Rovers continued their fantastic run of form to make it five league wins on the bounce, as Tony Mowbray’s men comfortably dispatched Birmingham City, to not only secure their fifth straight clean sheet in 25 years, but to also confirm that Rovers would be spending Christmas in third place!
As Rovers came into this weekend’s game on a high, following their spectacular 2-0 away win at Bournemouth, last week, their preparations for this weekend’s clash against Birmingham City was disrupted by positive COVID tests within the camp. Despite having to deal with the situation, Tony Mowbray only made one change to last weekend’s winning side, as the fit-again Thomas Kaminski returned at the expense of a very unfortunate Aynsley Pears. Jordan Eastham, who had been deputising for Pears, was one of the players who was unavailable for selection due to ‘COVID-19 related issues’, and was joined by Tyrhys Dolan on the sidelines, as the pair were forced out of the clash with Lee Bowyer’s side for the same reason – we wish them both well.
As all the pre-match rituals took place, it was Birmingham City who stood over the ball at kick-off as referee Geoff Eltringham put the whistle to his lips to get the ball rolling. Lee Bowyer’s side came into this tie trying to get back to winning ways, having not won in their last two games, as they came to Ewood in hope of upsetting Rovers’ apple cart.
It only took six minutes for Rovers to send Ewood Park into raptures, as Ryan Nyambe produced a fine delivery which resulted in a first goal of the season, for John Buckley. Jan Paul van Hecke produced a fantastic crossfield ball to Ryan Nyambe who brought the ball down well on his chest and powered into the box from inside the right-hand wing, before delivering a low cross, across the face of goal. Matija Sarkic failed to keep the ball within his grasp as he spilled it into the path of John Buckley who rolled the ball past the despairing goalkeeper, to give Rovers a 1-0 lead.
A Joe Rothwell corner saw Sarkic again flap at the ball as it landed invitingly for Scott Wharton to try and seek his first league goal for the club, but his effort came agonisingly wide of the right-hand post.
Reda Khadra looked to open the play for Rovers in the 22nd minute, as he picked the ball up just outside the Birmingham box and managed to thread Rothwell in, but a well-timed tackle denied the midfielder a chance to pull the trigger and test Sarkic.
Four minutes later, Khadra again took a creative role as he whipped in an inviting cross which ricocheted into the path of Buckley – after another Sarkic charge – The midfielder then tried to, once again find the net, but his effort got closer to the corner flag than the net.
Lewis Travis turned provider in the 30th minute as he looked to offer an assist to Darragh Lenihan, but the skipper’s header fell wide of the Birmingham goal.
Travis again provided a cross for Buckley, but his blocked effort fell to Lenihan who attempt was also blocked before Birmingham cleared.
Chuks Aneke nearly undid all of Rovers’ hard-work with a speculative effort from around 25-yards away, in the 34th minute. After receiving the ball, the former Arsenal man tried his luck from a long way out, but although Thomas Kaminski seemed comfortable, the ball dipped at the final moment, as it crashed back off the crossbar, before Rovers cleared.
In the 38th minute, Marc Roberts hobbled off with a hamstring injury, a Jeremie Bela came on to replace him.
The first booking of the day came in the 41st minute as John Buckley was cautioned for tripping Aneke.
Riley McGree took a quick free-kick and found Jordan Graham, but the Englishman’s cross was way off the mark, as the 1630 away fans collectively groaned.
In the 43rd minute, Ivan Šunjić was also booked after a succession of fouls on John Buckley.
A minute later, Darragh Lenihan again tried to find the net, from Rothwell’s corner, but the defender again missed the target.
Although three minutes of time were added on, onto the end of the first-half, neither side were able to really test either goalkeeper, as the first-half was soon brought to a close, with Rovers leading 1-0.
Tony Mowbray would have been pleased with his side’s dominant play but would have been annoyed that his side hadn’t doubled their lead. Although his side had completely dominated the play, bar the Aneke attempt that came off the bar, Rovers needed another goal in order to quell any doubts of a potential Birmingham City revival.
Lee Bowyer would have been frustrated with the ease in which Rovers had put themselves ahead. Despite the poor handling by Sarkic which put the ball on a plate for Buckley to finish, the visiting side’s defence lacked any real authority and strength as Rovers continued with many waves of attacks. The former Brum midfielder would have been using his half-time team talk to rally his players, given the close proximity of the scoreline.
Before Rovers got the second-half underway, Birmingham made their second change of the game, at the break, as Maxime Colin replaced Jordan Graham.
In the 50th minute, Ben Brereton Díaz looked to find Rothwell with a pass, but the midfielder’s shot was well saved by Sarkic.
Two minutes after Sarkic saved Birmingham, he put them back in the mire with some questionable positioning and decision-making. After Lenihan found Khadra with a good through ball, Sarkic charged out of his goal in an attempt to sweep up the pass, but Khadra’s pace and composure was top tier as he took the ball past the goalkeeper and slotted the ball past two defenders, who were on the line, as he wheeled away in celebration of his third Rovers goal, as the scoreline became 2-0.
Two soon became three as in the 58th minute, Brereton Díaz was hauled down by Sarkic, before picking himself up to take the penalty, as he calmly swept the ball past the goalkeeper, into the bottom left-hand corner for 3-0.
In the 63rd minute, Rovers’ first change of the game saw Sam Gallagher replace John Buckley.
Six minutes after Gallagher’s introduction, Dan Butterworth was also thrown on in-place of Khadra, who departed to a standing ovation.
Birmingham also took the stoppage to make their final change as Lukas Jutkiewicz came on to replace Chuks Aneke.
Riley McGree tried to gain something for the travelling support from a free-kick, in the 73rd minute, but Kaminski was able to deny the Australian.
A minute after Kaminski’s save, Rovers made their final change as Bradley Johnson came on for Joe Rothwell.
In the 77th minute, Butterworth came close to netting his first senior goal. In a similar fashion to Aneke’s first-half effort, Butterworth tried his luck from range, but his attempt crashed back off the bar.
Moments after the Butterworth effort, Rovers were celebrating a fourth, as Butterworth notched an assist as Ben Brereton Díaz grabbed his 19th league goal of the campaign. Some good build-up saw Butterworth take the ball on the left-hand side and played a low ball across the face of goal which was deflected up into the air, as it looped over the defenders and the ‘keeper for Brereton Díaz to nod the ball, on the goalline, into the empty net for 4-0 and his 19th of the campaign.
Jutkiewicz did his best to try and grab the away side a consolation as he muscled Scott Wharton off the ball and tried to put in a back-post cross for Jordan James to latch onto, but the midfielder’s effort crashed into the side-netting.
In the 88th minute, Ryan Nyambe did well to keep the ball alive on the touchline before finding Brereton Díaz who was lurking on the edge of the area. The Chilean, in his infinite confidence, took the ball into his stride and tried to catch Sarkic out on the turn with a chip almost reminiscent of Eric Cantona’s 1996 lob vs Sunderland, but unlike the controversial Frenchman, the much-loved Chilean’s effort clipped the top of the bar before dropping into the Blackburn End.
Although referee, Geoff Eltringham added on another three minutes onto the end of the second-half, like he did on the end of the first, Rovers – who were in total control of the affair – couldn’t push on and find their fifth, despite constantly powering forward and effectively pinning Birmingham City back.
With the added time up, the final whistle was soon blown as Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ burst out over Ewood Park, as the players lapped up the deserving praise and applause of the home support. The players put in an outstanding shift, not only to keep their winning run ticking over, but to deny the visiting side a goal, even when so far ahead in order to claim their fifth consecutive clean sheet. Every player, whether starting or coming off the bench put their all into securing both the win and the clean sheet and they all deserve commendation for such. Although Birmingham never really got going, more so after Man of the Match, John Buckley’s opener, Lee Bowyer’s side looked leggy and out of ideas, particularly in the final third, but Rovers were able to put them to the sword and show their profligacy and dominance on the scoreline, as well as the stats and pattern of the game. It’s also important to mention that the five consecutive clean-sheets have appeared for the first-time in 25 years.
A 1-0 Boxing Day home win against Alan Shearer’s Newcastle United was followed by a goalless draw away at Derby County. Rovers then started off 1997 with a 2-0 win at Goodison Park over Everton, before putting four past Coventry City at Ewood Park in their next game. The final clean sheet of the run saw another goalless draw occur away at the Stadium of Light as the Blues drew with Sunderland. That run was sadly ended in their sixth game, as Steffen Iversen and Andy Sinton scored either side of a Colin Hendry goal as Rovers lost 2-1 at White Hart Lane on the 29th January 1997. By the looks of it, our current run of clean sheets arguably trumps the one of 1996-97 as it contains no draws!
Now that we know that Rovers will be spending Christmas on a high, it’s only natural to now look at the league table, and yes, do not adjust your smartphones, Rovers really are 3rd! After West Bromwich Albion’s goalless draw at Barnsley on Friday night, Rovers’ victory today has seen Mowbray’s current side leapfrog his old one, as the Blues have guaranteed that they will be third on Xmas Day. The Blues are on 42 points and have a positive goal-difference of +14 from the 23 games played, as we hit the halfway mark in Rovers’ fixtures.
Speaking of the fixtures, we hope you all have a great Christmas, but the boys are back in action on Boxing Day at 3pm, as they travel to relegation-threatened Hull City. Following that clash, Rovers are back at Ewood for their final game of 2021, as they host another relegation-bound side in Barnsley, on Wednesday 29th December at 7:45pm. After those games, Rovers will be looking to start 2022 off right, as they host Huddersfield Town on Sunday 2nd January at 2pm.
