Blackburn Rovers somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as a late seven-minute salvo from Watford saw two substitutes down Rovers to move closer to the playoffs.
With Rovers suffering from a lot of fatigue and injuries, Jon Dahl Tomasson was forced to make four changes to his team as his side headed into a very hectic festive fixture list. Dom Hyam returned for his 50th Rovers start, Jake Garrett, captain Lewis Travis and Niall Ennis all came into the team, as James Hill dropped to the bench whilst the trio of Harry Pickering, the suspended Callum Brittain, top scorer Sammie Szmodics all missed out on facing the Hornets for the second time this season. A full-back-less team saw Hayden Carter line-up at right-back, whilst Lewis Travis lined-up at left-back in a makeshift defence for the Blues.
As a bumper Ewood Park crowd of 17,803 including 1,183 Hornets settled into their surroundings, Rovers were awarded kick-off, however in an unusual turn of events, they were shooting towards the Blackburn End in the first period, as Andrew Moran got the ball rolling.
The change of ends seemingly had zero effect on the players as Rovers managed to get themselves ahead inside just three minutes, courtesy of their homegrown star, Adam Wharton, who showed great movement and guile to beat Ben Hamer with his right-foot. As Rovers built play up, a big switch over to the right saw Hayden Carter bring the ball down unchallenged before spotting the run of Adam Wharton who burst into the right-hand channel. The academy graduates linked up tremendously as Wharton junior latched onto Carter’s left-footed defence-splitting pass before firing a first-time right-footed effort which beat Hamer at his near-post – very similarly to Ryan Hedges’ winner at Vicarage Road in August – as the youngster gave Rovers an early 1-0 lead with his first of the campaign!
After seven minutes had passed, Jake Garrett was the next to test Ben Hamer as he tried to fire one in from range, but it was too powerful to really trouble the former Huddersfield Town goalkeeper.
With Rovers bossing the game in the opening 16 minutes as Watford looked completely lost, Andy Moran managed to win back possession inside the Hornet’s box before trying to find Rovers’ latest permanent signing, Arnór Sigurðsson. The ball didn’t make it to the Icelandic international, but instead fell to Garrett whose aim was again off, as Watford won another goal-kick.
In the 21st minute, Lewis Travis’ superb backheel picked out Sigurðsson, who looked to nutmeg Hamer, but the goalkeeper managed to make a fine save with his groin, to deny the number #7 a perfect first game as a permanent Rover.
Watford had proved anonymous until the 23rd minute when Ken Sea found Tom Dele-Bashiru, but Garrett’s fearlessness and tenacity saw him put his body on the line to make a fantastic block.
After half-an-hour had passed, Watford were again up trying to find an equaliser as a corner fell to Wesley Hoedt who attempted an audacious backheel, but his accuracy meter failed, unlike it did away against Hull City a few weeks ago as Rovers were awarded a goal-kick.
It seemed like the afternoon was revolving around Jake Garrett as in the 36th minute, he was somehow booked after a clean tackle on Ismaël Koné.
Rovers were putting their bodies on the line again in the 44th minute as Hayden Carter was next in line to throw himself in-front of a Hornet’s attempt, blocking the shot of Sema.
That block proved to be the final goal-mouth action of the half as after four minutes of added time amounted to nothing, the break was called for by referee Dean Whitesone.
Jon Dahl Tomasson would have been delighted with his side’s intensity and ability to cut Watford open in the first period, however he would have been forgiven for wondering how his team were only one goal up at the break. He would have kept his talk at the break short and sweet in order to encourage his team to continue the good work they were producing out on the pitch.
In the away dressing room, Valérien Ismaël would have been forgiven for giving his team a rocket at the break as they had failed to hit the heights and expectations of their recent form, which has seen them win three of their last five. The Frenchman would have called for composure from his side, who had misplaced multiple passes during the first 45 minutes and would have called upon his side to utilise the quality they had at their disposal to again come from behind in Lancashire, as they had done in last week’s 5-1 win over Preston North End.
Just before the Hornets got the game back underway in the second-half, they made a double change that saw Yáser Asprilla and Ryan Andrews replace Matheus Martins and Tom Dele-Bashiru.
Moments into the second-half and Rovers had another chance to double their lead as a fine lofted ball by Moran saw Garrett through on goal, but the midfielder’s half-volley whizzed past the post and landed with the away supporters.
In the 50th minute, Watford mustered their first chance of the half as Vakoun Bayo tried to find the bottom left-hand corner of the net with a low drive after he burst in-behind the Rovers backline, but Leopold Wahlstedt was quick enough to get down and put out a strong hand to deny the former Celtic forward.
On the hour, Rovers had a free-kick which saw Moran and Garrett combine as the former teed up the latter who managed to release a curling effort, despite being charged down by half the Watford side in the wall, however Ben Hamer made a fine save to prevent 2-0.
Rovers’ first change of the game came in the 61st minute as Harry Leonard replaced Niall Ennis.
The young attacker was straight into the action as he threaded through Adam Wharton before Hamer rushed off his line to deny the youngster a second goal of the night. The follow-up soon fell to Hayden Carter who failed to get his shot on target.
Minutes later, Leonard was shooting, rather than attempting an assist as Hamer again was forced into a diving save to deny the substitute from distance.
In the spirit of season, Watford were soon handed a card in the 65th minute as Wesley Hoedt was booked for bringing down Adam Wharton.
Moments later, Moran’s corner was directed towards goal by a defender in yellow and black which forced Hamer into another save.
In the 67th minute, James Hill made an appearance as Dom Hyam was withdrawn in a pre-planned change which aimed at building the reigning Player of the Season’s fitness.
With 20 minutes to go, a Ryan Porteous clearance fell only as far as Adam Wharton who was having a fine game, but he couldn’t cap it off with a second goal as his effort from range lacked the required connection to trouble Hamer.
In the 72nd minute, Watford made two more changes as they looked to get back into the game as Mileta Rajović and Giorgi Chakvetadze replaced Jake Livermore and Vakoun Bayo.
A moment of great controversy was soon at hand in the 76th minute after Arnór Sigurðsson thought he’d won the game for Rovers after tapping the ball into an empty net, however Dean Whitestone pulled the game back for a foul on Ben Hamer. Harry Leonard was sent through by Adam Wharton who showed some fantastic balance to spin his man on halfway and threading his mate through, however whilst it looked like Hamer was coming out to calmly claim the pass, he fumbled the ball as Leonard leapt over him to avoid a collision, which allowed Sigurðsson to sweep the ball home, much to the frustration of Ryan Porteous. However, as Hamer had gone down holding his head – despite replays showing he had not been touched by Leonard – Whitestone was fooled and brought play back for a free-kick.
Ismaël Koné fired one towards goal from around 25-yards, however despite it proving too hot for Wahlstedt to claim, he did push it behind for a corner, denying an equaliser.
Mileta Rajović was soon booked in the 81st minute, but didn’t let that stop him from having a huge impact on the game, as he soon had the ball in the back of the net, two minutes later. After Rhys Healey had been introduced in the 83rd minute for Ismaël Koné amidst some Watford pressure, Yáser Asprilla drove forwards and fired a shot from range that again saw Wahlstedt fail to claim the ball, as he inadvertently parried it straight to the feet of Danish substitute Rajović, who needed no second bite of the cherry to draw the scoring level at 1-1, despite furious appeals for the flag to be raised for offside.
In the 86th minute, Rhys Healey’s pace saw him break through Rovers but he was brilliantly denied by the retreating Sondre Tronstad who put every ounce of strength into getting back and throwing himself in-front of the former Toulouse attacker’s shot in order to keep Rovers holding onto a point.
Sadly, Tronstad’s efforts were soon in vain as in the 87th minute, the turnaround was complete as both attacking substitutes contributed to Rovers’ downfall as Rhys Healey all but handed Watford a second goal and a third successive away victory. A corner saw Wahlstedt elect to punch a catchable ball, before it was volleyed back into the mixer by Edo Kayembe before it was denied by the Swede in goal, who again failed to hold onto the ball as Healey was on-hand to tap it home for 2-1 which sent the travelling contingency wild.
Just before the restart, Ryan Andrews was booked for goading the home fans during his team’s celebration of the second goal.
In the 89th minute, Andy Moran was handed the game’s seventh booking after he broke up a Watford counter, before he was soon substituted moments later and replaced by Dilan Markanday in the closing moments.
With Rovers trying, but failing to really muster any attacking threat, despite being given five added minutes of time at the end of the game to try and grab their own equaliser, they were forced to settle to end 2023 with a home defeat, knowing they would spend Christmas in the bottom-half of the table, ahead of their Boxing Day fixture.
A disappointing way to round of 2023 at Ewood Park, but Rovers did show an immense amount of quality for 80 minutes, before their fatigue, intensity and lack of depth ultimately caught up with them. Rovers showed great heart, energy and nous, particularly in the first-half, as they continually peppered Watford’s goal and took advantage of the Hornet’s lackadaisical play, however have nobody but themselves to blame for the manner in which they let the three points slip between their fingers. Their lack of concentration and awareness has seen them slip to a seventh home league defeat of the season – which is one more than the entirety of last season. Whilst they can feel aggrieved to have not gone 2-0 up when Arnór Sigurðsson rolled home for what he thought was his sixth goal of the season, Rovers should have really been more measured in their approach and not let too many bodies roam forwards as Watford exclusively played on the counter-attack and were rewarded for their play.
As mentioned, Rovers will spend Christmas in the bottom-half, having slipped from 11th to 14th this gameweek, which is a far cry from the lofty 3rd place (with 39 points) they were in a year ago. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side have hit the halfway mark in the season with 31 points and a negative goal-difference of -5.
Following the presents and the turkey, Rovers are back in Boxing Day action as they take a sold-out following across the Pennines to Huddersfield Town for the 3pm start. They’re then back in action, only three days later as the festive fixtures pile on, as they’re again on the road in Humberside where they travel to Liam Rosenoir’s impressive Hull City, looking to avenge the defeat earlier in the season. That clash with the Tigers is on Friday 29th December at 7:45pm. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men will raise the curtains on 2024 back at Ewood Park, as they play host to another Yorkshire outfit, in Rotherham United on New Year’s Day at 3pm.
