A drab encounter saw Rovers fall on the losing side, as the game’s only moment of quality from Ilias Chair saw Rovers confined to their third defeat from their last four.
After Rovers were left to pick the bones out of their weekend collapse against Coventry City, as the Sky Blues came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Ewood Park, Tony Mowbray made four changes for Tuesday night’s trip down in London against Queens Park Rangers. Ben Brereton Díaz, Harry Pickering, Leighton Clarkson and Dan Butterworth all came into the side as, John Buckley, Joe Rothwell, Tyrhys Dolan and Sam Gallagher all dropped down to the bench. Despite lining up at left-wing-back on Saturday, Tayo Edun slotted into midfield to allow for Harry Pickering’s return, whilst Ben Brereton Díaz returned to the starting-eleven to partner Dan Butterworth, who was making his first senior start for Rovers.
As both sides looked to try and get back to winning ways, it was Rovers who got the game rolling under the command of referee David Webb, with vengeance in their minds after failing to beat QPR at Loftus Road in their last two games.
Although ten minutes had been played and both sides had threatened inside their opponent’s halves, neither side managed to fashion a real chance that worked either goalkeeper.
Rovers were able to craft the game’s first sniff at goal through the debuting Dan Butterworth. The youngster picked the ball up on halfway and drove towards goal, but couldn’t compose himself at the vital moment, as his shot from the edge of the box flew wide.
Dan Butterworth again proved Rovers’ best chance at testing Seny Dieng, after Rovers hit QPR on the counter-attack in the 22nd minute. After Rovers played the ball out of their own half, Ben Brereton Díaz carried the ball into the QPR half, before laying off to Tayo Edun, who subsequently found Butterworth, but the forward’s cross-cum-shot fell straight into the hands of Dieng.
In the 24th minute, Yoann Barbet tried his luck from 20-yards out, but saw it veer wide of the mark.
The 27th minute saw a lengthy stoppage as Rob Dickie’s forceful challenge into Lewis Travis saw both require treatment before the QPR defender emerged with the game’s first booking.
Rovers were forced into their first change of the game in the 34th minute after Lewis Travis was unable to continue after Rob Dickie’s challenge, minutes prior. Bradley Johnson came on to replace him, for his first appearance of the season.
Minutes after the change, Rangers were adamant that they should have had a penalty after a high ball into the box was met by Daniel Ayala. Although the hosts believed that the Spaniard had handled the ball, referee David Webb waved play on.
In the 44th minute, Rovers saw a free-kick from the left-hand side cleared, only as far as Tayo Edun. The former Lincoln City man did well to bring the ball under his spell, before releasing a half-volley from just outside the area. Although the attempt had rooted Seny Dieng to the spot, it lacked the required dip to nestle into the top right-hand corner of the net, as QPR were awarded a goal-kick.
As the 45th minute appeared, referee David Webb added on three extra minutes onto the end of the first period. Moments after the fourth official put his board up, Leighton Clarkson was booked for a foul on the right-wing.
With the three extra minutes not adding anything to a dire first period, the referee soon brought the first 45 minutes of the game to an end, with neither side really giving their fans their money’s worth.
Mark Warburton would have been hoping his side could come out for the second period with a bit more energy, as they once again lacked any real intent on taking a game by storm. With them being only a place above Rovers, the former Brentford man would have been calling upon his players to make their home advantage count and prey on the frailties of the visiting side.
Tony Mowbray would have also been annoyed with his team’s first-half display. Although Dan Butterworth had looked bright, his side lacked tempo and rhythm and were unable to keep possession of the ball in midfield. Although that got worse with the departure of Lewis Travis, they were able to keep the hosts at bay until the break. The boss would have also been rallying his troops and tweaking the dynamic of his team in the hope they could use some fresh legs off the bench to hit QPR on the break.
Just prior to the start of the second-half, which was begun by QPR, Rovers opted to make their second change of the game as Joe Rothwell came on to replace, Harry Pickering as Tayo Edun shifted over to left-wing-back.
Rovers started the second-half brightly as Ben Brereton Díaz tried his luck with an ambitious volley in the 47th minute, but he couldn’t aim it on target as it looped high and wide.
A minute later, Tayo Edun delivered a teasing cross into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ which saw Barbet try and turn the ball behind, yet his miscalculation nearly saw him put Rovers ahead with an own goal, but luckily for him the ball cannoned back off the woodwork before being put behind for a Rovers corner.
In the 50th minute, Dan Butterworth became the second Rovers player to be booked, as he kicked the ball away from a Rangers free-kick, as he didn’t allow the home side to take a quick set-piece.
Four minutes after Butterworth’s booking, Joe Rothwell followed him for a similar incident, as the midfielder was booked, nine minutes after coming on.
Sam McCallum came close to opening the deadlock in the 56th minute as a cross towards the back-post landed at the feet of the on-loan Norwich City man, yet his effort unthreateningly flew into the side-netting.
Moments later, Rovers again defended a QPR cross well, as the ball was nodded out only as far as Rob Dickie who was encouraged to release a volley from around 30-yards out. Although the former Oxford United man has bagged a few similar efforts in his time, this one didn’t threaten Kaminski as Rovers were again awarded a goal-kick.
The first QPR change soon occurred in the 59th minute as Luke Amos replaced Andre Dozzell.
After some lively exchanges in the middle of the park and some forays forward from QPR which included a few corners, Rovers made their final change on the 66th minute as Sam Gallagher came on to replace the debuting Dan Butterworth.
Thomas Kaminski was forced into action in the 68th minute as he flew to his right to deny an attempt from Lyndon Dykes, which looked certain to put the home side ahead.
Jimmy Dunne came agonisingly close to ending a game of penalty box pinball, in celebration of the game’s opening goal. After a deep ball into the box was nodded towards goal, a few Rangers players had a bite at the cherry before Dunne looked to blast his side home, but could only clear the crossbar.
QPR looked to make an attacking change and tried to force the game into their favour as former Burnley forward Charlie Austin came on to replace Dominic Ball in the 72nd minute.
Charlie Austin came harrowingly close to tormenting Rovers once again, but a near-post header from a corner lacked the aim to put his side ahead, as the ball zipped over the crossbar.
Joe Rothwell came alive in the 81st minute as he picked the ball up in the middle of the park and found Leighton Clarkson. The Liverpool-loanee returned the ball to the substitute who lined-up a curling effort from just outside the area which forced Seny Dieng into a fine save, as he parried the ball away to his left.
A minute later, Rovers saw their evening compounded with the goal QPR had been threatening. Moroccan international Ilias Chair did well to drop a shoulder and curl his shot into the top right-hand corner of the net to put QPR 1-0 up, as Thomas Kaminski was left stranded.
Just prior to kick-off, QPR made their final change as Osman Kakay replaced Albert Adomah.
As the 90th minute ticked over and Rovers edged closer to their doom, referee David Webb added on four extra minutes to accommodate for the fun the home fans had with the ball, after the goal.
In the 93rd minute, Luke Amos was booked for time-wasting.
Although Rovers tried to push forward late on, they were ultimately left to lick their wounds as the hosts came away from the game with all three points, courtesy of a wonderful strike from QPR’s Moroccan magician, as Rovers slumped to their second successive 1-0 away defeat at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
The last two games have been a conundrum of a poor first-half and a good second-half display, following by a good first-half and a poor second-half showing, however tonight’s affair was poor in all aspects. It seemed as if Rovers had got lost somewhere on the motorway and a different group had emerged from the tunnel at 7:45pm. The side lacked cohesion, intensity, goal-mouth threat and generally struggled to build anything, resorting to a few pot-shots from range. Although Rovers weren’t helped by the withdrawal of Lewis Travis in the first-half, the performance didn’t really change after Bradley Johnson was introduced for his first game of the season. With the side now suffering from no wins in their last four, Tony Mowbray has a big job on his hands in order to ‘stop the rut’, if one can be excused for potentially getting ahead of oneself.
After that result, QPR have leapfrogged Rovers and moved into the playoff spaces, leaving Rovers behind in 9th, with 17 points and a +4 goal-difference from the 13 games played.
The games don’t get any easier in this league, and the upcoming Rovers fixtures certainly prove that. Next up for Mowbray’s men is the hosting of Reading on Saturday 23rd October at 3pm. After that, they travel to the Midlands to face cash-strapped Derby County on Saturday 30th October at 3pm. Following that clash, Rovers return to Ewood Park to lock horns with Marco Silva’s Fulham side, who make the journey northwards on Wednesday 3rd November at 7:45pm.
