Rovers earned back-to-back clean-sheets for the first time this campaign, as they returned to winning ways on home soil, after Joe Rankin-Costello’s first league goal of the season proved enough to see Rovers over the line for all three points.
Following the second international break of the season, Rovers returned to Ewood Park, following their 4-0 away victory against Queens Park Rangers, last time out. The side that Jon Dahl Tomasson chose saw one change to the pre-international break fixture. Callum Brittain came into the side to replace Dilan Markanday – who dropped to the bench – at right-wing. Adam Wharton also returned to the matchday squad, but was only among the substitutes after recovering from injury during the break. His brother, Scott, was missing however with a hamstring injury, meaning that 17-year-old Tom Atcheson earnt a place on the bench in a league game, for the first-time ever.
Following a period of silence which was observed as a mark of respect towards those who had lost their lives in the ongoing Palestine & Israel conflict, the game was kicked off by Sammie Szmodics, who was looked to add to his seven goals this campaign and help Rovers to a second consecutive win, either side of the international break. (It was also very saddening to learn, after the game, that World Cup winner, Sir Bobby Charlton had passed away. Thoughts go out to his friends & family.)
An incredibly quiet opening 20 minutes saw both sides battle to retain possession of the ball. Whilst Rovers managed to hold a majority of the play, as would have been expected, neither side were able to test their opponent’s goalkeeper, with the game starved of chances early on.
It wasn’t until the 22nd minute where the fans could get excited about something, as Callum Brittain aimed a cross towards Arnór Sigurðsson whose weak volley proved simple for Jak Alnwick to claim.
Two minutes later, Rovers were back on the attack as Szmodics managed to shuffle himself into a yard of space before trying to find the back of the net, but his effort zipped past the post.
Brittain was again pulling the strings on the right-hand side, as he managed to pick out Joe Rankin-Costello with a low cross, after the midfielder – who scored a hattrick against Accrington Stanley in a behind closed doors friendly during the break – made a bursting run into the box, but he slipped as he shot, which saw him drag the effort wide as a result.
The game’s first booking appeared in the 33rd minute as Tyrhys Dolan caught Dimitrios Goutas with a late challenge.
Only two minutes later, Goutas picked himself up off the floor and seemingly managed to nod Cardiff City ahead, after he met a left-hand corner with a powerful header, however after a moment of deliberation by referee, Bobby Madley, the goal was chalked off after it was deemed there had been a foul by Karlan Grant on Rovers’ Swedish goalkeeper, Leopold Wahlstedt.
After one minute of time was added onto the end of the game, the first-half’s final act saw Dolan and Sigurðsson play a one-two, before the #10’s effort trickled wide of the mark, before the half-time whistle was blown moments later.
It was a tepid first-half from either side and Jon Dahl Tomasson would have been calling for more urgency from his side, who seemed happy to tap the ball around against a Cardiff City who seemed pleased to sit deep and try and play on the counter-attack. The Rovers boss would have wanted his side to step up and put their attacking quality on show, as they did in the final game before the international break.
Erol Bulut, however, would have been pleased with his side’s defensive displays as they had minimised Rovers’ efforts. Whilst the Turk would have been fuming about his side’s goal being disallowed, he would have also reminded his players that they did have an attacking obligation and that they should have aimed to be more pro-active in the second-half, rather than reactive.
Once both sides had returned to the pitch for the second period, it was Ryan Wintle who got the ball rolling for the second-half, as the Bluebirds were looking for their first Ewood triumph since the 4-1 victory back in 2012.
Like the first period, the second-half started quietly before it burst into life in the 53rd minute when Joe Rankin-Costello continued his fine form to put Rovers ahead inside the first ten minutes of the second period. After Hayden Carter’s header forwards was expertly chested and controlled down by Tyrhys Dolan who was unmarked despite being surrounded by three City shirts. The winger, still unopposed, then slid a pinpoint through ball past Mark McGuinness, into the path of Rankin-Costello whose first-time side-footed effort went through Jak Alnwick and settled into the middle of the goal, via a deflection off the goalkeeper, for 1-0.
In the 57th minute, Szmodics found Brittain, before the #2’s cross-cum-shot was deflected into the path of a maroon shirt, before the visitors cleared their lines.
Just after the hour mark, Cardiff made a double change as Ollie Tanner and Yakou Méïté replaced Ike Ugbo and Josh Bowler.
Four minutes after the Cardiff changes, Rovers had one of their own as Niall Ennis replaced Arnór Sigurðsson.
The visitors soon made a third swap in the 66th minute, as Callum Robinson entered the fray at the expense of Ryan Wintle.
Jamilu Collins became the first Bluebird to be booked in the 68th minute after he gestured for Rovers to be awarded a booking following a foul by a Blue and White shirt on the edge of the City penalty area.
Rankin-Costello was running the show for Rovers from an attacking perspective, as he won the ball high up the field after play was restarted with a City free0jucjm before he broke forwards and looked certain to double his and his side’s tally, before Perry Ng’s recovery tackle denied a second goal as Rovers were awarded a corner, which the visitors cleared.
Ng was soon called into action up at the other end of the pitch, as in the 77th minute, he picked out Callum Robinson inside the area, however the former Preston North End forward, who scored at Ewood Park in the Carabao Cup fixture between the two sides earlier this season, failed to get this effort on target.
Despite his great work and the netting of the opening goal, Joe Rankin-Costello was allowed a standing ovation as he was soon withdrawn in the 78th minute and was replaced by Rovers’ club captain, Lewis Travis.
Simultaneously, Cardiff made their own change as Rubin Colwill replaced Joe Ralls.
In the 80th minute, Leopold Wahlstedt showed his worth and alertness as he was called into action to make a vital save, despite having very little to do throughout most of the game. After Ollie Tanner picked the ball up inside the Rovers half, the former Lewes midfielder – who had broken the deadlock in the South Wales Derby earlier in the season with his first Bluebirds goal – tried to recreate that strike by cutting inside onto his left as he looked to curl the ball into the top right-hand side of the goal, yet he was foiled by the huge frame of Wahlstedt, as the Swede made a superb save to keep Rovers’ lead intact.
Cardiff soon became desperate as they looked to pile bodies forwards into the box as time became scarce. In the 87th minute, Rovers did manage to win a free-kick, just inside the Cardiff half, but Dom Hyam – who started the day as the Rovers skipper before Travis’ introduction – was shown a booking after Bobby Madley deemed he had spent too long deliberating over the set-piece.
Despite their being a minimum of four added minutes added onto the end of the game, as Cardiff continued to push forwards before seeing their move break down ahead of them pulling the trigger, the final whistle soon came, as Rovers managed to secure another three points and a clean-sheet which will further boost their morale ahead of what is another busy stint in their schedule.
Whilst it’s fair to say that that performance wasn’t as free-flowing and as enthralling as we’ve had this season, it feels all the better when you come out of the game with all three points and a clean-sheet! Rovers showed that they were capable of being mentally strong and learning how to grind out a result despite not being at their peak and fluid best. Special mention should be given to Joe Rankin-Costello for his goal, but also to Tyrhys Dolan after such a composed, well-skilled assist and vision to pick out the run of the midfielder, despite being crowded by maroon shirts. Furthermore, praise should be given to the defence and Wahlstedt, who both picked up a second consecutive clean-sheet for what was the first-time this season. James Hill at right-back has been incredibly solid since his introduction on the right-hand side in the 1-0 defeat to Coventry City as he utilised all of his physical attributes, including speed and height, as well as his solid defensive awareness.
The table is starting to take shape as the games get ticked off, as despite Rovers still sitting in the bottom half of the table in 15th place, they currently sit only two points off 6th place in the division, still with 34 games of the campaign remaining.
Next up for Rovers is a midweek trip to London, where they will face managerless Millwall on Tuesday 24th October at 7:45pm. After that tie, they’re back at Ewood Park on Saturday 28th October to host another Welsh side, in Swansea City. Once those two league matches are out the way, the path is cleared for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side to buttheads with 2021 Champions League winners, Chelsea, in the Third Round of the Carabao Cup. The tie at Stamford Bridge is set for Wednesday 1st November with kick-off pencilled in for 7:45pm.
