Rovers saw their 100% home record vanish, courtesy of managerless Stoke City, whose ‘smash and grab’ performance proved enough to hand Rovers their third successive league defeat without netting a goal, as the Potters picked up their second successive 1-0 victory at Ewood Park, whilst soon-to-be new Potters gaffer, Alex Neil, watched on.
Danish boss, Jon Dahl Tomasson had shuffled his pack in midweek for the 2-1 win over Bradford City in the Second Round of the Carabao Cup, but only made three changes for today’s fixture from the team that suffered a 3-0 defeat against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, a week ago. Joe Rankin-Costello kept his place from Tuesday night’s fixture, replacing the injured Callum Brittain at right-back for his first league start, whilst Tyler Morton was pushed out of centre-back and into midfield with Tayo Edun dropping to the bench. Bradley Dack also returned to start a league game for the first time in 533 days, after the playmaker replaced Sam Gallagher, who had picked up an injury in training, during the build-up to Saturday.
With 13,371 – including over 1,700 visiting supporters – all packed inside Ewood Park eagerly anticipating the clash of the former Premier League sides, it was Rovers who got the game underway through Bradley Dack. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side were looking to try and turn an abysmal run of league form around, following back-to-back 3-0 away defeats.
Rovers started the game on the backfoot and that was shown after 10 minutes when Joe Rankin-Costello was booked for shoving Dwight Gayle on the edge of the Rovers penalty area. Luckily for Rovers and the defender, Thomas Kaminski was ready for the bombardment as after parrying away Stoke skipper, Lewis Baker’s free-kick out for a throw-in, he managed keep his concentration as Stoke recycled play before Aden Flint’s close-range header saw Kaminski again deny the visitors from taking the lead.
The early pressure from the visitors continued three minutes later, as they thought they’d taken the lead through Gayle who tapped the ball home from a few yards out, but the referee’s assistant ruled out the goal due to offside.
Minute 20 saw Sam Clucas go close, but the former Swansea City midfielder failed to keep his effort from inside the box, down as Rovers were awarded a goal-kick.
A few minutes after play had been restarted from the goal-kick, Rovers were forced to make their first change of the game after 22 minutes, as Sam Szmodics had taken a blow to the head and had required treatment twice before he was replaced by Tyrhys Dolan.
With 28 minutes gone, Stoke’s early pressure eventually saw Rovers crumble and allow them to open the scoring. Rovers’ attempt at building out from the back was disrupted by Stoke’s press which forced Rankin-Costello to cheaply give the ball away to Baker in Rovers’ final third. The former Chelsea midfielder picked the ball up halfway inside Rovers’ half and advanced towards goal totally unchallenged, as Rovers kept backing off. That automatically gave Baker the signal to try his luck and wind an attempt up from range and he duly obliged as his low, but swerving effort bounced directly in-front of Thomas Kaminski, through his hands and into the back of the net, as managerless Stoke took the lead.
Joe Rankin-Costello looked to atone for his earlier mistake in the 33rd minute, as he latched onto Harry Pickering’s free-kick, with a volley from inside the box, but Dwight Gayle was on-hand to play the role of ‘defender’, as the former Newcastle United man blocked the defender’s attempt.
Three minutes later, Tyler Morton slid Bradley Dack in-behind the Stoke backline, but Jack Bonham came off his line quickly and spread himself to deny the playmaker his first league goal of the campaign, at the expense of a corner, which Rovers wasted.
Minute 41 saw Rovers’ skipper, Lewis Travis booked for fouling Jordan Thompson.
As half-time drew nearer, referee Leigh Doughty called for five added minutes onto the end of the first-half, but neither side were able to make it count, prior to the whistle for the break which soon came.
After Rovers were serenaded with a chorus of boos as they exited the pitch, Jon Dahl Tomasson’s frustrations at his side’s poor first-half display would have undoubtedly been shown at the break as Rovers had lacked any real cutting edge and could have easily found themselves more than a goal behind on a different day. The Dane would have been attempting to inspire his players and offer them a second-half gameplan to try and avoid a third straight league loss.
Interim manager Dean Holden would have been pleased with how his side had come out of the block quickly and taken the game to their hosts. The former Bristol City manager would have been quick not to let anybody get ahead of themselves in the dressing room with another 45 minutes still to play as he would have been encouraging a mindset of calm and concentration, knowing that Rovers were to come out for the second-half with a different intensity.
Just before Stoke City kicked-off for the second-half, in-search of their second league victory of the season, Rovers made two changes at the break in an attempt to breath new life into the side after a diabolical first period. Ryan Hedges and Adam Wharton came on to replace Joe Rankin-Costello and John Buckley as Lewis Travis shuffled over to right-back.
Although Rovers started lively in the second period, it took them until the 51st minute to get anywhere near Stoke’s goal. Ben Brereton Díaz played a one-two with Harry Pickering before lining up an effort at goal, but his effort lacked accuracy and dragged behind for a goal-kick.
The yellow card was soon out as both teams accumulated bookings, within three minutes of each other. The first came to Dwight Gayle in the 56th minute who’d fouled Bradley Dack and the second was awarded to Ashley Phillips who had halted Liam Delap.
On the hour mark, Brereton Díaz nearly provided Dack with a ‘Danny Graham-esque’ assist, as he nodded Ben Wilmot’s half-clearance into the path of the midfielder who hit a volley that was well-blocked by the barrage of Stokies in black.
Dean Holden made his first change in the 61st minute swapping Dwight Gayle for son of former Arsenal and Everton attacker, Tyrese Campbell.
After Brereton Díaz’s 65th minute penalty claims were waved away by Leigh Doughty, Stoke made their second sub on minute 69 as Tarique Fosu replaced Ben Wilmot.
The 73rd minute saw Adam Wharton find Tyrhys Dolan before cutting inside and firing wide.
Four minutes later, Dolan again found himself in-front of goal, but this time following a fine build-up move that saw Dack flick the ball into the winger’s path, but despite everything that was fine that came before it, Rovers lacked the all-important finish, as a last-ditch tackle from Morgan Fox forced a corner that Rovers wasted.
Minute 79 saw Rovers’ fourth change of the game as Hayden Carter made his return from injury, replacing Ashley Phillips for the final 11 minutes.
Two minutes later, Ryan Hedges also tried his luck at goal with a right-footed shot, but Stoke again put their bodies on the line to deflect the ball behind for a corner that Rovers again failed to capitalise through.
The 83rd minute saw substitute Tariqe Fosu booked for fouling Tyrhys Dolan on the edge of the box.
Just after Harry Pickering curled a Rovers free-kick wide, Stoke and Rovers made their final changes of the game as D’Margio Wright-Phillips – once of Rovers on a youth loan – replaced Jacob Brown, whilst Harry Pickering departed and Tayo Edun came on for Rovers.
As the clock stuck 90, Ben Brereton Díaz teed the ball up for Ryan Hedges who could cap off a fine second-half cameo by finding the equaliser as his effort nestled into the side-netting.
Leigh Doughty added on five minutes onto the end of the second-half, to match that of the first period as Rovers ramped up the pressure in the hope that the Ronnie Clayton Blackburn End would suck the ball into the back of Jack Bonham’s net for the equaliser.
The 93rd minute saw Edun backheel the ball into Brereton Díaz’s path, but again Stoke’s defenders came out to block a Rovers effort.
The game’s final act saw goalscorer Lewis Baker booked for time-wasting. That was a small price to pay for the Potters captain, who soon celebrated wildly following the final whistle that came seconds later as his goal proved to be the one that separated the two sides and saw all three points head back to the Midlands.
Rovers, meanwhile, were left wondering what ‘might have been’, as they never really got going in the first-half and left themselves a lot to do in the second 45 minutes of the game. The first 45 minutes of this game showed that Rovers – for all their quality – were still capable of devolving into a young, naïve side, struggling to get grips on the game against a wily opposition. Whilst the introductions of Ryan Hedges and 18=year-old Adam Wharton at half-time gave Rovers a more technical outlet to use against Stoke, the visitors’ height and power proved too much for Rovers to handle.
Whilst Rovers are still hopeful of bringing in ‘at least three’ more new faces, they will be hoping that they not only keep star striker, Ben Brereton Díaz before the deadline, but he can regain his concentration and goal-scoring touch given Rovers have spent the past three games drawing blanks. After Coventry City boss Mark Robins had confirmed on Saturday morning that Rovers were indeed close to acquiring central defender, Dominic Hyam, Rovers will be looking to secure his signature before aiming to further strengthen their squad and replace the gaps that were left by the previous regime, before Thursday’s deadline.
Following a third successive league loss, Rovers have now dropped out of the top-six and find themselves in 8th after six games, with 9 points and a negative goal-difference of -2.
Although the Deadline Day clock looms in the background, Rovers will have to contend with a game on the penultimate day of the window, as they make the short trip across Lancashire to face Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Wednesday 31st August at 8pm – a game live on Sky Sports. Following that derby, Rovers will be back on home soil and ready to host Bristol City on Saturday 3rd September for the 3pm kick-off. Once the West Country side depart East Lancashire, again contend with a local derby the Saturday after – 10th September at 3pm – as they travel to Wigan Athletic to face former defenders, in gaffer Leam Richardson and newly-signed Ryan Nyambe.
