A frustrating summer’s afternoon in the Ewood Park heat saw Rovers denied their third successive victory late on by the woodwork, as Tony Mowbray’s side battled to a third consecutive clean sheet in the 0-0 draw against recently-relegated Cardiff City.
With full-back Greg Cunningham ineligible to participate in the fixture, due to being on loan from his Welsh parent club, Rovers’ team that lined-up against the Bluebirds ultimately saw two changes to the team that had edged a 1-0 victory past Hull City in midweek. The aforementioned Cunningham dropped out of the side and was replaced by Amari’i Bell, whereas a tactical switch saw Danny Graham come back in for Adam Armstrong, who occupied a spot on the bench.
Rovers kicked-off the game with excitement building around Ewood Park following the previous positive performances and clean sheets, however despite the positivity, the prospect of facing a Neil Warnock Cardiff City side who had just fallen out of the Premier League, coupled with Rovers’ poor recent record against the Welsh side with Rovers’ last victory coming in the 2004-05 FA Cup, meant that nobody could get ahead of themselves.
The home side started lively, in the 2nd minute as Sam Gallagher got the better of his marker, left-back Joe Bennett with a controlling header, before taking the ball into his stride, cutting inside and seeing his subsequent effort blocked and cleared by the Cardiff central defence.
A second chance came only four minutes later, as some good dribbling by Amari’i Bell down the left-hand side, allowed him to feed Danny Graham, who was just arriving in the area. Despite Graham’s best efforts to hold off his marker, the 34-year old’s shot was deflected wide for a corner which Cardiff easily cleared.
Cardiff had woken up by the 12th minute and soon crafted their first opportunity of the tie. Some sloppy play by Rovers saw the ball gifted to Cardiff, who wasted no time in attacking. The ball was threaded into Leandro Bacuna, whose first-time effort from inside the box, rattled Christian Walton’s near-post, before going behind. Despite, Walton not touching the ball, referee David Coote awarded a corner which, luckily for Rovers, didn’t lead to a Cardiff chance at goal.
On the 24th minute, Rovers nearly gifted a goal to Cardiff due to some hesitant play. Walton’s short goal-kick was played back into the ‘keeper’s path by Darragh Lenihan. Despite Walton’s confidence with the ball at his feet, his Cruyff turn almost cost him as he tripped over the ball with Cardiff forward Robert Glatzel – a target of Tony Mowbray over the summer – lurking. Fortunately, the on-loan shot-stopper’s blushes were spared as he was able to clear it away from the self-inflicted danger.
It took just over half-an-hour for the first booking of the game to appear as Elliott Bennett was cautioned for a challenge on former Peterborough attacking midfielder, Lee Tomlin.
A minute later, Bennett was again apart of the action, but this time in a positive sense. The midfielder-turned-right-back, whipped in an inviting cross in towards the back-post, which gave the unusually quiet Bradley Dack the opportunity to potentially claim an assist by nodding the ball back across goal to a teammate. Unfortunately for Rovers’ playmaker, he was only able to find visiting ‘keeper Alex Smithies, as the former Huddersfield Town goalie held the ball.
The best chance of the half came shortly after Smithies claimed Dack’s header, as the playmaker again provided a chance for his partner-in-crime, Danny Graham. A high diagonal by Bradley Johnson was nodded into Dack’s path by Gallagher. Dack then did well to control the ball under pressure from Aden Flint, as he poked the ball into Graham’s path whose side-footed first-time effort was outstandingly blocked behind for a corner by Sean Morrison, who flung himself wildly in-front of the shot.
Cardiff again tried their luck, as Lee Tomlin collected the ball and ran at goal. The 30-year old received the ball into feet before using his quick feet to turn past Bradley Johnson. After he sprung past the Rovers midfielder, Tomlin wasted no time in striking a low shot at goal, from the edge of the area, but unluckily for him, Walton was quick enough to get down and save the ball. Although the save caused Walton to spill the ball, he was able to regain control ahead of the advancing Glatzel.
Despite both sides having chances – albeit few of them – referee David Coote only allocated a single minute of added time, before calling an end to a half that, on reflection had finished fairly for both sides.
The half-time team talks of both sides would have had the same overall messages of ‘keep going and the chances will come’ as despite both teams not fulfilling the expectations their supporters would have expected, the respective gaffers would have undoubtedly seen encouraging signs in the sweltering Lancashire heat.
Tony Mowbray would have been pleased that his settled backline had managed to keep a potent Cardiff City side at bay during the opening 45 minutes but would have been calling for them to continue their exploits as well as encourage his forward players to keep battling against the tough ‘giants’ of Cardiff.
Neil Warnock similarly, would have been pleased with his first-half clean sheet, especially considering his side had leaked eight goals from their four Championship games played thus far. Whilst the defensive efforts would have been encouraging, there would have probably been an onus from the 70-year old to call for more from his forward players.
With 1,862 Cardiff fans making the long journey from the south of Wales, they would have been hoping, as their side kicked-off the second-half, that their quality and Premier League experience would have given them the psychological edge in order to potentially overpower Rovers in the attacking areas and potentially, sneak a later winner.
The first half-chance of the half fell to the visitors on the 47th minute, when Aden Flint got on the end of Lee Tomlin’s free-kick. Despite the defender having a prolific rate in-front of goal throughout his career, with his 14-goal haul for Bristol City during the 2014-15 League One season standing out, he was unable to grab his second in Cardiff City colours as the flag was raised for offside.
Tomlin had another free-kick on the 54th minute, this time within shooting range, after he was fouled by Derrick Williams. The midfielder composed himself before striking the wall with the set-piece, which allowed Rovers to clear it and regroup.
Tomlin soon returned the favour to Williams with a tackle of his own, this time, unlike Williams, Tomlin earnt a booking for his troubles.
The 56th minute saw Johnson hit a half-volley behind for a Rovers corner which Cardiff countered from. The counter saw the ball fall to the feet of Gavin Whyte, who failed to keep the ball under his spell as Rovers managed to recover possession.
With the ball out of play seconds after Rovers had recovered, Cardiff made their first change of the afternoon as former Rover, Junior Hoilett – who entered the field to a mixture of applause and boos by his former fans – came on for the booked Lee Tomlin.
It took the former Rover less than five minutes to burst into action as a long ball forward by Cardiff was flicked on by Glatzel into the path of Hoilett whose shot from close-range was well stopped by the onrushing Walton.
That flick-on proved to be Glatzel’s last involvement in the game as he was soon withdrawn and replaced by former Wigan Athletic forward, Omar Bogle.
The 64th minute saw Cardiff craft another opportunity at goal. A cross from the wide area fell to the head of Cardiff skipper, Sean Morrison, who failed to keep his header down.
Morrison’s partner at the back, Flint had a header of his own, on the 70th minute, after Hoilett crafted a crossing opportunity. Although Flint got to the ball ahead of his man, he too nodded over the bar.
The 71st minute saw a double change for Rovers in an attempt to liven the game and create some more goalscoring opportunities. Bradley Dack and Danny Graham were removed from the field of play and were replaced by Joe Rothwell and Adam Armstrong, respectively, as Tony Mowbray looked to inject some pace into his team to try and exploit Cardiff’s potential tired legs.
A minute later, Bogle fell into referee Coote’s book after a high challenge on Bradley Johnson.
The 77th minute almost spelt calamity for Rovers as Stewart Downing’ unusual sloppiness gave Cardiff the chance to counter Rovers. Despite Downing’s backtracking and Lewis Travis’s best efforts to clean Josh Murphy out, the former Norwich City winger managed to get his cross in, which Lenihan and Williams failed to properly clear, as the ball dropped for Joe Ralls whose low effort struck the base of the post before going behind for a Rovers goal-kick.
Moments later, Rovers had a chance of their own as Gallagher knocked the ball down into the path of Downing whose effort from close range flew over the bar.
On the 81st minute, Rovers made their final change of the game as Ryan Nyambe was introduced, which allowed Elliott Bennett to move up into a midfield position.
The 85th minute saw a big chance squandered by Rovers. Some good pressing play by Adam Armstrong led to him catching out Lee Peltier before skipping round the defender and laying the ball off to Johnson who was ghosting in towards the penalty spot. Although the idea was good, Johnson failed to deliver the appropriate connection, as the ball trickled into Smithies’ hands.
Soon after, Joe Bennett received a yellow card after having two bites at Elliott Bennett before bringing the midfielder down.
The free-kick caused some controversy inside Ewood Park, as it appeared that Lee Peltier had hauled down Derrick Williams inside the area, however the referee waved Rovers’ protests away.
Rovers soon came within inches of grabbing the winner as Derrick Williams nearly notched two in as many games. Lewis Travis’ cross was nodded clear by Flint, only as far as Williams who hit a first-time toe-poke towards goal, which had Smithies beaten. Luckily for the Cardiff ‘keeper, the post came to his rescue as it ricocheted back off the upright before being dealt with by Cardiff.
Rovers’ late charge continued as in the 88th minute, a corner was hooked back into the danger area by Bell, before being flicked into the path of Lenihan by Bennett. Although Lenihan had crafted a good shooting opportunity, he lacked the composure to keep his close-range effort down.
Lenihan’s effort proved to be the game’s final act, as after three uneventful minutes of time were added on, David Coote called an end to a rather indifferent game which could have gone either way on another day. Although the tie hung in the balance, Cardiff would have been pleased to have picked up their first away point and clean sheet of the campaign.
Whilst the game itself was a bit of a damp squib in terms of the goals, it turned out to be a fantastic day for the defenders, with Rovers keeping their third clean sheet in a row, a feat which took them 29 league games to achieve last campaign. Although some have been disheartened by the lack of goals going in at the correct end, there is no doubt that once the players peak in their fitness, that the firepower up front will be doing the job that they earn their wages for. At the moment, the defensive improvement seems to be the most significant part of this season, despite the early stumble out of the blocks against Charlton and Fulham, respectively.
Although the Blues put in an impressive performance against the ex-Premier League side, the one point on the board sees them sat in 13th position in the league, with a -1 goal-difference. However, with the playoffs only two points away, there’s no point in getting worked up about the standings.
Before the two-week international break comes upon us, Rovers have two final games to play, one in the Carabao Cup, and one in the Championship. The cup game falls on Tuesday 27th August at 7:45pm, where Rovers make the 64-mile journey to Bramall Lane to face Premier League side, Sheffield United in the Second Round of the competition. Four days later, Rovers are on the road again, this time, in the Midlands to face West Bromwich Albion who will be without manager Slaven Bilić after his sending off against Derby County in Saturday’s early kick-off. The game on Saturday 31st August is scheduled for 3pm. Once the fortnight for internationals is complete, Rovers return to action with a home tie against Millwall on Saturday 14th September, at Ewood Park with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
