A fine away display saw Rovers drop two points in the second-half, as despite the Blues going toe-to-toe with recently-relegated Watford, they were forced to leave Hertfordshire with just a point after a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.
Monday night’s goalless home draw with Wigan Athletic saw Rovers struggle to make their chances count, despite having a plethora of attacking talent on the field. Jon Dahl Tomasson headed down to Hertfordshire with two changes to his side as Tyler Morton, who scored in midweek for the under-21s, replaced John Buckley, whilst Tyrhys Dolan took the place of Jack Vale. With Thomas Kaminski set to see a consultant following his knee injury, Aynsley Pears continued in goal, looking to keep his third consecutive clean-sheet in three consecutive games played. Scott Wharton was making his 150th career start, in a career which has spanned across all three EFL divisions.
Jeremy Simpson was at hand with the whistle as he got the game underway, with Watford on kick-off duties, but not before a minute silence to pay respect and remember those who sadly lost their lives in the earthquakes that occurred earlier this week, in Turkey and Syria.
Rovers started the game rather buoyantly as Sorba Thomas tried a pot-shot from range after just five minutes, but the winger’s effort ballooned over the crossbar, without troubling Daniel Bachmann.
SL Benfica loanee, Henrique Araújo eyed up a header after 16 minutes to try and put the Hornets level, but the attacker couldn’t convert the corner from close range as his nod dropped wide of the target.
After 22 minutes, Rovers again had a foray forward in the first-half, as Tyler Morton’s free-kick was met by the head of Wharton who tried to guide one home, but the Austrian shot-stopper proved equal to the visitor’s effort.
Bachmann was soon picking the ball out of his net, just two minutes later, as Bradley Dack finished off a fine Rovers move to score his 50th league goal for the club. Sorba Thomas threaded Joe Rankin-Costello through, down the right-hand channel on the overlap. The marauding full-back did brilliantly to create some space via a fantastic spin in the box before seeing his left-footed effort parried out to Dack who set himself with a touch, which sat Bachmann down, before poking the ball between goalkeeper and defender to put Rovers 1-0 up.
Sorba Thomas was the first player to be booked in the game after he brought down Hassane Kamara in the 31st minute.
Watford’s tails were up after half-an-hour as from the free-kick, they tried to test Aynsley Pears as Kamara forced the goalkeeper into a save, following the defender’s overlap, before João Pedro’s shot from outside the box was dragged wide.
Hamza Choudhury, on-loan from Rovers’ FA Cup Fifth Round opponents, Leicester City, was soon the next player to be booked after the midfielder clattered into Joe Rankin-Costello, outside the Rovers penalty area after 36 minutes.
Araújo was again amongst the positive attacking action from the hosts as he fed Ismaïla Sarr, but the Senegalese, who scored at the 2022 World Cup, couldn’t repeat that feat as Pears collected his flick.
Just before the break, the game was extended by two added minutes at the end of the first-half, but neither side was able to make the extra-time count as the break edged near, with Rovers ahead.
Slaven Bilić would have been frustrated with his side’s first-half performance and would have called for a reaction from his team in the second period. The Croat would have been calling on his side to increase their intensity on the ball to try and make their quality shine through, in order to drag a depleted Rovers team apart.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s smile at the break would have been unmissable as his side executed a brilliant away display in the first-half. They had remained defensively solid during the first period, despite heavy spells of pressure from the home side, but had also made the scare chance they did create in the first 45, count with a clinical finish – one which they have lacked in recent weeks.
Prior to the start of the second-half, Watford made a change as Aston Villa loanee, Keinan Davis was introduced in-place of Henrique Araújo, with Watford looking to change up their attack, to try and get them something from this game.
With around 1,400 Rovers fans making the long trip down south, they were in fine voice as they looked to return to winning ways in the league, following two consecutive league draws, as Lewis Travis got the second-half going.
Sarr looked to try and drill one in after 51 minutes, but Pears managed to collect the ball at the second attempt, after initially parrying into the air, to clear the ball from any danger.
The goalkeeper was again called into action six minutes later, as Hassane Kamara’s side-volley proved catching practice for Pears in the Rovers goal.
Joe Rankin-Costello was booked in the 59th minute for time-wasting at throw-in.
The hour mark saw Rovers make a double change as John Buckley and Sam Gallagher replaced Tyler Morton and Sorba Thomas for the final half-an-hour. Watford made their own change alongside Rovers, as Ken Sema replaced Matheus Martins.
Bradley Dack had the ball in the net again in the 68th minute, tapping home a Scott Wharton header across goal, but there was deemed to have been an offside from Buckley’s initial set-piece, as the goal was disallowed by the linesman.
Minute 71 saw Watford’s third change as Tom Cleverley returned for the first-time after a long-term injury to play his first game under the Croatian, Bilić, coming on to replace Hamza Choudhury.
Sadly for Rovers, their hard work since going ahead seemingly dissolved in vain as Watford managed to snatch an equaliser in the 74th minute, courtesy of former Southampton defender, Wesley Hoedt, who joined the Golden Boys on Deadline Day. After Rovers conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area, the ball was crossed in and cleared as far as Hoedt who took a swipe on the half-volley from the edge of the area, which saw his low drive evade the legs of around four defenders and Aynsley Pears to level the scoring at 1-1.
Watford then cranked up the pressure after getting back into the game, as moments after kick-off, they regained possession of the ball and crafted a chance for Keinan Davis whose header cleared the crossbar.
Another double change for Rovers came in the 76th minute as Sam Szmodics and Ryan Hedges replaced goalscorer, Bradley Dack and the rather anonymous Ben Brereton Díaz, who put in more of a defensive shift than an attacking one this afternoon.
Not to be outshone, Watford saw Rovers’ double change and put forward their own double swap in the 79th minute, as Britt Assombalonga and Imran Louza replaced Ismaël Koné and João Pedro for the final 11 minutes.
Lewis Travis, who had put in a fine display after being frozen out of the side for seven games, tried his luck from range to see if he could grab Rovers a winner, but his deflected effort spiralled into the palms of Bachmann.
Slaven Bilić was booked in the 85th minute for going on a seemingly endless rant at the officials, as Rovers readied their final change, which saw Callum Brittain return to the first-team after two months out injured, replacing the resurgent Joe Rankin-Costello.
John Buckley became the latest recipient of a booking from Jeremy Simpson, as he was shown a yellow for pulling back Ken Sema on the break.
After five minutes of added time were allocated, there was still time for more cards to be handed out as Sema earned one of his own in the 93rd minute for scything down the tireless Tyrhys Dolan, whilst Sam Gallagher was retrospectively booked as the game’s final act, after a strong challenge on halfway.
Whilst Rovers were ultimately left with a share of the spoils, they could leave Hertfordshire knowing they had emptied their tanks and given the 1,400-odd travelling fans their all. The players had put in a fantastic performance, over 90 minutes, especially against a side packed with quality that is both, expensive and experienced in both, the Championship and the Premier League. Rovers showed great composure at both ends of the field to remain defensively strong amid the wave of Watford attacks. Whilst Rovers have been rather lacking in the attacking department, Bradley Dack showed the calss that every Rovers fan knew he still had, despite his two years sidelined. His composure and nous for goal proved the key point for giving Rovers to strive for, especially given the lack of potency from across the team.
Despite Rovers drawing against a playoff rival, results elsewhere has seen them remain outside of the coveted top-six spots, sitting in 8th with 45 points and a negative goal-difference of -4. Whilst waiting so long for a draw, there’s great irony in the fact Rovers have now had three in a row in the league.
The games do not stop there for Rovers as they enter one of the busiest times in the calendar, with another five games left in the month of February, alone, on top of the two they have already played. Next up for the Blues is a midweek trip back to the Midlands, but this time, to face West Bromwich Albion, on Wednesday 15th February at 8pm, before returning to Lancashire to host Swansea City on Saturday 18th February at 3pm. Once those two fixtures are done, attentions turn to a Lancashire Derby as East faces West with Blackpool booked to arrive at Ewood Park on Tuesday 21st February at 7:45pm – a game that was rearranged following both side’s advancement into the FA Cup’s Fourth Round.
For those wanting to donate to help those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, please find a verified link to the British Red Cross below: ????
https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal
