Rovers booked their names into the hat for the Carabao Cup Second Round, for the second successive season, after emerging on the right side of a pulsating 4-3 victory over League Two’s Walsall, at Ewood Park on Tuesday night.
Although Rovers fans were on a high coming into the fixture, following the morning announcement that goalkeeper, Leopold Wahlstedt, had joined the Blues from Norwegian Eliteserien side, Odds BK, there was some excitement following the announcement of the team-sheet that saw Jon Dahl Tomasson offer five full debuts.
The Dane made wholesale changes with Joe Hilton, Sam Barnes, Jake Batty, Zak Gilsenan and new signing, Niall Ennis all making their full debuts for the club. Scott Wharton, who captained the side, slotted between Barnes and Batty with Callum Brittain filling in at right-back. A midfield trio saw Adam Wharton and John Buckley partner Jake Garrett, whilst Niall Ennis led the line, flanked by Gilsenan and Ryan Hedges. The bench had a blend of youth and experience, including: Jordan Eastham, Harry Pickering, Dominic Hyam, Patrick Gamble, Sondre Tronstad, James Edmondson, Thomas Bloxham, Dilan Markanday and Harry Leonard.
Just before the visitors got the contest underway, as they looked to try and advance to the Carabao Cup’s Second Round for the second consecutive campaign, Rovers introduced their new signing, Wahlstedt to the delighted crowd.
Rovers controlled the opening 19 minutes, but their ball dominance proved meaningless as Walsall took the lead, despite playing exclusively on the counter. After the fourth-tier side won themselves a corner, which was delivered by Motherwell loanee, Ross Tierney. The cross, which was floated towards the back-post, was met by Oisin McEntee who had peeled off Callum Brittain and delivered a pinpoint looping header that ballooned over both, Joe Hilton and Sam Barnes on the line, to drop into the bottom left-hand corner of the net for a surprise 1-0 lead for the Saddlers.
The home side didn’t take too kindly to going behind as Rovers burst forwards in search of a quick-fire equaliser which they managed in controversial fashion in the 21st minute. Callum Brittain burst forwards and played a one-two with Ryan Hedges, before Niall Ennis was slipped down the right channel. Ennis showed great awareness to backheel into the marauding Hedges who took a heavy touch before sliding the ball across the face of goal where Zak Gilsenan fired at goal. The attacker’s shot was cleared off the line by the retreating Joe Foulkes, but goalline technology proved supreme as referee Benjamin Speedie pointed to his watch, as the scores were levelled at 1-1.
In the 26th minute, a short Rovers corner saw Hedges find Ennis whose point-blank effort was well saved by Jackson Smith, before his defenders cleared.
Six minutes later, the goalie was called into action again, as he did well to get behind Hedges’ long-range effort, as the ball was rammed down the ‘keeper’s throat.
Those fine saves proved vital for Smith’s side as five minutes after denying Rovers the lead, Walsall broke up the other end and re-claimed their advantage as Ross Tierney finished off a fine counter-attack. A fantastic cross-field ball by skipper Donervon Daniels saw Jake Batty left wanting as Foulkes broke in-behind the Rovers backline before squaring it to Tierney. The unmarked Irishman needed no second invitation as he swept the cross home, past Hilton and his static defence, into the bottom right-hand corner for 2-1.
Rovers weren’t going to lie down in this end-to-end contest as they drew themselves level after just three minutes, as Niall Ennis opened his account in Blue and White with a wonderfully composed finish. Adam Wharton slipped Hedges through with a delicious outside-of-the-boot pass into Hedges who fizzed a pass across the box into Ennis who controlled the ball on the penalty spot, shifting the ball from right to left, before hitting an off-balanced left-footed shot past Smith and into the bottom right-hand corner for 2-2.
As half-time approached, a minimum of five minutes were added onto the end of the first period, but they soon passed with ease as neither side managed to threaten their opposing goalkeeper despite a flurry of goals.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s reaction at the break would have been mixed. Despite his side’s fine comebacks, the boss would have been frustrated that his young team had conceded, what were in truth, sloppy goals. The Dane would have wanted more consistency from his team as, despite dominating possession, they looked at their best when playing at speed.
Mat Sadler couldn’t have dreamt of a better start to the game, against a side two tiers above them. His side showed guile, prolificacy and sturdiness to fight off Rovers’ attacks and execute their counter-attacking gameplan to a tee. Whilst the Saddlers’ boss would have been annoyed to have conceded twice in such quick succession after taking the lead, he would have been asking for more of the same from his players.
The second-half was soon restarted by John Buckley, as Rovers looked to try and replicate their First Round victory from 12 months ago, where they beat Hartlepool United, 4-0, to enter the Second Round.
Rovers soon showed their quality as they shifted up a gear in the 50th minute. Some lovely interplay down the left-hand side, saw Zak Gilsenan skip past a couple of red bodies, before finding Buckley. The most experienced midfielder of the trio collected the ball before turning and slipping an advanced Jake Garrett through with a fantastic through ball that saw the Walsall defenders turn statuesque. Garrett wasn’t phased by being in the box as he expertly shifted the ball onto his left before releasing a low, sweeping shot that curled past goalkeeper Smith and into the bottom right-hand corner to give Rovers the lead, for the first-time in the game, for 3-2.
Taylor Allen managed to craft a rare second-half foray forwards for the visitors in the 53rd minute, but Taylor Allen’s low effort proved simple food and drink for Hilton.
The 58th minute saw a double change from Jon Dahl Tomasson, as he added experience into his youthful side with the introductions of Harry Pickering and Dom Hyam, who replaced Jake Batty and Sam Barnes.
Just after the hour Gilsenan and Ennis combined but the League One champion failed to keep his effort on target as it curled wide of the near-post.
It didn’t take long for Rovers to extend their advantage and earn a two-goal cushion in the 67th minute, as John Buckley netted his first of the season, in his first game following some more fantastic leg work by Gilsenan. A first-time lofted through-ball on the swivel saw Gilsenan feed Buckley as the pair beat the high offside trap that Walsall used. Unmarked and unchallenged, Buckley kept his composure as he broke through on goal and despite the option of squaring it to Ennis, the midfielder proved single-minded as he stroked the ball home, past Smith for 4-2.
Following the goal, Walsall made a double change to react, as Aramide Oteh and Danny Johnson replaced Douglas James-Taylor and Chris Hussey.
Rovers made a change in the 70th minute, as Harry Leonard came on to lead the line with Niall Ennis earning a well-deserved rest.
In the 71st minute, Joe Hilton was called into action to deny Tierner a second goal, as the goalkeeper pulled off a fine save. Despite palming the ball into Danny Johnson the attacker’s’s follow-up was blazed over the bar, despite Hilton leaving the net unguarded.
A third Walsall change was in the offing in the 74th minute as Isaac Hutchinson took the place of the goalscorer, Ross Tierney.
With his confidence up, Garrett tried to replicate his goal with another, but his second finish lacked the accuracy of the first.
Ronan Maher became the latest introduction for Walsall, as Joe Riley was withdrawn in the 77th minute.
In the 81st minute, Johnson talked himself into the book after disagreeing with referee, Ben Speedie.
The Walsall fans were treated to a fine finish to the game as they were more than paid back the price of the admission fee as substitute Maher gave them a moment to remember with a fantastic long-range strike that left Hilton stranded. A cross-field ball by substitute Oteh, teed up his fellow substitute Maher. The Irishman did well to bring the ball into his stride, despite being seen off by Pickering, but that allowed him to find a yard of space and curl an effort over Hilton and into the top-corner of the net, to make the final six minutes, plus stoppages very nervy at 4-3.
Prior to the restart, Rovers made a double change as Dilan Markanday and Sondre Tronstad entered the fray, with Adam Wharton and Zak Gilsenan being withdrawn.
As the 90th minute ticked onto the clock, the drama and the substitutions saw a minimum of eight minutes being added onto the end of the game, as Walsall’s tails were up with their fans urging them on.
Despite some renewed energy from Walsall, they nearly managed to kill all hopes of a potential comeback as Harry Leonard charged ‘keeper Smith, but the shot-stopper managed to recover, despite Leonard threatening to tap the ball into an empty net.
The game’s final chance saw Hedges forcing Smith into keeping his side alive in the tie, momentarily, as goalie did well to deny Ryan Hedges in the 97th minute, which soon signalled the end of the tie, which brought a collective sigh of relief across Ewood Park, which was mixed with excitement, given the talents they had seen on display, this evening.
Although the opposition were of the fourth tier, a side with an average age of 22.45 more than proved their worth. Whilst Tomasson did admit in his post-match interview, that he was unhappy with the first period, the boss would have loved the fact that Rovers had managed to come from behind to win a game – a feat that they did not achieve at all last season, until the final day bonanza at The Den against Millwall. Whilst there is scope for a cup run to further add memories and brighten Rovers’ experience, the competition also offered the chance for youth players to shine in the future, as the likes of Zak Gilsenen, Jake Garrett and Sam Barnes – among others – did tonight.
With Rovers set to learn their Second Round fate on Wednesday night, attentions now turn back to the Sky Bet Championship, as they travel to Yorkshire on Saturday 12th August for a 3pm kick-off against Rotherham United. After mixing with the Millers, the Blues are back at home on Saturday 19th August as they host Hull City – who lost 2-1 to Doncaster Rovers in the cup, tonight – at 3pm during the weekend fixture. Following that return to Lancashire, the team are then back on the road, as they travel to Hertfordshire for a midday kick-off on Sunday 27th August, with Rovers set to appear on Sky Sports for the first-time this campaign, as they play visitors to Watford at Vicarage Road.
