The Sky Sports cameras ended up leaving Ewood Park disappointed as they were denied a goal after a poor game between Rovers and Middlesbrough saw the sides share a point, two days before Rovers’ 145th birthday.
With Rovers having to deal with around ten absent from the first-team, due to injury and isolation issues, the team that lined-up at Ewood Park saw two changes from the side that fell to a 2-0 defeat in Wales at the weekend, at the hands of Swansea City. Sam Gallagher and Tyrhys Dolan returned to the Blues’ starting-11 at the expense of Corry Evans and Adam Armstrong. The Rovers top scorer, who picked up a knock in Saturday’s defeat, was not risked by Mowbray in this tie, allowing for both Gallagher and Dolan to try and capitalise on the top marksman’s absence. There was a boost for Rovers however, as Joe Rothwell returned to the matchday squad, following his isolation period ending. There were two milestones within the Rovers side, as Derrick Williams lined up for his 150th Rovers appearance, whilst Ben Brereton marked half a century of Rovers games.
With the Sky Sports cameras focussed on Ewood Park, it was the visitors who got the game underway as Boro looked to try and extend their recent unbeaten run to nine games, with their only loss of the campaign coming on the opening day, away at Watford.
As Boro kept possession from the kick-off, they managed to break down the left-hand side, as Marc Bola delivered a cross towards Britt Assombalonga, who was offside. Despite the forward being off, he was able to force a corner out of Rovers’ defence. The set-piece from the left-hand side, saw the ball fall to Jonny Howson, but despite some brief pinball in the box, former Boro ‘keeper Aynsley Pears managed to claim the loose ball.
The game proved to be rather quiet, with little goalmouth action from either side. The 18th minute saw Tom Trybull book for a late challenge on Hayden Coulson.
Trybull’s involvement did not end there, as from the resulting Boro free-kick, the German was on hand to block from Bola and Coulson, as he couldn’t prevent the visitors from earning a corner. The subsequent set-piece was an in-swinger towards the back-post, which saw all bar Assombalonga beaten, but the visiting captain somehow put the ball over the bar from right under the crossbar.
Rovers’ first attempt of the game came on the 24th minute through Ben Brereton, who managed to skip past a few, before cutting inside and riding a challenge before seeing his attempt from range rise over the crossbar.
The 39th minute saw Rovers’ defence put their bodies on the line, as consecutive efforts forced the home defence to make multiple blocks, with the final block seeing Ryan Nyambe deny Coulson from close-range. Despite the denials by Rovers, the Middlesbrough players were appealing for a handball on Nyambe, but referee David Webb waved play on. The referee’s call proved right on the replay, as the ball had struck Nyambe’s chest, rather than his outstretched arm.
After two minutes of time were added onto the end of the first period, David Webb ended the lacklustre first 45 minutes.
During the break, Tony Mowbray would have been frustrated with how his side had failed to dominate the ball and keep it within Boro’s half, despite the possession stats at the break being level at 50% each. The Rovers boss, who would have been wary of Boro’s strength under Neil Warnock, would have no doubt been in a sour mood with his players at the break considering they had only managed one shot on target all half.
Neil Warnock – who was still waiting for his first ever victory at Ewood Park – would have been pleased with his side’s display, given that the first 45 minutes of this game, had seen Boro produce the most shots they’ve had under his stewardship, with 12, despite only one being on target. Whilst Boro had failed to capitalise on Rovers’ defensive openness, Warnock would have been pleased with the dominant pressure his side had put on the hosts, given their tendency this season, to keep hold of the ball. On that note, the visiting boss would have been happy with how his side had nullified Rovers’ attacking play and their ball dominance, even though the Blues were without their talismanic forward, Adam Armstrong.
As both sides returned to the pitch, Rovers came back to take the kick-off, but with a change to their side, as Joe Rothwell had come on at half-time, for Tyrhys Dolan, who had been withdrawn during the break.
The 50th minute saw Joe Rankin-Costello booked for hauling down Jordan Spence. From the resulting free-kick, the ball was lofted in towards the back-post where an unmarked Jonny Howson latched onto the ball. The former Leeds United man managed to take the ball down well, before seeing his low effort denied by a combination of Pears and his defenders, before the ‘keeper pounced onto the loose ball to end the attack.
Pears was again called upon only three minutes later, when he managed to superbly tip Marcus Tavernier’s near-post flick towards goal. A cross in from the right-hand side saw Tavernier sneak in at the near-post and try and guide the cross towards goal, but the former Boro goalie proved equal to the effort, as he produced a fine save. Boro were unable to capitalise on the corner from Pears’ save, however as Rovers managed to clear their lines.
Rovers’ second change of the night came in the 57th minute when Corry Evans replaced Tom Trybull, who came out worse off in a challenge with Djed Spence. Although the German walked off the field and seemed only winded by the challenge, boss Mowbray thought best to take off the Norwich City loanee before his situation got worse.
The Blues’ best chance of the game came and went in the 59th minute, as both Ben Brereton and Sam Gallagher somehow missed Joe Rankin-Costello’s low early cross. The midfielder-turned-left-back managed to sneak beyond his man and take Harvey Elliott’s through pass into his stride. The booked full-back then looked up and played a delightful low early cross into the corridor of uncertainty which had Marcus Bettinelli and his defence scrambling to try and get the ball away. They failed to clear their lines as the ball flew in with both Brereton and Gallagher sliding in at the front and back-posts, respectively, but neither side managed to get the vital touch to turn home, as they let Middlesbrough off.
The 64th minute saw Boro earn a free-kick after Darragh Lenihan chopped his man down, but Britt Assombalonga’s free-kick hit the back of the Darwen End.
Rovers earnt a free-kick of their own on the 67th minute, after Paddy McNair, who found his name into the referee’s book, brought down Harvey Elliott on the edge of the Rovers box, yet Rovers failed to capitalise on the set-piece, as Boro cleared their lines.
The 70th minute saw Boro make their first change of the night, as Marvin Johnson – who scored in their 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday – came on to replace Hayden Coulson.
The home side were forced into a third and final change of the night on the 76th minute as Scott Wharton came onto the pitch, to replace Derrick Williams, who looked to have tweaked a muscle when feeding the ball out wide to Rankin-Costello.
The 78th minute saw Darragh Lenihan booked for a foul on halfway.
From the stoppage for the foul, Boro were able to make their second change of the night, as former Arsenal youth forward, Chuba Akpom was brought on to replace Britt Assombalonga.
Boro’s best chance of the half came in the 81st minute when Paddy McNair’s in-swinging corner fell towards the far-post, but Wharton’s pressure on Dael Fry saw the Boro defender’s point-blank header skew off-target, as Rovers were given a let-off.
Four minutes later, Wharton found himself booked after a foul inside the centre-circle.
The 88th minute saw another Boro corner hooked deep towards the back-post, but despite Pears flapping at the cross, Fry was unable to touch the ball home at the back stick, as the ball bounced off his thigh and behind for a goal-kick.
With Rovers looking the nervier of the two sides, five minutes of added time were allocated by referee David Webb, as Boro continued to apply pressure by continuing their knocking on the Rovers door.
The 91st minute of added time saw Lewis Holtby become the fifth Rovers player to be booked after he spoke out of turn to referee Webb.
Holtby’s booking proved to be the last action of the game, as a very lacklustre game left Rovers with more questions than answers, despite Boro and Neil Warnock once again proving their defensive quality to keep out the league’s top goalscorers.
As mentioned, this match probably leaves Rovers and Tony Mowbray more confused than they were at 7pm, given that the absentee list looks set to increase at Rovers, following the departures of Tom Trybull and Derrick Williams. Given that the bodies are already piled up on the treatment table at Brockhall, Rovers are looking at a tough final game, prior to the second international break of the campaign, one which may require dipping into the under-23s for extra bodies. Looking back at the game itself, tonight and it seems as if the bosses at Sky Sports will be banging their heads against the walls after picking what proved to be the only goalless draw of the night in the second tier. Despite that being a little problem in comparison to Rovers’ injury worries, praise must be handed out to the Rovers defence and Aynsley Pears in particular, with the goalie denying his boyhood club with a fine reflex save. Another positive for Rovers is the fact they have earnt their fifth clean sheet in 10 games, which will please Mowbray, despite the recent defensive calamities they have suffered, over the past two games. Despite the defensive solidity, Rovers have seemingly dried up in-front of goal, given that they’ve failed to score in their past two games. With such a key issue, Mowbray and Rovers will be hoping that Armstrong’s injury doesn’t keep him out for too long, and that some of the attacking talent in the squad that are absent, like the likes of Bradley Dack can make a swift return to the side. Additionally, here’s hoping that returning midfielder Stewart Downing can get up to speed over the international break and stake a claim in the side to add to Rovers’ attacking force. With the gaffer confirming after the game to Sky Sports that Rovers were at Ewood without any analysts due to them self-isolating, it will be intriguing to see how Rovers operate in the coming weeks given the 10 absent players and the absent analysts.
The league table after ten games, has Rovers in 15th with 11 points to their name. The Blues’ goal difference remains positively high, at +13, but Mowbray and the side will be hoping to improve in the coming games.
Rovers’ fixture list sees next sees them back at Ewood Park, as they host Queens Park Rangers in their final game before the season’s second international break, on Saturday 7th November at 3pm. Following the two-week hiatus, Rovers return to action at Kenilworth Road on Saturday 21st November, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm. After that clash in Bedfordshire, Rovers head to the white side of Lancashire to lock horns with Preston North End at Deepdale on Tuesday 24th November, with kick-off against Alex Neil’s side scheduled for 7:45pm.
