The early 6pm kick-off saw Rovers dominate the rescheduled fixture, but ultimately settle for a point as Swansea City’s spot-kicks once again bailed them out of a poor performance.
After returning to winning ways last time out, thanks to a 2-0 away win against Millwall, down in London, Tony Mowbray named an unchanged side for the first time since the 5-0 home victory over Wycombe Wanderers and the 4-0 win over Derby County in September, as Rovers looked to get the better of Swansea City on home turf.
With the game scheduled to start at the earlier time of 6pm in order to give Swansea time to return to Wales before the small hours of Wednesday morning, it was Swansea City who won the coin toss in order to get proceedings underway at Ewood Park.
Inside the opening three minutes, Rovers should have had a penalty as they started the game the faster of the two sides. Tyrhys Dolan slid Ben Brereton through, who broke beyond the Swansea defence and the forward went down under pressure from the visiting defence, but despite there being more than enough contact, referee Robert Jones waved play on, in a challenge that arguably warranted a trip to VAR(!)
The home side’s fine start to the game continued in the 10th minute as Ben Brereton was again involved as he turned provider. The forward was played down the right before he delivered in an inviting cross towards the edge of the six-yard box, where Bradley Dack was lurking, but the playmaker’s head was inches away from putting Rovers ahead, as the Swansea defence cleared the loose ball.
Rovers’ fine possession of the ball continued as their outstanding display of attacking football nearly resulted in the game’s first goal in the 23rd minute. Rovers’ pressure saw Swansea give possession away on the edge of their own area, as Dolan picked up the loose ball. ‘Diamond’ Dolan was alert enough to pick out Dack whose subsequent shot failed to hit the target.
The pressure from the home side finally saw them take the lead through Bradley Dack’s 49th Rovers goal, which was also his first at Ewood Park since last season’s 1-0 win over Brentford, which came in November 2019. Rovers did brilliantly to win possession back in the Swansea half before Birthday Boy, Tom Trybull picked the ball up in the final third and pushed forwards in-search of a forward runner. That forward runner proved to be Dack, who the German found with a wonderful chipped through ball that the talisman controlled with ease, before slotting the ball through the legs of Newcastle United loanee, Freddie Woodman, to make it 1-0 to Rovers.
Four minutes after Rovers took the lead, Swansea pegged the hosts back with their fourth penalty in as many games after referee Robert Jones deemed that Sam Gallagher had fouled Jay Fulton. After the ball broke loose in the box from a Swansea set-piece, the falling Fulton tried to knock the ball back to the edge of the area, but was caught by Gallagher in the process in what looked like a harsh foul as André Ayew took the responsibility of having his fifth penalty of the season. The Ghanaian international was unfazed by the pressure, however, as he dispatched his spot-kick down the middle to level the scoring at 1-1.
That spot-kick proved to be the last act of the first period, as after only one minute of time was added onto the end of the first-half, referee Robert Jones soon brought the first 45 minutes to an end.
Tony Mowbray would have been delighted with how his side had conducted themselves throughout the first-half, despite the fact they were tied at the break thanks to a dubious penalty. The Rovers boss would have been pleased with how his side had held the 55% possession they ended the first period with, against a team in Swansea City, who themselves, are renowned as one of the best possession sides in the division. The boss would have also been pleased at the number of chances his side had created, even without top-scorer Adam Armstrong, who was absent from the game due to injury.
Swansea City boss, Steve Cooper, would have had contrasting emotions and probably would have felt relieved that his team were once again bailed out with a spot-kick. His side, who found themselves third in the division, and only one point off the automatic promotion spots, were not playing like a side who had Premier League ambitions, with the Welsh side looking leggy and void of ideas.
The second-half was kicked-off by Rovers, but not before Swansea made their first change of the game as Joel Latibeaudiere replaced Chelsea loanee, Marc Guéhi.
Rovers started the second period as lively as they did the first as after only three minutes into the second-half, Ben Brereton came close to putting Rovers back ahead. A ball down the line saw the forward try to chip Woodman, who was caught in No Man’s Land, but the forward’s lob over Woodman veered wide of the near-post.
The 53rd minute saw the first yellow card of the game appear as Joe Rankin-Costello was cautioned, which gave Conor Hourihane the chance to try his luck from the set-piece, but the Aston Villa loanee couldn’t make his chance count as he blazed over the bar.
Two minutes after Hourihane’s effort, Dack had one of his own as some build-up play by Rovers saw John Buckley find the Rovers goalscorer, but the #23’s effort was blocked behind for a corner, which Swansea dealt with.
Rovers’ pressure increased in the 63rd minute as a cross saw the ball drop invitingly for Dolan, just inside the penalty area which gave him the opportunity to drill an effort at goal, but his attempt proved inaccurate as it flew wide of the far-post.
A minute after Dolan’s attempt, Swansea made a double change as Conor Hourihane and Jay Fulton both departed to be replaced by Yan Dhanda and Korey Smith.
Swansea saw their first booking of the game appear in the 68th minute as Ben Cabango chopped down John Buckley.
The first Rovers change of the game occurred in the 70th minute as Harvey Elliott replaced Sam Gallagher.
Dolan’s trickery again gave Swansea issues, moments after the change as the forward backheeled the ball into the path of Barry Douglas who delivered a low cross into the six-yard area where Dack again was lurking, yet the Rovers playmaker couldn’t make the chance count as he headed over the bar.
Rovers’ second substitution of the evening, which came in the 76th minute, saw Ryan Nyambe introduced in-place of the weary Joe Rankin-Costello.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis found himself in the box off the back of a Rovers corner. After a period of pinball, the ball was pumped back into the box for the Manchester City-loanee to connect with. Harwood-Bellis managed to win the first contact as he nodded the ball down into the path of Dack, but the attacker’s shot was blocked.
Swansea’s fourth change, which came in the 80th minute saw Wayne Routledge come on for Jamal Lowe.
Tom Trybull managed to latch onto the end of a set-piece, this time in the 84th minute as he latched onto the end of a Barry Douglas free-kick, but the birthday boy couldn’t cap his night off with a goal and an assist, as his nod was saved by Woodman.
Tony Mowbray made a third and fourth change for Rovers in the 86th minute as Joe Rothwell and Lewis Travis – who came on for his 100th Rovers game – were both introduced in-place of the duo who combined for the Rovers goal, in Tom Trybull and Bradley Dack.
As the 90th minute ticked over onto the clock, referee Robert Jones added on three extra minutes onto the end of the game.
With little to know goalmouth action during the late stages of the game, Mr. Jones soon brough an end to a tie, that Rovers dominated in all truth and will probably be leaving Ewood Park scratching their heads wondering how they only managed a point from the game.
After another brilliant performance from Rovers it’s a wonder where these displays were a month ago? Although Rovers didn’t manage to pick up the win in this game, despite dominating the game from start to finish, the lads and the coaching staff won’t feel disheartened after going toe-to-toe with one of the best sides in this current division. Whilst Rovers were again without Adam Armstrong due to injury, Bradley Dack proved he was edging ever closer to returning to his best as he put in a fantastic display that warranted more than the one goal that he got. Another positive for Tony Mowbray’s side was the dominance in possession they had over the course of the 90 minutes. With the side finishing the first 45 minutes with 55% and the 90 with 59%, it arguably proved that the philosophy the manager and his staff were trying to implement was having some long lasting effects, however, whilst they weren’t able to cap it off with the three points, it seems like that adaptation to the style has happened too little too late.
Despite not picking up the win, Rovers have moved up to 14th after that score draw. Tony Mowbray’s men now have 44 points and a positive goal-difference of +9 from the 35 games remaining, with 11 fixtures left of the league campaign.
Rovers don’t have to wait long to lace their boots back up as they host another promotion-chasing side, in Brentford on Friday 12th March at 7:45pm, live on Sky Sports. Following that clash, Bristol City are the third visitors in a row to Ewood Park on Wednesday 17th March at 7:45pm. Rovers’ second game of next week then sees them make the long journey to Carrow Road where they will face top of the table, Norwich City on Saturday 20th March at 3pm.
