural fitness to burst through the Hibs defence, in an off the ball run, before receiving a well weighted through ball from Bradley Dack which meant Tomlinson only had the ‘keeper to beat. His first effort, however, was well stopped by substitute Ross Laidlaw, but the 26-year old couldn’t hold the rebounded effort, as Tomlinson managed to poke the ball into an empty net, to guarantee Rovers a winning start to pre-season.
Saturday 14th July 2018; Port Vale 1-1 Rovers
Rovers’ second game of pre-season saw them make the 45-mile journey down to Vale Park to face Neil Aspin’s League 2 side.
Despite the relatively strong following of around 245 Roverites, the side were unable to come away with the victory that would have satisfied their fans.
The game started off terribly for Rovers, as an own goal by skipper, Charlie Mulgrew, saw the Blues go 1-0 down inside the opening 10 minutes, following a Vale set-piece. Despite that minor setback however, it didn’t take long for Rovers to pull themselves level, through Mulgrew’s defensive partner, as Darragh Lenihan rose highest in the area to meet Conway’s corner, before ferociously thumping the ball into the back of Vale’s net.
With the scores tied, the game dwindled down into what would be expected from a pre-season friendly, as neither side decided to go the extra mile and really push for a winner, and despite one or two efforts from set-pieces by either side, neither team came close to scoring a second goal that would have given them the victory.
Thursday 19th July 2018; Rovers 0-2 Liverpool
The third side Rovers faced during their pre-season – and the first side of the season to visit Ewood Park – were Champions League runners-up, Liverpool, who were looking to give some of their fringe and youth players a run-out, prior to their tour of the USA and their participation in the International Champions Cup.
With Mowbray putting out a strong line-up from the off, Rovers did well in the first 45 minutes to reduce Liverpool’s chances, but the away side were given a controversial penalty inside 6 minutes after Jon Moss deemed that David Raya had brought down Dominic Solanke. From the subsequent spot-kick, James Milner’s effort was well saved by Raya, who made amends for his mistake as he breathed life into the crowd, which upped the momentum of the home players.
From that moment until the break, Mowbray’s men did well to deny the talents of Liverpool the time and space they would need in order to take the lead.
As Jon Moss called an end to a tactical first-half, both sides decided to ring in the changes during the break as Rovers made 2 changes to Liverpool’s 10, which included the introductions of Naby Keita and Fabinho for the visitors.
The first 15 minutes of the second period was much like the whole of the first half; Liverpool trying to break Rovers down, but Rovers continuing to stand strong and deny the Premier League side the opening they required to gain the advantage on the scoreline.
On the hour mark, Tony Mowbray decided to change up his team, with Leutwiler, Nuttall, Downing, Wharton, Whittingham, Conway, Davenport and Tomlinson being thrown into the fray, giving Rovers a ‘less experienced’ team on paper, which showed in the second-half as Liverpool’s quality shone through.
4 minutes after the changes were made, Rovers’ resolve broke as Lazar Marković opened the scoring for the Reds. Sturridge picked up the ball inside Rovers’ half, turned and managed to find Marković, who was making a run directly through the heart of Rovers’ defence. Once Sturridge’s ball had split Rovers’ defence, Marković only had to take a touch and blast the ball past Leutwiler to put the Reds ahead.
From the restart, it was Liverpool’s game to dominate, as Rovers failed to regain a firm grip on the affair, and it wasn’t long until Sturridge doubled the visitors’ lead. Following a mix-up in the Rovers’ defence, due to Scott Wharton trying to dribble out from the back, Liverpool’s gegenpressing prevailed as Naby Keita dispossessed the defender, before playing Sturridge in on goal. The English forward took one touch with his left foot, before smartly stroking the ball past the onrushing Leutwiler, with the same left foot, to put his side 2-0 up and kill the game.
With Sturridge sealing the game on the 73rd minute, Rovers’ subsequent attacks were not enough to get past Liverpool’s makeshift defence, which now included Virgil Van Dijk, as Klopp’s crop wrapped up a predominantly tight affair.
Sunday 22nd July 2018; Lincoln City 0-1 Rovers; The John Reames Memorial Trophy
With a trophy on the line for the victor, Rovers headed into their fourth friendly of the summer with one thing on their agenda; to perform well.
Tony Mowbray upped the ante in terms of his squad selection, as a strong side lined-up opposite the Lincoln City starting-11, with the start of the season on the horizon.
Despite the good reputation and their unfortunate failure to reach the League 2 playoff final during the tail end of last season, Lincoln City didn’t manage to put up much of a fight for Rovers, who were the better team and controlled a majority of the possession.
Although both sides had some early near misses, Rovers were unable to find the net until the stroke of half-time, where Joe Nuttall connected with a Craig Conway deliver, to nod Rovers into the lead.
With Rovers heading into the break with the lead, there was a bit of activity from both managers at the break as Nyambe and Travis came on for Rovers, in an attempt to give the former more action and the latter a chance to stake a claim for a starting position in the first game of the 2018-19 Championship season, away at Ipswich Town.
As an hour of play ticked onto the clock at Sincil Bank, it was time for Mowbray to rotate his side with 7 of the starting players replaced. That mass substitution ultimately had no effect on the score line, as Rovers eventually ran out comfortable winners and claimed the John Reames Memorial Trophy.
Thursday 26th July 2018; Rovers 3-0 Everton
A second Premier League side made their way to Ewood Park, in the form of Everton, fresh from completing a £50m move for Watford’s Richarlison, who was present on the field of play during the second-half.
With this game, and a trip to Accrington Stanley left on Rovers’ pre-season schedule, Mowbray made the most of the experience and fielded what is arguably, his strongest team available, for the whole 90 minutes – barring the introduction of Travis for Evans on the 83rd minute.
Despite the hype around Everton, following their capture of Richarlison, the appointment of Marco Silva and their 22-0 thumping of ATV Irdning, the side that showed up at Ewood Park, despite being packed full of Premier League quality, were surprisingly no match for Mowbray’s men as the Cambridge Blues dismantled the Royal Blues.
The match began with a pair of shots; one from each side. The first came from Bradley Dack, whose effort from the edge of the area, looked to have troubled 2010 World Cup runner-up Maarten Stekelenburg from a certain angle, but in reality, whistled past the post. The second attempt came through Tom Davies of Everton. The England u-21 international struck a venomous shot that wasn’t troubling David Raya.
Rovers’ hold on the game continued and grew by the 10th minute when Darragh Lenihan headed home from close range, following a well worked corner. Dack took a short corner, aimed at Richie Smallwood. The number 6 then wasted no time in crossing the ball towards the far-post where Lenihan had shaken off his man and was given the opportunity of a free header, which he did not pass up, as his nod looped over Stekelenburg and landed into the back of his net.
With Everton only creating one chance between the goal and the break, which was well saved by Raya, Rovers entered half-time with 2 goals to their name after some beautiful play by Dack allowed him to set up his mate, Dominic Samuel, for a tap in at the back-post. Dack’s dribbling saw him hold off the challenge of 2 Everton defenders before he made it to the by-line and rolled the ball across the face of goal, to Samuel, who had the simple task of stroking the ball into the empty half of the net.
As both sides reappeared for the second-half, it was Marco Silva who rang the changes, as he made 9 substitutions, in an attempt to salvage some pride as well as build-up fitness.
The second period was much like the first, as Rovers continued their domination over Everton, despite the Toffees looking like they had received some words of encouragement – or frustration, rather – during the break, as their play was marginally better with the ball.
That improvement was soon to be nullified by the 68th minute as Bradley Dack got the goal his hard work in the first-half had deserved. Some sloppy play in the Everton half saw Dack chase down the ball and brush Jagielka off in the box, before coolly slotting away his first goal of the campaign, continuing the desire and form of last season and proving that he had the ability to battle with the best.
With time against them, Everton looked to gain a consolation goal, in-front of their fans, but despite their build-up play, their new man Richarlison was unable to find the back of the Darwen End goal, as his deft finessed effort skimmed the crossbar and went out for a goal-kick.
The goal-kick turned out the be the last kick of the game as Mowbray’s men showed that their pre-season had paid off with a memorable victory against a side who have been tipped to do well in the top tier this season.
Saturday 28th July 2018; Accrington Stanley 1-0 Rovers
With the short trip to neighbours Accrington Stanley being the final game on Rovers’ pre-season fixture list and with the first team playing 2 days earlier, Tony Mowbray decided to give them a rest and allow the fringe and the youth players to show what they were made of, during the wet and windy afternoon at the Wham Stadium.
Rovers started the game brightly, and could have gone ahead inside just 5 minutes, but Jonny Maxted, in the Stanley goal did well to stand firm and deny Joe Nuttall from giving the Blues an early lead.
Maxted’s save proved to be important, as on the 11th minute, Stanley managed to go ahead, courtesy of Billy Kee’s tap-in from close range. Kayden Jackson proved to be a thorn in Rovers’ side all afternoon with his pace and strength, which allowed him to get the better of Rovers’ defence, and that was shown on the goal. Jackson’s pace allowed him to zip past Derrick Williams, before his cut-back fell to Kee’s feet, who only had to make solid contact to prod the ball past the already beaten Leutwiler.
From that moment on, Rovers upped their work-rate as the shots, like the rain above, came pouring down onto Stanley’s goal, but a good combination of ‘keeper and defenders denied Mowbray’s men from levelling the scoring.
Until half-time, the hosts controlled the game, and if not for the poor weather affecting the pitch, and the fluidity of their game, they could have easily doubled their lead.
The second 45 minutes saw a much-improved Rovers side, but somehow they still managed to not find the target, as the game fizzled out to being Rovers’ attack against Accrington’s wall-like defence.
It wasn’t until the closing stages where a goal for Rovers seemed likely. As a result of the weather, Maxted clearance failed to gain height, as the ball was virtually passed into the feet of Craig Conway. The winger, laid the ball off towards Joe Nuttall first time, which saw the forward backheel, first time, into the path of the onrushing Lewis Hardcastle, who then only had the ‘keeper to beat, but a combination of his hesitation, good defending and good goalkeeping, saw the youngster denied a goal that would have put Rovers on level terms during the closing stages.
With that miss – and the weather – summarising the nature of the game from Rovers’ perspective, the fans had to settle without the title of ‘an unbeaten pre-season’, however, that, in the grand scheme of things, meant very little.
With the pre-season friendlies out of the way, Mowbray & Rovers’ attentions now turn to training ahead of Saturday’s (4th August) big Championship return, away at Portman Road, where Paul Hurst’s Ipswich Town await, as Rovers look to taste victory in their opening game of the season, for the first time since 2010.
