Three was the magic number, at Ewood Park, as Rovers notched up three points, and a third successive victory as Sam Gallagher scored his third in as many games, as Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men hit 30 points, following a 2-1 win over Birmingham City.
After Rovers finally managed to break the run of inconsistency by clinching back-to-back wins, following Tuesday’s 2-0 home victory over Sunderland, Jon Dahl Tomasson shook up his side by making three changes from midweek. Harry Pickering – who was making his 50th Rovers appearance – and Adam Wharton returned to the side, alongside Lewis Travis who skippered the side. Callum Brittain, Sam Szmodics and Jake Garrett dropped out, with only the teenager available from the bench as the former pair are injured.
As the home faithful at Ewood Park began to slowly filter into the stadium, a sense of optimism and expectation began building amongst those on the terraces in Blue and White, as despite Birmingham City’s recent good form of three unbeaten, Rovers were anticipating their side to chalk up three consecutive victories.
That expectation grew proportionately to the faces in the stands as referee Gavin Ward readied himself with the whistle to his lips at 3pm. Birmingham City got the game underway looking to try and extend their recent unbeaten run and try and notch their first victory at Ewood Park since a 3-2 victory in December 2013.
The first effort of the game came just after six minutes had passed. After Juninho Bacuna threaded Scott Hogan in-behind the Rovers backline, the forward held the ball up and waited for the run of ex-Manchester United winger, Tahith Chong. The Dutchman received the ball and jinked past his marker before aiming for the far corner, but was denied by the upright, as Rovers cleared the danger.
Whilst the game seemed to lack the spark to really get either side going, as the battle for possession continued, Rovers managed to light the fire inside Ewood Park as Sam Gallagher swept a fine finish home against his former club. Rovers won possession in the middle as the ball was switched over to the right-hand side to Ben Brereton Díaz. The Chilean laid the ball off to the underlapping Tyler Morton who needed no invitation to play the ball across the face of goal, which allowed Gallagher the simple finish past John Ruddy for 1-0, as the hard-working attacker notched his third goal in as many games.
The 22nd minute saw Birmingham try and get back level via a direct free-kick, but Emmanuel Longelo’s effort cleared the Rovers crossbar.
Five minute later, Birmingham were on the charge forwards again as Scott Hogan tried to beat Thomas Kaminski at his near-post, but the Belgian remained tall and managed to parry it over the crossbar, before Rovers dealt with the corner.
As the game varied in speed, with Rovers trying to slow the game down, whilst Birmingham continually attempted to counter, it was a Rovers counter-attack that put breathing room between the two sides as Adam Wharton’s fabulous first senior finish saw Rovers double their advantage right before the break. Sam Gallagher picked the ball up midway inside the Birmingham half, before trying to slide Brereton Díaz through. The pass deflected off Harlee Dean, into the stride of Adam Wharton who burst forwards to just inside the penalty area, and with three red shirts around him, he shifted the ball onto his right-foot and picked out the bottom right-hand corner of the net with a lovely, caressed finish that left John Ruddy stranded for 2-0.
With Ewood Park jubilant, half-time was soon called for after Gavin Ward added on one minute, but as neither side managed to utilise the extra time, the break was soon called for by the controversial official.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s morale at the break would have mostly been of joy, but he would have been wary that Birmingham had possessed an attacking threat recently and his side had to continue to be at their best to avoid a potential second-half revival from the Second City side.
John Eustace, meanwhile, would have been wondering where it all went wrong for his side in the first-half as despite dominating 54% of the possession and testing Thomas Kaminski, his side found themselves succumbing to defensive frailties. The ex-midfielder would have wanted his side to go back into the second-half with more bite to try and continue their fine form.
The second period was soon started by Rovers’ second goalscorer, Adam Wharton, as the home side came into the game looking to try and notch up a treble of wins for the first time since August.
After only three minutes of the second-half, the first booking of the game was awarded to Dion Sanderson of the visitors, after he scythed down Sam Gallagher, who was stretching his legs down the left wing.
Thomas Kaminski was called upon in the 54th minute after Scott Hogan broke the offside trap and snuck in-behind the Rovers high line. The former Aston Villa striker, however, failed to get his shot away early enough as Kaminski pulled off a fine save, just inside the penalty area, as the home crowd applauded the Belgian’s excellent save.
Brereton Díaz nearly turned provider for Ryan Hedges, but the Welshman’s effort was saved by ex-England international, John Ruddy.
The 61st and 65th minutes saw Rovers make two changes, one by choice, the other enforced. The first saw Jake Garrett come on for the goalscorer, Adam Wharton, whilst the second saw Ashley Phillips replace Ryan Hedges, who was withdrawn due to injury. Between those changes, Birmingham made their first of the game in the 63rd as Hannibal Mejbri came on for Krystian Bielik.
On the 70th minute, Juninho Bacuna tried an effort from long-range, but Kaminski dealt with the effort.
Four minutes later, Ben Brereton Díaz and Sam Gallagher combined, as the former crossed into the latter, but the goalscorer’s volley flew high over the bar.
The 75th minute saw John Eustace utilise his four remaining changes, as Jordan Graham, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Troy Deeney and Jobe Bellingham all came on for Harlee Dean, Maxime Colin, Tahith Chong and George Hall.
The changes did seemingly have an affect as Birmingham began to push Rovers back, so much so, that they managed to ruin the hosts’ clean-sheet, courtesy of a Scott Hogan finish. A high ball into the box was brought down by former Burnley attacker, Lukas Jutkiewicz, into the path of Hogan, who needed no second invitation to strike first-time, past Kaminski, to reduce the arrears to 2-1.
Gallagher and Brereton Díaz soon combined once again. After Jake Garrett found Gallagher, the attacker slid through his strike partner, who failed to test John Ruddy.
That move proved to be the last involvement of the front pair, Ben Brereton Díaz and Sam Gallagher, as they were replaced in the 85th minute by Tyrhys Dolan and Jack Vale.
As Birmingham City ramped up the pressure in the closing stages, Thomas Kaminski was called upon to make a fantastic points-winning save from a Lukas Jutkiewicz header, who was proving a real handful for the home defence to deal with.
With the 90th minute appearing, Gavin Ward decided to increase the tension inside Ewood Park tenfold by adding on five minutes to the end of the second period.
In the 93rd minute, Jack Vale was booked for fouling Bacuna inside the visitor’s half.
As the final whistle approached and the fifth minute of added time ticked over, Birmingham’s pressure increased as they managed to find half a yard at the back post where substitute Jordan Graham lined up an effort, only to be superbly denied by Harry Pickering’s block that kept the three points in East Lancashire, as Gavin Ward soon brought the contest to an end with the final whistle which was met by a roar from the home crowd.
Three points. Three in a row. Five on the bounce at home. It’s all looking rather rosy for Rovers as they continue their fine run of form and extend their unbeaten run. Whilst Birmingham City came to Ewood Park and showed why they, themselves, were on such a purple patch, Rovers managed to quell any thoughts that the Second City side had of leaving East Lancashire with their first win in 9 years, as Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men put in a professional performance. Whilst Rovers managed to edge the tie against John Eustace’s side, the second-half display proved that Rovers have room to improve, especially regarding the deep defensive line that the Blues have seemingly adopted in recent weeks. Whilst there is very little to critique such a fine performance, there is an argument to suggest that Rovers have been dropping too deep at times.
Regardless, the table is a good read, as Rovers currently sit 2nd behind Queens Park Rangers, despite Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side moving to 10 wins – the most in the division currently. After 17 games, the Dane’s side have 30 points and a positive goal-difference of +4.
Next up for Rovers is an away trip to Hull City, as the Blues cross the Pennines for the 3pm kick-off on Saturday 29th October. Following that trip, a midweek Tuesday trip to Coventry City is on the cards on Tuesday 1st November for the 7:45pm kick-off, before Rovers return to Ewood Park to host last season’s playoff finalists, and current season strugglers, Huddersfield Town on Saturday 5th November at 3pm.
