Rovers saw their run of a trio of consecutive home victories be halted at the hands of Lee Johnson’s playoff chasing Bristol City, following a 1-0 defeat, as the Robins extended their magnificent unbeaten run to 12 games, in order to boost their playoff push, whilst simultaneously dealing a blow to Rovers’ identical ambitions.
An hour before the 3pm kick-off, Rovers’ starting 11 was released, which contained a triple change to the side that was pummelled away at Brentford, the Saturday prior. Darragh Lenihan and Amari’i Bell dropped out of the side, the former due to injury, despite the latter being on the bench, whilst returning skipper Charlie Mulgrew and Derrick Williams, who were both making their respective 100th appearances for the club, returned to the side. The third alteration saw Richie Smallwood take Corry Evans’ place alongside Lewis Travis, with the Northern Irish international midfielder unable to participate due to injury.
After the pre-match formalities, the game was kicked-off by Bristol City who were looking to confirm the victory that would cement their place in the final playoff spot for this gameweek.
It was the visitors, 2 minutes in, who registered the first shot of the tie through former Preston North End midfielder, Josh Brownhill. The 23-year old managed to wriggle free and release a shot that saw a well-placed Derrick Williams block the midfielder’s effort.
On the 4th minute, Adam Armstrong had a similar attempt at the other end, as the former Newcastle United forward crafted a chance of his own, which, unlike Brownhill’s, went behind for a goal-kick.
Rovers eased themselves slowly into the game, which saw their next chance come on the 6th minute, through some good combination play between Danny Graham and Harrison Reed. The former managed to connect with a direct ball and nod the ball into Reed’s path, who was able to chest the ball down and hit a volley towards goal. Unluckily for Reed’s spectacular effort, his shot was blocked before being cleared by the visiting defence.
Bristol City got their second attempt of the game, through Callum O’Dowda, on the 14th minute. The winger managed to connect with a corner, but saw his effort skied over the bar.
From Rovers’ goal-kick, they built up their play, which nearly led to the opening goal of the game. A long throw by Derrick Williams, into the feet of Bradley Dack, allowed the midfielder to turn away from a couple of visiting defenders in the box. The number 23, wriggled free before hitting a cross, across the face of goal, which saw Reed slide in to meet. Although the move was a good one, the on-loan Southampton man was inches away from poking home, as the ball flashed past him, before being smothered by former Rovers ‘keeper, Frank Fielding.
In the space of 2 minutes, Jack Rodwell made a couple of crucial interceptions which thwarted Bristol City’s attack. The first was a recovery tackle on Famara Diédhiou, which, had it not been made, would have seen the forward go freely through on goal, whilst the second interception saw the former Manchester City midfielder clear Marlon Pack’s effort at goal.
On the 25th minute, Lewis Travis became the first player to be booked, after his late challenge on O’Dowda brought the attention of referee James Linington.
3 minutes later, Andreas Weimann showed a glimpse of his capabilities as he made David Raya work, with a venomous left-footed effort, which resulted in the goalkeeper diving to push the ball away from danger.
With 31 minutes played, Adam Armstrong again showed off his shooting talent as he forced Fielding into a similar save to that of Raya, which kept the score, goalless.
Soon after, Brownhill had the opportunity to put his side a goal ahead, with a central free-kick from just outside the box. Although Rovers managed to set up their wall, Brownhill’s attempt fell into Raya’s gloves, unlike his effort at Ashton Gate, which ended up in the back of the net.
Diédhiou had an effort at goal, 3 minutes later, on the 36th minute, blocked by Elliott Bennett, before Pack’s effort from the rebound, was dragged wide.
The second yellow card of the game soon appeared after Adam Armstrong was blocked off by another former Preston North End player in Bailey Wright. The Robins captain, who was unable to keep up with the pace of the Rovers winger, received a caution for his troubles.
Minutes after Wright’s booking, O’Dowda again tested David Raya, but saw his shot go straight down the Spaniard’s throat. After picking up the ball, the Irish international stormed towards the box, but was put off by a retreating Bennett, which led to O’Dowda’s attempt lacking any momentum, as Raya comfortably stopped the shot.
City’s pressure continued as on the 42nd minute, Diédhiou’s free header from close range, off of Jamie Paterson’s corner, flew over the bar.
A minute later, Rovers commenced some lengthy build-up play, which disappointingly ended in Bennett’s shot ricocheting off Dack and going behind for a goal-kick.
Prior to the end of a Robin-dominated first-half, the referee added on an extra minute of time, which soon fizzled out.
With the scoreline level, at the break, both managers’ thoughts would have differed during their 15-minute break, as they would have been contemplating how well, or poorly their team defended, as well as thinking about how they could change the game in the second-period.
Tony Mowbray’s reaction to the first-half, would have been mixed, due to the lack of quality his side had shown going forwards, as well as his frustrations at Bristol City getting as many chances as they did. The former Celtic manager, however, would have been pleased that Bristol’s numerous chances didn’t end up in the back of the net.
Lee Johnson, contrastingly, would have been thinking how his side weren’t ahead at the break. Despite being full value for a lead, his players were unable to break the deadlock during the first 45 minutes, which would have potentially left the manager wary and worried of a last-gasp stealing of the points, from Rovers.
After the team-talks, the game was soon restarted by Rovers, as they looked to try and extend their unbeaten home run to 4 games.
Rovers started the half brightly, as within seconds of kicking-off the half, Dack and Armstrong nearly combined for the opener. Dack picked the ball up from Graham’s flick-on and bore down on goal. The midfielder got into the box and played the ball across the face of goal, looking for Armstrong who was coming in at the back-post. Despite the build-up being brilliant, the finish was non-existent, as the ball got ahead of the incoming Armstrong and went out for a visiting throw-in.
On the 50th minute, Rovers again came close to breaking the deadlock, as Travis’ cross was sent back where it came from, by Reed. After Travis picked up the ball again, he found Dack who was lurking just inside the box, but saw his shot on goal blocked, before the ball was dribbled away from danger.
A minute later, Armstrong found Rodwell who hit an ambitious effort from around 30-yards out, however the midfielder-turned-centre-back saw his long-range effort over the bar.
From their goal-kick, Bristol managed to craft another goal-scoring opportunity through Diédhiou. Pack’s floated cross met the head of the Senegalese international who saw his header, which bounced into the ground, tipped over by Raya’s right-hand. The subsequent corner, however, didn’t trouble Raya, as he claimed O’Dowda’s cross.
On the 57th minute, Rovers made their first alteration of the game as the booked Lewis Travis departed and was replaced by Ryan Nyambe, which saw Elliott Bennett move from right-back into centre-midfield.
Just after the hour mark, Wright, who was previously booked, fouled Ryan Nyambe, which earnt Rovers a free-kick that Mulgrew took. Although the captain’s delivery was a good one, Derrick Williams, who got on the end of it, couldn’t keep his header down as the ball ended up in the Blackburn End.
Bristol City soon made their first change as the booked Bailey Wright was replaced by Italian full-back, Eros Pisano.
On the 68th minute, Armstrong found Dack who was lurking in the box, which gave Rovers’ top goalscorer the chance to take a touch, before shooting. Although that occurred, Dack’s effort at goal went behind for a goal-kick.
As the 73rd minute ticked over, Bristol City made their second and third changes in an effort to try and force a positive breakthrough. Andreas Weimann and Jamie Paterson both departed the field of play and were replaced by Matty Taylor and former Rovers loanee, Kasey Palmer, respectively.
Seconds after the change, Diédhiou tried his luck from distance, but wildly missed the target.
Rovers made their second change of the game, before their goal-kick was taken. The change saw Bradley Dack depart, with Joe Rothwell taking his place.
A minute later, Josh Brownhill became the third player to go into the referee’s notebook after he went in on Richie Smallwood with a late challenge.
It took until the 80th minute for the deadlock to be broken, with the away side gaining the late, but slender advantage. A corner by Callum O’Dowda saw substitute Eros Pisano peel away from Ryan Nyambe to poke the ball home from close range to make it 1-0, which sent the travelling Bristolian contingency of 1,038 fans wild.
As Rovers tried to recuperate following the 21st time they had conceded in the final 15 minutes in the league this season – the highest of all 92 teams in the professional pyramid – Mowbray threw on Joe Nuttall, in-place of Richie Smallwood, in the hope of snatching a late leveller.
Although time wasn’t on Rovers’ side, they managed to craft a chance which was begging for either Armstrong or Nuttall to convert, however both forwards got in each other’s ways, which led to the attack being thwarted and eventually halted by City’s defence.
After 4 minutes of added time were added, the final chance of the game came to Rovers, who following Joe Rothwell’s cross, saw Derrick Williams’ header deflect wide, and despite insistence from every Blue and White shirt, referee James Linington awarded a goal-kick.
Following a booking to City ‘keeper Frank Fielding for time-wasting, the match official called an end to a game which Rovers should have grabbed more from.
Although this game could have swung either way, there is a widespread disappointment considering the manner of Bristol’s goal coming from a set-piece, which could have been dealt with easily, had the defence been more alert to the cross, and Ryan Nyambe – who was marking the goalscorer Eros Pisano – been stronger and goalside of the full-back. Whilst Rovers didn’t create as much as one would probably have expected them to do at home, they did well to nullify Bristol City’s constant attacking threat and keep the tie goalless until the eventual breakthrough occurred.
Furthermore, this game shows that, although Lee Johnson’s side were on an undefeated streak of 12 game after securing the victory, Rovers, in terms of performance, were not far off the playoff chasing side as they matched their efforts, intensity and desire throughout the whole 90 minutes, despite the final attacking jigsaw piece not being present.
Finally, one positive to the game was the return of the skipper, Charlie Mulgrew, who made his first appearance since the 1-1 draw in the FA Cup, away to Newcastle United. The Scot, who slot in alongside Jack Rodwell in Darragh Lenihan’s untimely absence, displayed his sought-after defensive and distribution qualities for most of the game, which was a bright spark in Rovers’ subdued performance.
Following the game, Rovers find themselves in 13th with 43 points and a -5-goal difference, from the 31 games played.
With the unbeaten Bristol City out of the way for the remainder of the season, Rovers’ final 15 games of the season starts with a trip to the Madejski Stadium to face lowly Reading on Wednesday, 13th February at 8pm. After that affair, Mowbray’s men return to Ewood Park on Sunday, 17th February to face the gaffer’s hometown team, Middlesbrough at 1pm, in-front of the Sky Sports cameras. The third game of the run sees Rovers again on the road, this time at Birmingham City, on Saturday, 23rd February, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm.
