Ben Brereton Díaz rescued a point for Blackburn Rovers and ended West Bromwich Albion’s 11 hour home clean-sheet run, as the Baggies and the Blues played out an entertaining second-half to share the spoils.
With Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side on the road for the second consecutive game, after drawing 1-1 with Watford at the weekend, the Dane opted for an unchanged side at the Hawthorns, as Rovers looked to try and earn a win that would see them return to the top six. There was a change on the bench, as Dominic Hyam returned to the matchday squad, since picking up an ankle injury in the 4-0 defeat to Rotherham United. Ben Brereton Díaz was also set to make his 200th career league appearance, amidst speculation continuing regarding his precarious contract situation with no positive end in sight.
As both sides sat only a place away from each other in the table, the anticipation in the Midlands rose as the 8pm kick-off approached. As referee David Webb completed his final checks, it was Rovers who got the ball rolling, aiming to try and win their first game in the league since the New Year’s Day victory over Cardiff City.
Rovers started the game brightly, earning a corner after just three minutes. After a good spell of possession saw Tyler Morton half-volley the ball out to Brereton Díaz, the Chilean played a one-two with Harry Pickering before striking at goal. The forward’s attempt was saved by Albion debutant, Josh Griffiths in the home goal, as the away side were awarded a corner that was soon cleared.
West Brom’s first attempt of the game came in the 9th minute, as Darrell Furlong put in an inviting near-post cross which Dara O’Shea connected with, but the skipper’s header was deflected behind for a Baggies corner that Rovers cleared.
Minute 13 saw Jed Wallace try his luck with a left-footed volley that dropped to him inside the area, but his powerful effort ended up clearing the crossbar.
Aynsley Pears was called into action, three minutes later, as an unmarked Furlong connected to John Swift’s corner at the near-post, but Pears’ positioning proved spot on, as the goalkeeper prevented his clean-sheet being erased with a fine save.
In the 18th minute, Rovers again worked it down the left via Brereton Díaz, who saw the ball taken off his feet, before he regained it around 20-yards away from goal. The attacker found Joe Rankin-Costello, who was central, with the number 11 playing a fine through ball into Bradley Dack, but the playmaker couldn’t provide the near-post finish as Griffiths saved and held the ball.
The game’s first card appeared in the 22nd minute when former Premier League winner, Marc Albrighton, went in hard on Sorba Thomas leaving the Huddersfield Town loanee requiring lengthy treatment, but was deemed okay to continue.
After a scrappy spell in the game, Rovers gave the ball away needlessly in the 31st minute as Brandon Thomas-Asante tried to smash one in from distance, but the former Salford City attacker’s strike lacked the dip to trouble Pears.
In the 33rd minute, David Webb, the match official, decided to personify the incompetence of the EFL that Rovers fans have been feeling of late, as after awarding Rovers a corner, following what looked like a near-post error from goalkeeper Griffiths, after a tepid Rovers attempt, he decided to overturn his own decision and award a goal-kick.
John Swift looked to swiftly – pun fully intended – put the Baggies ahead with a spectacular overhead kick in the 36th minute. After Thomas-Asante’s hard work to dig out a cross, the former Reading man tried to cement himself a ‘Goal of the Season’ award, but his effort ended up in the stand behind the goal.
Brandon Thomas-Asante came close to putting the Baggies ahead after a 38th minute Jed Wallace cross at the near-post saw the attacker side-foot the ball wide, but Rovers would have been saved by the offside flag, regardless.
On the stroke of the break, Rovers’ high pressing saw Lewis Travis rob Erik Pieters of the ball as the skipper tried to feed Tyrhys Dolan in, but a fine recovery tackle by Okay Yokuşlu spared the Baggies’ blushes, as three minutes of time were added onto the end of the first-half, before half-time arrived.
Neither manager would have been overly delighted with their side’s first period displays, but Carlos Corberán’s reflections would have been on how his side didn’t manage to find the back of the net from the couple of chances they had created. Although his side had, at times, look susceptible at the back, the Baggies had created one or two key chances that were worthy of a half-time lead.
Jon Dahl Tomasson, however, would have wondered how his side hadn’t scored at either ends of the first-half. With Brereton Díaz’s early chance being saved, as was Bradley Dack’s moments later, the Dane would have encouraged more of the same from his possession-hungry team, but with a sprinkling of aggression and intensity, in what was, in truth a rather passive first period from both sides.
Rovers made a change at the break as Dom Hyam entered the fray, replacing Scott Wharton.
A return to the field of play saw the usual swap in sides, as the home side took the kick-off, shooting towards their own fans, who were housed in the Birmingham Road End. The Baggies were hoping to continue their fine home form that has seen them not concede for around 11 hours of football on home soil, a run that stretched back across a seven-game unbeaten run.
The first attempt of the second period came in the 49th minute when Brereton Díaz cut inside and tried to drill a low shot towards the near-post, but Griffiths got behind the shot well to make a comfortable save.
West Bromwich Albion were forced into their first change after 50 minutes, as Jayson Molumby replaced Nathaniel Chalobah, who limped off with injury.
Brereton Díaz again tried the same technique, but this time aiming to the far-post in the 52nd minute, but his shot took flight and landed in the home crowd.
Jayson Molumby nearly made an instant impact just five minutes into his time on the field, as after a scramble in the box, Thomas-Asante teed the substitute up, before his shot deflected off Hayden Carter and back off the left-hand post, before Rovers cleared the danger in a panic.
A Joe Rankin-Costello ping out to Sorba Thomas set the winger up to provide a beautiful low cross into the box, on the hour mark, but nobody in red was there to finish.
Moments after West Brom failed to clear, Rovers won an attacking free-kick down the right-hand channel, as Erik Pieters was booked for his troubles, but after some ping-pong in the Albion area, including a call for a penalty, Tyrhys Dolan’s effort flew over the bar.
Before the goal-kick, both sides made changes as Bradley Dack and Sorba Thomas were withdrawn and replaced by Sammie Szmodics and Ryan Hedges, whilst Albion removed Marc Albrighton and introduced Grady Diangana.
An enforced change in the 68th minute saw Joe Rankin-Costello withdrawn due to injury, as Callum Brittain came on to replace him.
Moments after the change, John Swift stood over a free-kick from close-range, but his curling effort lacked the accuracy to trouble Aynsley Pears.
West Bromwich Albion didn’t have to wait long to take the lead as, in the 73rd minute, Jayson Molumby repaid his manager’s trust in him, off the bench, by notching his second of the season to put the Albion ahead. After Rovers failed to clear their lines after being pinned inside their own box, a cross into their box saw Okay Yokuşlu force a save from Pears, before Molumby reacted the quickest to the rebound to nod the ball into the empty net, to open the scoring at 1-0.
In the 82nd minute, Rovers made their final change as Sam Gallagher replaced Tyler Morton, whilst West Brom also brought on a striker, in Daryl Dike, who dispossessed Brandon Thomas-Asante up top for the Baggies.
Lewis Travis was booked in the 83rd minute for a late challenge, despite some home fans wanting a dismissal.
There was life yet in Rovers, as after West Bromwich Albion gave away a free-kick in the 89th minute, on the edge of their own penalty area, Ben Brereton Díaz stepped up and proved his worth by blasting one into the top right-hand corner of the goal, past the debuting Griffiths, to salvage a share of the spoils for the Blues at 1-1. The Chilean, who had slightly improved on his recent performances, in this game, showed his worth to the side, by once again salvaging a point from the jaws of defeat, reviving his career at a ground where it ended, last season.
As the 90th minute approached, David Webb added on six minutes to the end of the game, as both sides looked to try and find a late winner.
West Bromwich Albion nearly regained the lead in the 93rd minute, but after Aynsley Pears pulled off a fine save to deny Molumby’s brace, Yokuşlu somehow cleared the ball away from Rovers’ goal, rather than towards it as the visitors let out a sigh of relief as their eventual counter broke down.
The Rovers pressure managed to continue until the 95th minute where the final act of the game saw a Ryan Hedges corner cleared as far as Sammie Szmodics, but the former Peterborough United midfielder’s low effort dragged wide of the post, as Mr. Webb soon brought the affair to a close.
Whilst Rovers will no doubt be the happier of the two sides, given they extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six in a row, there’s a sense that there is still a lot to be desired from this Rovers team, more so the fact they have yet to grow into what many believe they are capable of. Although we have heard the Head Coach constantly discuss the side’s average age, the sharps dips in form and individual quality from week to week is a concern which should be addressed sooner, rather than later, if Rovers retain any ambition of continuing into the post-season. Whilst the foundations of Jon Dahl Tomasson’s philosophy has risen to the fore in recent weeks, there remains the eternal debate of style over substance; a conclusion being remedied by something Rovers have feared all season – draws.
After the midweek Championship fixtures, Rovers remain in neutral as they stay in 8th place with a negative goal-difference of -4, but now sit on 46 points from 31 games.
Home comforts is on the calendar up next for the Blues, with back-to-back games at Ewood Park against Swansea City – (Saturday 18th February at 3pm) and Blackpool – (Tuesday 21st at 7:45pm) still to be played. Following those consecutive home clashes, Rovers round off their league action for February by heading down to London to face Queens Park Rangers, on Saturday 21st for the 3pm start.
