On Tony Mowbray’s 250th game in charge of Blackburn Rovers, his side were unable to celebrate the occasion with a goal and three points, as a hard-fought game of football, saw Rovers and Luton Town slug out a goalless draw, at Kenilworth Road.
After Rovers beat Middlesbrough by a solitary goal to nil, on Monday night, ahead of the Sky Sports cameras, Tony Mowbray was forced into a change for this weekend’s clash down at Kenilworth Road. Reda Khadra was unable to participate as he was suffering from a slight hamstring strain, and therefore was forced to sit out of the squad. Deyovaisio Zeefuik came in to replace the on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion man, as John Buckley partnered Sam Gallagher up-front, with the on-loan Hertha Berlin man taking up a freer attacking role. Ben Brereton Díaz was again absent, following his goalscoring exploits on Friday, for Chile against Argentina, but is expected to return ahead of Rovers’ next fixture. Joe Rothwell was also not part of the matchday squad, as rumours flew around regarding his future at the club, despite having suffered from an injury this past week. There was also a return to the first-team squad, for Harry Chapman, following his participation earlier on in the season, which came prior to a loan spell at Burton Albion.
As both sides made their way out onto the Kenilworth Road pitch, Rovers were backed by a sold-out away end, as referee James Linington dealt with the pre-game formalities, before John Buckley kicked the game off. Rovers were hoping to set the record straight on the road, after suffering defeat in their last away game, which was the 2-0 defeat against Hull City.
The first chance of the game came to the hosts after six minutes, as a corner saw Cameron Jerome leap highest to connect with the cross, but the attempt at goal proved comfortable for Thomas Kaminski to claim.
Luton again were on the attack as the clock hit double-digits, as a deep set-piece saw former Arsenal midfielder, Henri Lansbury nod towards goal, but again, Kaminski was equal to the effort.
In the 13th minute, Lewis Travis did brilliantly well to win the ball back high up the field and find Sam Gallagher, yet the attacker’s left-footed effort trickled into the arms of Luton goalie, James Shea.
An injury to Tayo Edun in the 22nd minute forced Rovers into their first change of the game, as Joe Rankin-Costello came on to replace the former Lincoln City man.
In the 28th minute, Jan Paul van Hecke received the game’s first booking, after he held back Fred Onyedinma. From the free-kick, Cameron Jerome tried to assist Kal Naismith, by flicking on the set-piece to the defender, by the ex-Wigan Athletic man failed to hit the target.
After the goal-kick, the yellow card was out again, this time to James Bree who had fouled Gallagher.
Things began to hot up after half-an-hour, as a Rovers free-kick by John Buckley saw Darragh Lenihan try to find Bradley Johnson, but the midfielder also failed to hit the target with a header.
In the 40th minute, Jerome found a yard of space inside the Rovers penalty area and managed to release an effort on goal, but luckily for Rovers, they weren’t punished as the ball cannoned back off the upright, straight into the gloves of a desperate Kaminski.
Just prior to the half-time whistle, two minutes of time was added onto the end of the first period, by James Linington, but neither side were able to cause some goalmouth action in that time, as the break was soon called for.
Nathan Jones would have been pleased with the territorial advantage his side had possessed at the break, as well as the few attempts at goal, which seriously tested Thomas Kaminski. The former Stoke City boss would have been very supportive and encouraging of his team in order for them to take their fine first-half display and see them convert their slight dominance into goals.
Tony Mowbray would not have been pleased with how his side had played, despite their overall reliance on hitting teams on the break, this season. The gaffer, who was managing in his 250th Rovers game, would have expected his side to be slightly more physical against the opponents, and would have been annoyed that Tayo Edun felt the full force of that physicality, with him being forced off. The boss would have been quick to offer his side a second-half plan of action, in the hope they could further extend their fine run of form and increase the ever-tightening gap between themselves in second and the playoff places.
Following the half-time breaks, the sides returned to the pitch with Luton Town ready to start the second period. The home side were looking to make it four wins from their past five games, in this second-half, in the hope of moving them closer towards the playoff places.
Although Rovers didn’t make any personnel changes at the break, they made a tactical tweak, as Zeefuik moved over to left-wing-back, as substitute Joe Rankin-Costello, partnered John Buckley and Sam Gallagher up top.
In the 47th minute, Tom Lockyer was booked after clashing with Sam Gallagher.
Two minutes later, Rovers were awarded a free-kick in a promising position, which John Buckley took, but despite the effort being a good one, James Shea pulled off a fine save to deny Rovers the lead.
In the 50th minute, the after-effects of that earlier challenge with Gallagher saw him unable to continue, as he was soon replaced by Dan Butterworth, as Rovers lined up with a frontline straight out of their academy.
In the 66th minute, Bradley Johnson tried his luck from range, but saw his effort deflected behind for a corner. That corner was played short to Zeefuik who tried to find the inside of the far-post with a cross-cum-shot, but Luton were happy to concede another corner, which they soon dealt with.
With 20 minutes to go, Luton made a double change as Harry Cornick and Admiral Muskwe replaced Fred Onyedinma and Cameron Jerome.
Rovers’ final change came in the 76th minute, to bizarre consequences, as Daniel Ayala replaced John Buckley, but the Spaniard came on to play up-top alongside Rankin-Costello and Butterworth, rather than in the defence, with Darragh Lenihan, Scott Wharton and Jan Paul van Hecke still on the field.
Luton Town’s final switch came in the 83rd minute, as Luke Berry replaced Allan Campbell.
As time drew to a close, Mr. Linington called for four minutes of time to be added onto the end of a game which lacked any real spark.
As the game crept into stoppage time, more minutes were soon allocated after a clash of heads between Rovers’ utility forward, Daniel Ayala and ex-Rover, Amari’i Bell saw the pair down requiring serious treatment.
In the 96th minute, Thomas Kaminski and Harry Cornick were both booked for an altercation, following a corner for the home side.
That booking proved to be the game’s final act, as the curtain was brought down on a fairly mundane game of football, where both sides did enough to cancel each other out, given the absentees both sides had come into the game with.
This encounter was never going to be for the football purists, given how both sides have been operating this season. Although it can be argued that Luton had the better chances, particularly in the first-half, where Cameron Jerome his the post, the game never really lit the touchpaper. It proved to be more of a battle, rather than a game of football, but Rovers can emerge from the tie positively, knowing that they have extended their run of clean sheets to nine from their last 11 games, which is a huge positive, given how easily these kinds of games have slipped through our fingers in recent years.
Although teams around us picked up points – and Fulham are currently drawing at home to Blackpool as I’m writing, after a medical emergency – (best wishes to that individual) – halted play for an extended period of time – Rovers still find themselves sat in the automatic promotion places, as they’re in 2nd with 53 points from 29 games played and a positive goal-difference of +15.
Rovers now have a week to recuperate and get their missing players back before heading back into battle. Although there could be a very frantic week ahead, with the January window’s Deadline Day, coming on Monday night, Rovers’ next game sees them travel to Wales to face Swansea City, on Saturday 5th February at 5:30pm, in a game picked for televised Sky Sports coverage. Following on from that trip, Rovers return to Ewood Park to host a rejuvenated Nottingham Forest, on Wednesday 9th February at 7:45pm. After that affair, Rovers are back on the road, as Tony Mowbray heads back to the Hawthorns on St. Valentine’s Day – Monday 14th February – for an 8pm kick-off against West Bromwich Albion – a game that has also been selected for viewing on Sky Sports.
