It was a day to celebrate clean sheets, rather than goals at Ewood Park, as Rovers and Cardiff City played out their second consecutive 0-0 draw in East Lancashire, despite the home side having the best of the chances.
The Rovers team that lined up back at Ewood Park saw two changes to the side that ran riot away at Derby County with a 4-0 victory last week. Ryan Nyambe and Daniel Ayala came into the side to replace the injured duo of Joe Rankin-Costello (hamstring) and Darragh Lenihan (knee ligament). The Spanish centre-back, who played in the under-23’s 4-0 win over Leicester City on Tuesday came into the side for his first-team debut, following Lenihan’s withdrawal. Sam Gallagher was also back in the squad, albeit on the bench, as he gradually made his way back from his thigh injury.
Following ‘the knee’, it was Cardiff City who got the game started through former Rovers Junior Hoilett. The Bluebirds were looking to grab only their second win of the season, after previously beating Nottingham Forest, 2-0.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors on the sixth minute as Hoilett tried his luck from just outside the penalty area. The winger managed to beat a man before cutting inside and releasing a right-footed effort that forced Thomas Kaminski into a fine save, as he palmed the ball past the post. Although Cardiff were awarded a corner, the Welsh side failed to make their opportunity count as Rovers were soon awarded a goal kick.
On the 13th minute, Cardiff City were forced into a substitution after left-back Joe Bennett was forced off the field. On in his place came another former Rover, in Greg Cunningham, who was only making his third competitive appearance since returning from the ACL injury he suffered with Rovers, last season.
The 27th minute saw Sheyi Ojo try his luck from distance, but the Liverpool loanee managed to force Rovers’ Belgian ‘keeper into a comfortable stop
The 33rd minute saw Amari’i Bell test Alex Smithies with a strike from close-range. Smithies was alert enough to deny the Rovers left-back his first goal of the season.
A quiet first period was soon livened up as Cunningham – who was now wearing a bandage following a clash of heads with Tyrhys Dolan – found himself in the book on the 34th minute for a foul on former teammate, Ryan Nyambe.
The 41st minute saw Cardiff rack up a series of chances. Lee Tomlin’s freekick was rebounded back to Ojo whose effort from 20-yards out was tipped wide by Kaminski for a corner. The subsequent set-piece taken by Marlon Pack fell to Sean Morrison, whose header fell wide of the target.
Following a plethora of half-chances from both sides, that didn’t really get either set of supporters off their sofas, the first real cutting-edge chance came on the stroke of half-time, on the 44th minute. Dolan won back possession on halfway and released Armstrong, who had the whole Cardiff half to himself. As he burst forward, leaving Cunningham in his dust, Armstrong burst into the area and tried to chip Smithies, yet the ‘keeper was on-hand to deny Armstrong his sixth goal of the league campaign.
Referee Darren Bond soon added on an extra four minutes of time, as half-time edged nearer.
In the third minute of added time, Rovers came within inches of taking the lead through Ben Brereton. Nyambe’s cross fell kindly for Brereton whose toe-poke from inside the penalty area forced Smithies into a quick save down to his right, to deny Brereton.
Brereton’s effort proved to be the last chance of the first-half as Darren Bond soon called an end to a first-half that lacked the cutting edge that Rovers have shown in recent weeks.
In the home dressing room, Tony Mowbray would have had mixed feelings regarding his side’s first-half performance. The Rovers boss would have been pleased with his side’s attacking display, despite the lack of prolificacy in-front of goal, yet the gaffer would have believed that his side could have limited Cardiff’s chances, to less than what they had created.
Mowbray’s opposite number, Neil Harris would have been pleased with his side’s defensive efforts but would have been frustrated with the lack of clear-cut chances his side had created. Despite testing Thomas Kaminski, a couple of times, Cardiff failed to craft a rather ‘obvious’ goal-scoring opportunity, with a number of half-chances being created.
Cardiff soon restarted the game, as they tried to use the dreary weather conditions to their advantage, by turning the tie into a scrappier affair than the first period had been.
Leandro Bacuna soon found himself in the referee’s book following a rash challenge on Joe Rothwell, on halfway. The Rovers man broke away with speed before being hacked down by the former Aston Villa man, which earnt him a booking.
Bradley Johnson soon followed Bacuna into the book after the Rovers captain for the day, fouled Ojo.
On the 53rd minute, Kieffer Moore tried his luck with a succession of headers, but both of the target man’s efforts weren’t troubling Kaminski.
The 57th minute saw Rovers make their first change of the game as Sam Gallagher came on for his first appearance of the season, as he replaced Ben Brereton.
Lee Tomlin was soon booked for a foul on Dolan, on the 59th minute.
Rovers’ second-change of the day came on the hour mark, as Tyrhys Dolan departed and was replaced by John Buckley. That change saw Joe Rothwell take Dolan’s spot on the left-hand side of the attack, with Buckley moving into Rothwell’s former midfield role.
The 62nd minute saw John Buckley find Armstrong down the right-hand side. The striker did fantastically well to cut inside with a chop, before trying his luck from range, however Smithies was on-hand to again deny Armstrong.
Seven minutes later, saw the red mist descend over Cardiff City as Lee Tomlin was given a second yellow card for an avoidable tackle inside the Rovers half, as Rovers tried to launch a counter. The former Bristol City man tried to intercept the ball as Gallagher tried to burst away from him, yet the Cardiff man mistimed his challenge before being given his marching orders.
The 71st minute saw Armstrong again try his luck from the edge of the area, but again Smithies was on hand to deny Rovers’ hitman.
Arguably, Rovers’ best chance of the game came on the 73rd minute through Sam Gallagher who somehow failed to get his effort on target from such close-range. Rovers worked the ball out to Bell who delivered a low, inviting ball across the face of goal which was begging to be tapped home at the far-post. Gallagher was the arriving party, yet due to the greasy surface and the bounce of the ball from the cross, Gallagher failed to poke home as his effort bounced behind off the crossbar.
Cardiff’s second change of the game, after 75 minutes, saw Joe Ralls replace Junior Hoilett.
Holtby’s final action in the game was to try his luck from range, yet Smithies again was on hand to deny Rovers the lead.
The 78th minute saw Lewis Holtby depart the field as Harry Chapman came on, in Rovers’ final change.
Two minutes after the change, Sam Gallagher saw himself go into the book after he denied Jordi Osei-Tutu from countering.
The visitor’s final change – which came with securing a point in mind – saw Will Vaulks replace Sheyi Ojo, as Cardiff and Neil Harris looked to try and consolidate a point.
Referee Darren Bond added on five extra minutes onto the end of the game, which made up for the injuries to Bennett and Cunningham, as well as substitutions and the visitor’s time-wasting.
In the fourth minute of added time Rovers came within inches of winning the game as Sean Morrison nearly turned Adam Armstrong’s cross into his own goal. Fortunately for Cardiff, Morrison only conceded a corner, which then led to an effort from Joe Rothwell, whose effort zipped wide of the post, just prior to the final whistle being blown.
Although Rovers can potentially feel hard done by, by not making their chances pay, especially after Cardiff were reduced to 10 men, the lads can take heart in that they managed to secure a third consecutive clean sheet, especially given the absence of defensive leader and powerhouse, Darragh Lenihan. Whilst the Irishman – who has since withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad as a result – is expected to be fit following the upcoming international break, this game shows that Rovers’ defensive capabilities have improved, both as a unit and individually, following an intense game against a side who have an experienced and talented forward line. Of course, with Lenihan’s departure came Ayala’s arrival and whilst the Spaniard wasn’t called upon as much as one would usually expect, he showed both, his experience and his rustiness given today was his first senior match since New Year’s Day 2020.
Despite all 24 Championship teams not playing today, Rovers’ result against the Bluebirds sees them remain in 6th for the time being, after amassing 7 points from the four games that they’ve played. One positive for Rovers fans is that their side still possesses the highest goal-difference, with +8.
As previously mentioned, domestic football now pauses for a fortnight to allow the international fixtures to be played. After those two – rather boring – weeks pass, Rovers are back at Ewood Park, where they play hosts to Nottingham Forest, on Saturday 17th October, (3pm). Following that clash, Rovers have back-to-back away fixtures, with their first seeing them travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford on Wednesday 21st October, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm. After that midweek game, Rovers’ weekend fixture sees them travel to St. Andrews’ to face the nomadic Coventry City on Saturday 24th October (3pm), where they face the second of the three newly-promoted sides.
