Rovers won their first Lancashire derby of the season and managed to earn a 13th league clean-sheet of the campaign, as relegation-threatened Blackpool edged closer towards the Third Tier.
With Harry Pickering, Bradley Dack & Ben Brereton Díaz all ruled out of the Tuesday evening affair, Jon Dahl Tomasson was forced to make three changes to the side that edged past Swansea City, 1-0 in the final moments at the weekend. Callum Brittain returned to the starting line-up for the first-time since December, but filled in at left-back, whilst Joe Rankin-Costello returned at right-back, as Hayden Carter dropped to the bench. The third change saw Sammie Szmodics who filled in behind Sam Gallagher who led the line.
As the Ewood Park crowd began to roar ahead of the derby, it was Sammie Szmodics who got the game started, as Rovers looked to earn six points in the space of a week.
It took 25 minutes for the game to show some action, as Sorba Thomas switched the ball out to the left-hand side, before Tyrhys Dolan’s curling effort was tipped over the crossbar by Chris Maxwell.
Despite Blackpool dealing with the corner that Maxwell conceded, it only took six minutes for Rovers to open the scoring in the derby, courtesy of Tyrhys Dolan who managed to beat Maxwell at the second attempt. After a fantastic cross-field ball by Joe Rankin-Costello, Sorba Thomas did well to keep the ball in before delivering a low cross for Dolan, which the attacker needed to second invitation to strike as he curled a first-time effort into the top right-hand corner of the net to open the scoring at 1-0.
Blackpool were forced into an early change as Shayne Lavery came on to replace Jerry Yates, in the 37th minute.
The first-half lacked any real goalmouth action, besides the goal, as Blackpool lacked any response, whilst Rovers continued streaming forwards without making their handful of chances count further. The lack of cutting edge following the first goal was shown as it wasn’t long until the fourth official’s board went up allocating one extra minute onto the end of the first period, before the half-time whistle soon sounded.
Jon Dahl Tomasson would have been pleased with the move that his side had mustered in order to take the lead. They had produced a free-flowing move that saw fluid movement and cliniscal finishing, as Dolan had put the visitors to the sword with a fine finish.
Mick McCarthy’s anger would have shown in the first period, as his side had not only let Rovers pick them apart, but they had also lacked any retaliation and failed to produce a shot at goal to test Aynsley Pears during the first 45 minutes. The former Ipswich Town boss would have called for more energy from his team.
Before Blackpool got the second period underway in an attempt to try and salvage their evening, Rovers made their first change of the game at the break, as Hayden Carter came on to replace Saturday’s match winner, Daniel Ayala.
Tyrhys Dolan thought he’d won a penalty in the 49th minute, but referee Dean Whitestone saw things differently and booked the goalscorer for simulation.
Rovers continued their domination of the game into the 56th minute as a Rovers free-kick was cleared out to Sammie Szmodics before his strike was blocked. The ball was soon worked out to Callum Brittain who saw his cross connect with the head of Joe Rankin-Costello whose back-post header arrowed over the crossbar.
The 62nd minute saw Blackpool make a double change as CJ Hamilton and Josh Bowler came on to replace the departing duo of Kenny Dougall and Morgan Rogers.
Dominic Thompson got himself down the left in the 64th minute and whipped in a cross towards substitute Bowler, but the Nottingham Forest loanee saw his sliced effort skew well wide of the mark.
The 71st minute came as Lewis Travis burst forward before finding Sorba Thomas. The on-loan Huddersfield Town loanee did well to cut the ball back to Sam Gallagher on the edge of the area, but the attacker failed to hit the target by a distance.
Rovers made a double change six minutes later, as Tyler Morton and Jack Vale were introduced, as both Sams, Gallagher and Szmodics departed.
Callum Brittain was booked in the 80th minute, after infringing upon Sonny Carey.
The full-back was again amongst the action moments later, but in a positive light as he threaded Morton through. The Liverpool loanee edged away from the visiting defence and broke through to have a one-on-one opportunity with Chris Maxwell, but saw his chipped effort drop just wide of the far-post.
Rovers’ final change came in the 89th minute as Ryan Hedges came on to replace the goalscorer, Tyrhys Dolan.
John Buckley was booked moments after the change, when stopping a Blackpool counter cynically.
With Blackpool again failing to muster an opportunity to test Pears in the second-half, as well as the first, they were given a minimum of four minutes to try and salvage something from the game late on, as the fourth official lifted the board up when the clock struck 90.
The Tangerines were the team with the final opportunity of the game in the 92nd minute, as Josh Bowler slalomed in and out between Rovers defenders after cutting in off the right, before his pass found former Rover, Ian Poveda, but the Leeds United loanee failed to haunt his former side as his late effort flew over the bar, as the final whistle soon followed after Pears’ goal-kick.
Rovers were great value for the three points in this game, and despite only netting the one goal, they managed to keep their clean-sheet intact, despite Blackpool not threatening Pears and Rovers at all throughout the night. Whilst Rovers weren’t at their most clinical best, they showed a lot of promise and the vital difference in a side that lacked the creativity of Bradley Dack and the prolificacy of Ben Brereton Díaz, but Rovers showed their teeth with Dolan’s important finish.
The three points saw Rovers leapfrog multiple teams, into the playoff place, into fourth as they sat on 52 points from 33 games, despite their negative goal-difference of -2.
Next up for Rovers is a trip down to London to face Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 25th February at 3pm. After that, the FA Cup comes on the agenda on Tuesday 28th February, where Leicester City play hosts at 7:30pm, before a 12:30pm start at Ewood Park on Saturday 4th March as Sky Sports stream Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side’s clash with Sheffield United.
