It was a bittersweet afternoon for Rovers and their fans, as despite the euphoria surrounding the return of talisman, Bradley Dack, exactly a year after his second career Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury, the Ewood Park faithful were forced to watch their side lose their fourth home game of the season, as Andreas Weimann compounded a missed penalty by Dack, by netting a 92nd minute winner.
After dominating all aspects of their goalless 0-0 draw – except the scoreline – at home to Millwall on Tuesday night, Tony Mowbray made one change to the midweek side, as Reda Khadra returned to the starting side, at the expense of Ryan Giles who was on the bench. Bradley Dack also returned to the matchday squad, exactly a year after suffering his second career Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury against Brentford but was limited to the bench as he replaced Jack Vale, who dropped out of the squad. Another change amongst Rovers’ bench was the addition of Antonis Stergiakis, who replaced Aynsley Pears, who was ill.
Following the usual pre-game routine, including a minute’s applause in support of Ukraine, it was Rovers who got the game underway through John Buckley, who was making his 50th Rovers start in all competitions.
It took only two minutes for the action to get exciting at Ewood Park, as less than 120 seconds in, Bristol City managed to test Thomas Kaminski for the first-time, but Antoine Semenyo couldn’t angle his attempt on target, as it rolled wide of the mark.
In the 9th minute, Reda Khadra looked to set Ewood Park alight with an effort from outside the area, but Daniel Bentley proved his worth to his side by making a fantastic save to deny the German the opening goal.
Five minutes later, Rovers nearly broke the deadlock again, as Darragh Lenihan rose highest inside the Bristol City box to connect with Joe Rothwell’s corner, but Bentley again was on-hand to keep his clean-sheet
Sam Gallagher soon managed to create some space to angle an effort towards goal, but the forward’s left-footed effort was well-blocked by the valiant Bristol City defenders.
Rather surprisingly, it took 26 minutes for referee Gavin Ward to produce the game’s first booking, as Alex Scott was carded for a foul on Khadra on halfway.
All of Rovers’ play was seemingly going through Reda Khadra in the first-half, as his cross into the box narrowly evaded the incoming wing-back, Joe Rankin-Costello who was lurking around the back-post.
In the 35th minute, Bristol City managed a rare foray forward as Jay Dasilva found Chris Martin who laid the ball off with a nod, to Semenyo, but despite causing chaos within the Rovers box, the forward failed to connect with the effort, as he swung at the air.
On the stroke of half-time, Harry Pickering tried his luck at goal from the edge of the area, but saw his effort blocked into the path of Joe Rankin-Costello whose effort was also easy for Bentley to gather as the wing-back’s effort lacked the strength to trouble the goalie.
As the break approached, Gavin Ward added one extra minute onto the end of the half, which soon flew by, as both sides went into the break with the score goalless, following a below-average first-half display from both sides.
Tony Mowbray would have been frustrated that his side had been unable to make their dominance count, despite being able to test Daniel Bentley on a couple of occasions. The manager would have been quick to encourage his side and use their home advantage count against a side who had failed to keep an away clean-sheet all season long.
Opposing manager Nigel Pearson, would have been pleased with how his side had managed to hold onto that clean-sheet until the break, but the manager would have been quick to assert his dominance in the dressing-room to encourage his side to push for more, despite their good efforts.
After both sides returned to the Ewood Park pitch for the second-half, it was Bristol City who got the game back underway, as the 480 travelling fans would have been wishing for their side’s first away victory since October 2021, which came away at Peterborough United in a 3-2 win.
After only four minutes of play had passed in the second period, Reda Khadra had his name taken by Gavin Ward, after the German had committed a foul.
In the 50th minute, Lewis Travis tried to mark his new contract with the opening goal, but his effort from 25-yards cleared the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Jan Paul van Hecke marauded forwards on one of his trademark runs and played a one-two with Joe Rothwell before Bentley again stood tall to deny the Dutchman his second Rovers goal.
Bentley was again called upon, less than 60 seconds later, as he again denied Khadra who had cut in onto his right-foot and blasted an effort goalward, which the goalie again managed to thwart.
The attempts soon came raining down on the Bristol City goal, as Rovers upped the ante, despite Bentley standing firm. The 56th minute saw Sam Gallagher try a volley off the chest from a tight-angle, but the goalkeeper again proved his worth with another save.
Moments later, Lewis Travis again tried his luck from distance, but his effort was deflected wide for a Rovers corner.
Prior to the corner, Bristol City make their first change of the game, as Han-Noah Massengo replaced Alex Scott.
After Rovers saw their corner cleared, Tony Mowbray soon made an attacking change in the 61st minute, as Tyrhys Dolan replaced Joe Rankin-Costello.
In the 65th minute, the Robins made their second switch of the day, as Nakhi Wells replaced Antoine Semenyo.
One minute after Bristol City’s change, Rovers were again on the attack, as Khadra again forced Bentley into a save, before the parry fell to Travis who easily could have had a hattrick on another day, but saw his latest effort blocked.
In the 70th minute, the roof came off Ewood Park as Bradley Dack made his long-awaited return as he replaced John Buckley.
The midfield maestro nearly made an immediate impact, as a minute after stepping back onto the turf, he nearly latched onto the end of Gallagher’s flick-on, but couldn’t get the ball under control.
The 72nd minute saw the Robin’s crossbar rattled as Khadra tried a cross-cum-shot that left Bentley scrambling, but the goalkeeper had his woodwork to thank as his clean-sheet remained intact, much to Rovers’ increasing frustration.
In the 76th minute, a rare ball into the Rovers box saw the home defenders scrambling, as Nakhi Wells’ knockdown into the path of Matty James saw the former Manchester United midfielder try his luck from range, but the veteran’s effort was well-saved by Thomas Kaminski.
Rovers’ pressure had seemingly paid off by the 81st minute, as despite Gavin Ward being a bogey referee for Rovers in recent seasons, he awarded the home side a spot-kick after Jan Paul van Hecke was hauled down in the area by Massengo.
With the anticipation building around Ewood Park in the hope of the stadium erupting at the opening goal, with nine minutes of the game left, it was Bradley Dack who assumed responsibilities as the midfielder hoped to cap off two-years of cruel agony with the moment and the winning goal he had dreamt about. Sadly, for the returnee, his fairy-tale return was dashed by the outstanding Daniel Bentley who dove down to his left to deny the returning talisman what surely would have been the winning goal.
Minutes after missing the penalty, Dack was in around the six-yard box again, as he latched onto the end of Khadra’s low cross, but the midfielder couldn’t guide his touch towards the target.
In the 86th minute, Gavin Ward waved away two more penalty appeals, which looked more like fouls than the originally awarded spot-kick, within moments of each other, as the Rovers fans’ frustrations grew.
In the 87th minute, the pantomime villain, Dan Bentley was soon booked for time-wasting, a minute before his teammate, Andreas Weimann was also shown a yellow.
As the 90th minute soon loomed, Mr. Ward added on four minutes of added time to the end of the tie, as both teams frantically looked to try and grab a late winner.
In the 91st minute, Joe Williams looked to try and seal the deal for the Robins with a late winner, but the 25-year-old’s effort was slashed over the bar.
A minute later, however, it was soon Rovers’ dreams of picking up three points that were soon slashed, as Bristol City managed to cap off a ‘smash and grab’ performance to shank themselves ahead, courtesy of the out-of-positioned Andreas Weimann. A deep free-kick just inside the Rovers half was clipped by Jay Dasilva towards Nakhi Wells who somehow managed to stay onside, before playing the ball to Joe Williams who produced the finest miss-hit, but wonderfully accurate sliced cross towards the back-post where Weimann was steamrolling in, unmarked, before he himself replicated the pass with his own first-time shank towards goal that somehow flew past Thomas Kaminski at the near-post, as everyone associated with Bristol City inside Ewood Park went bonkers at the prospect of winning their first away game in six months, including their first away shutout of the season, as Weimann made it 1-0 with his 17th goal of the season.
The Austrian’s finish proved to be the final piece of goalmouth action in the game, as despite Rovers pushing forward, they failed to test Bentley like they had done at 0-0, as time was soon called on the affair by Gavin Ward, as Ewood Park stewed with rage following the events of the final few moments.
It’s hard for one to really put their finger on what’s actually happened to Rovers in this past period, particularly following the absence of goalscoring talisman, Ben Brereton Díaz. Although the return of Bradley Dack – despite his missed spot-kick – will prove to be light at the end of the dark tunnel for Rovers, Tony Mowbray and his players will undoubtedly be looking to work hard on Monday, when they return to training, in the hope of putting things right on Tuesday night, in their next outing. Whilst some people have been pointing their fingers towards the manager and the five-back system that has brought Rovers so much success, it is important to look at the fact that the side are dealing with a combination of fatigue, injuries and simple bad luck, rather than anything untoward occurring, as some have recently suggested.
With Rovers’ playoff position looking perilous, especially after Queens Park Rangers moved above Rovers on Sunday with a 2-1 win over playoff rivals, Luton Town, Rovers now sit 5th with 58 points from 37 games despite having a positive goal-difference of +9.
Rovers’ upcoming fixtures do offer some solace to fans wondering whether the worst is yet to come, with back-to-back games against sides who had been docked points this campaign. Next up for Rovers is the hosting of cash-strapped Derby County on Tuesday 15th March, at 7:45pm. After that tie, the Blues make a long trip down to Berkshire to visit former manager, Paul Ince and his Reading side on Saturday 19th March at 3pm, ahead of the final international break of the season. After the players return to their clubs, including a wait to see whether Ben Brereton Díaz makes a trip to South America, despite being named in Chile’s World Cup Qualifying squad, Tony Mowbray returns to the Midlands as he prepares to face his former side in Coventry City on Saturday 2nd April at 3pm.
