It was a return to goal-scoring and winning ways at Ewood Park, for Rovers, as a spectacular defensive display was backed up by a contender for ‘Goal of the Season’ by Reda Khadra, as Tony Mowbray’s young side showed their promotion credentials by beating Queens Park Rangers, 1-0 in the day’s early kick-off, as Sky Sports watched on.
After falling to a late defeat in midweek, when Sheffield United beat Rovers at Bramall Lane, 1-0, courtesy of a 92nd minute winner, Tony Mowbray hinted at the possibility of some rotation to his side and that’s exactly what he did, ahead of the visit of fellow promotion candidates, QPR. Rovers made two changes from Wednesday night’s side, as Bradley Johnson and Tyrhys Dolan came into the side, with Joe Rothwell and John Buckley the pair to drop out. Although Buckley was available from the bench, Rothwell was sidelined with a foot injury which lingered from a challenge from midweek.
With Rovers celebrating 20 years since their Worthington Cup win, on Friday, the fans inside Ewood Park were given the chance to celebrate that honour once more, as the trophy was paraded out onto the turf by Blues legend and assistant manager at the time, Tony Parkes, who received a rapturous applause.
As both sides prepared for the 12:30pm kick-off, given the game was broadcast on Sky Sports, it was Rovers who got the game underway, following the whistle from referee Jeremy Simpson. Rovers were looking to end their worst-ever club record of five games without a goal.
Rovers started the game in the ascendency as after Sam Gallagher was treated following an elbow to the face, Rangers’ Sam Field was booked for hauling down Tyrhys Dolan on the edge of the area, but the subsequent set-piece by Harry Pickering was blocked before it could trouble Seny Dieng.
In the 15th minute, Jan Paul van Hecke did well to win the ball back in his own-half, before finding Reda Khadra with a raking cross-field ball forwards, but despite speeding past his man, the German couldn’t find the required finish, as Dieng made a fine save with his feet.
After 30 minutes, Rovers won the ball on halfway and were continuing in their domination of proceedings. After Khadra won the ball back just inside his own half with a nod down to Bradley Johnson, who then laid it off to Dolan, who was just inside the QPR half. Whilst Johnson found Dolan, Khadra hopped on his bike and made a run between the lines of QPR’s defence before being picked out with a find pass. As the on-loan forward broke into the box, despite being positioned on his left-foot, he released a shot that dragged wide of the mark before Rangers cleared.
In the 35th minute, Albert Adomah nearly crowned his 465th Championship appearance with the game’s opener. On-loan Newcastle United midfielder, Jeff Hendrick did well to find the two-time promotion winner, who was coming in from the right. The Ghanaian did well to control the ball, but saw his low effort fantastically saved by the foot of Thomas Kaminski.
Two minutes late, QPR managed to fashion their second chance of the game, as Ilias Chair screwed the ball past the upright from just inside the penalty area. After Chris Willock created a passing opportunity after marauding down the right, the former Benfica man found the Moroccan who ended up with his head in his hands as he failed to test Kaminski.
In the 39th minute, Harry Pickering nearly notched himself a second assist of the campaign as his corner fell kindly for Darragh Lenihan to strike, but the skipper couldn’t keep his effort down.
Moments later, Reda Khadra nearly provided, as his inviting back-post cross was narrowly missed by an incoming Sam Gallagher, who couldn’t make contact at the back-post, despite being at full stretch and clattering into Dieng.
Rovers again should have found themselves ahead in the 43rd minute as Rovers’ press saw them force QPR into a mistake, which created a chance for Bradley Johnson to finish. After Sam Gallagher’s pressing saw him win the ball back, following underweighted pass by Seny Dieng into his defence, the forward managed to compose himself pull the ball back to an unmarked Johnson, whose low right-footed effort proved a simple save for the Senegalese international goalie.
As the 45th minute ticked over, referee Jeremy Simpson added on two extra minutes onto the end of the first period, as Rovers again pushed forward in search of a late opener.
Despite Rovers having a few set-pieces in added time, they were unable to make any of them count as the half-time whistle soon brought a frustrating first 45 minutes to an end.
Tony Mowbray would have been pleased with the application of his side during the game’s first period. His young team had taken the game to QPR and had lacked the necessary finish in order to really capitalise on their fine display. Despite being relatively solid defensively, Rovers once again lacked any real potency in-front of goal, as they moved into 8 hours without finding the back of the net. Mowbray’s team-talk would have been simple, as the boss would have been encouraging his side for more of the same.
Mark Warburton would have been frustrated that his side had failed to really gain a foothold in the tie, as despite having more of the possession, his side had failed to make the most of the two chances they had created. The former Brentford boss’ thoughts would have been mixed in the dressing-room as he would have been calling for more urgency from his side, who lacked any real aggressiveness in their play.
QPR started the second period looking to grab their first win at Ewood Park, in 23 years, with their last triumph in East Lancashire coming in October 1999, as goals from Stuart Wardley and Kevin Gallen saw the Rs win 2-0. There was a change in the offing for the visitors as David Marshall was brought on for the second period, as Seny Dieng – who departed with a clean-sheet – was deemed unable to continue after Sam Gallagher clattered into him in the first-half.
After just four minutes of play, Rovers nearly managed to start the second period in the best possible way, as Khadra curled an effort towards goal, but forced a sublime fingertip save from substitute goalkeeper, David Marshall, as Gallagher narrowly missed the rebound, but despite Marshall being the last player to touch the ball, QPR were awarded a goal-kick.
On 50 minutes, Khadra again tried to cause havoc by whipping in a cross towards the back-post, but Marshall was on-hand to claim Gallagher’s header.
After hurdling a challenge by Jimmy Dunne, Ryan Nyambe fell down awkwardly as if he had twisted his knee and required treatment, before eventually being stretchered off and being replaced by Deyvaisio Zeefuik in Rovers’ first change of the game.
With 61 minutes gone, QPR threw on another former Burnley player to partner Jeff Hendrick and Jimmy Dunne, as Andre Gray came on to replace Chris Willock.
Two minutes after the change Tyrhys Dolan tried his luck from range, but failed to keep his effort down and on-target, as the ball bounced back off the top of the Blackburn End stand.
The 66th minute saw both sides make their second changes, as QPR swapped Sam McCallum for Albert Adomah, whilst Rovers removed Sam Gallagher and replaced him with Ryan Hedges.
Jeff Hendrick tried to catch out Thomas Kaminski with a chip from a tight angle, in the 69th minute, but the ball didn’t trouble the Belgian, as it landed on the roof of his net.
Rovers’ final switch of the game, saw Ryan Giles replace Harry Pickering, in the 71st minute.
Five minutes after his introduction, Ryan Giles nearly put Rovers ahead. After a fantastic cross-field ball by Reda Khadra into the path of Ryan Hedges, who laid the ball off to Giles. The on-loan Wolves man took a touch to get past his man before crossing the ball in towards the near-post. David Marshall, who was slightly off his line, did brilliantly well to shift his weight quickly in order to palm the ball behind before it snuck in at his near-post.
From the subsequent corner, Rovers were awarded a wide free-kick just inside the left-hand channel, in-front of the Jack Walker Stand, after Lewis Travis was tackled from Khadra’s short corner. The German took responsibility on the set-piece as Rovers lined-up in the box, yet the on-loan Brighton and Hove Albion man finally managed to break Rovers’ barren duck in-front of goal with a strike worthy of ‘Goal of the Season’. With everyone anticipating a cross, Khadra was eyeing up the far-post as his effort had enough dip and power behind it for it to crawl through the sprawling gloves of David Marshall, who saw the ball flash through his raised arms, as Ewood Park erupted for the game’s opener at 1-0.
In the 81st minute, Thomas Kaminski did well to relieve pressure off his defenders with Andre Gray lurking, as he swept up the ball aimed at the former Burnley forward.
Three minutes later, Dolan tried his luck from the edge of the area, but could only force a save from David Marshall.
Giles, moments later, did well to intercept a loose pass within the QPR backline before driving forward and forcing a couple of saves from David Marshall.
The 85th minute saw Lewis Travis booked after the midfielder hastily stopped QPR from counter-attacking, from inside their own half.
Giles again was showing his pace in-behind as he played a one-two with Hedges before trying to beat Marshall again, but the Scottish goalie was on-hand to smother the loanee’s attempt.
In the 89th minute, Thomas Kaminski picked up his fourth booking of the campaign after he had a few choice words for referee, Jeremy Simpson.
As 90 minutes ticked over onto the clock, the match officials put six minutes up on the board, much to the frustration of QPR boss, Mark Warburton, who argued that the allocated time was fewer than the stoppage taken when Ryan Nyambe was being treated and stretchered off.
In the first of those six minutes, Scott Wharton was booked for a foul inside his own half, however moments later, the yellow card was out again, but this time for Ilias Chair, who had come in strongly on Dolan, on halfway.
QPR failed to really show the quality that had put them in the promotion race, as time quickly ticked away, with the Ewood Park faithful roaring in delight as the final whistle was soon blown.
It’s nice to finally win a game in February, isn’t it? One must praise the side for battling until the end and coming up with a way of getting three points, despite going eight hours since they last hit the back of the net. Although the goal was an outstanding piece of individual quality, by a player in Reda Khadra, who showed his mental capacity and strength after missing a few first-half chances, the defensive unit must be praised for their fantastic attempt at keeping QPR at bay for most of the game. Additionally, the pressing from a freshly rotated side was key to how Rovers were planning on operating, as the young guns up top showed their work-rate, pace and nous in creating chances, with the QPR defenders struggling to contain the driving force, particularly of Tyrhys Dolan.
Whilst Rovers don’t have much breathing room towards the top-end of the table, they’re certainly in a more advantageous position than they were at 9am, this morning. Tony Mowbray’s moved up to 3rd with today’s win, leapfrogging QPR in the process, and now sit on 57 points from 34 games with a positive goal-difference of +12.
The pressure on Rovers certainly does not ease in their next three games, with a range of sides still yet to play. Next up for Tony Mowbray’s Blues is a trip down to the Thames, where they will visit table-topping Fulham, next Saturday – (5th March) – with kick-off for the fixture at 12:30pm, as it is scheduled for coverage on Sky Sports. Three days later, Rovers are back in action as they squeeze in the rescheduled Millwall fixture at Ewood Park, which has been placed on Tuesday 8th March at 7:45pm. Following that tie, Rovers remain at home as they host Bristol City on Saturday 12th March, with Nigel Pearson’s side making the long trip up north to lock horns with Mowbray’s outfit.
