Bolton Wanderers (2) 2 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Wheater 29, 35 Nzonzi 56 Referee: A. Marriner Attendance: 26,901 If a week is a long time in politics, four days seems to be an eternity for followers of the Rovers. Just four days ago the fans left Ewood Park buoyed by a resounding victory over Sunderland that lifted the club six points clear of the relegation zone. Since then, Liverpool have done their best to ensure that Sky have another last-day thriller to cover with regard to relegation, while the Rovers have again proved good neighbours and presented the Reebok outfit with another three points. The loss of six points to the Trotters may very well be the difference between survival and relegation. If it's the latter fate that awaits us, we can have nobody to blame but ourselves. Over the course of two games a very mediocre Bolton side have proved that they are superior to the Rovers and have been rewarded with maximum points. Today was always going to be an emotional affair and the pre-match tributes to Fabrice Muamba clearly galvanised the fans and players of Bolton. The Ewood faithful rightly played their part in the tributes to Muamba, but sadly once the game got underway, it became clear that the Rovers were clearly unsettled by the electric atmosphere that reverberated around the stadium. Steve Kean resisted the urge to recall Bradley Orr and went with the line-up that had started the last two matches. However, whilst the individuals may have been the same, the tactics seemed decidedly different. Instead of rampaging runs down the wings by the Olsson twins, or Junior Hoilett running at the heart of the defence and playing off Yakubu, we were reduced to aimless long balls which were often over-hit and directed at nobody in particular. Watching Paul Robinson hoof the ball to the other end of the field for it to roll harmlessly out of play for a goal-kick did little to inspire the belief that the Rovers actually had a serious game plan for this fixture. Indeed, one could easily have believed that it had been the Rovers who had been seriously disrupted in their preparations for this match, such was the lack of any semblance of a tactical plan. The first forty-five minutes provided a depressingly familiar tale with the Rovers looking decidedly uncomfortable when defending the flanks. Martin Petrov gave Jason Lowe a very difficult afternoon and the former Manchester City man was unfortunate not to score on more than one occasion when he cut in and shot across the face of the goal. However, his crosses, and there was a steady stream of them throughout the game, caused consternation among the ranks of the visiting defenders. The Rovers were a tad unfortunate not to be given a penalty when Junior Hoilett went down in the area after falling over the leg of Gretar Steinsson on 24 minutes. It was the type of challenge which has resulted in penalties before, but on this occasion, perhaps swayed by the emotion of the day, Mr Marriner opted to give the Bolton man the benefit of the doubt. On 29 minutes Bolton took the lead after the Rovers defence, clearly in the same benevolent mood as Mr Marriner, opted not to mark Wheater but to allow him to nod home Petrov's left-wing cross unchallenged. The goal was the signal for the home fans to sing out Fabrice Muamba's name all around the stadium, but on this occasion the Ewood faithful remained silent, perhaps stunned by the inept defending. The Rovers tried to get back into the game, but Yakubu was unable to reach Martin Olsson's inviting cross which curled across the Bolton goalmouth. Six minutes after taking the lead Bolton struck again. Ryo Miyaichi's corner kick found the head of Wheater, who was again unmarked, and the Bolton centre-half duly found the back of the net with a powerful header whilst the Rovers players merely looked at one another in bewilderment. It was a bewilderment shared by the large travelling contingent of Blackburn supporters, who had the misfortune to witness this shambolic performance. If the players were looking to the manager for a lead they were sorely disappointed. As impassive as ever, Steve Kean merely stood on the touchline looking every bit as bemused as the rest of us. Hopes that the second half would bring a different approach and perhaps a change in personnel proved unfounded as the Rovers continued in the same manner as they had done during the first forty-five minutes. Long balls which occasionally found Yakubu, but more often didn't, were the order of the day. Hoilett was man-marked throughout, which seriously diminished his threat — clearly this page is missing from Mr Kean's copy of the coaching manual. On 56 minutes the Rovers hauled themselves back into the game thanks to the tried and trusted long throw of Morten Gamst Pedersen. He hurled the ball towards the near post and Steven Nzonzi rose to deftly glance the ball into the far side of the net with Adam Bogdan helpless to prevent it. Within minutes Bolton might well have stretched their lead, but fortunately Mark Davies headed wide. With Yakubu ineffective and Hoilett marked out of the game, the Rovers lacked any penetration as an attacking force. On 68 minutes Kean hauled off the hugely disappointing Mauro Formica and sent on David Dunn. However, in truth, it did little to change the course of the match. With Orr, David Goodwillie and Anthony Modeste available, not to mention the bearded Simon Vukcevic, it was not as if the manager was short of options: admittedly none of them particularly enticing options, but they were options. However, ideas for changing the tactical set-up were clearly in short supply as the Rovers continued with the same aimless long ball. Under a previous manager the long-ball game meant getting people in and around the target area to pick up the second ball. Under Kean it was left to Yakubu to make the best of it on his own — that is, on the all too rare occasion that the balls were fired at him with any degree of accuracy. What made the approach all the more disappointing was the fact that Bogdan looked anything but secure when put under pressure at crosses. However, all too often he was allowed to come and claim the ball without a Rovers player getting anywhere near him. As the minutes ticked by, the Rovers' approach became even more frenetic as they went in search of a second goal. However, apart from a near-post effort from Yakubu, following a rare Hoilett cross, the Rovers failed to put the Bolton goal under any serious pressure. The home side seemed to be physically wilting in the closing stages, but the Rovers simply lacked the ability to break them down. The final whistle was greeted with an outpouring of relief by the home crowd and players alike, whilst some Rovers fans became embroiled in an unsavoury exchange of words with Pedersen. Admittedly, it was not one of the Norwegian international's better performances, but he was hardly alone in being out of sorts. Paul Robinson had little to do but pick the ball out of the net on two occasions, but his distribution was, at times, woeful. I lost count of the number of times he over-hit the ball so that it either ran harmlessly out of play or went straight to a Bolton defender. The back four endured a very difficult afternoon and looked anything but convincing. Jason Lowe is not the first full-back to find Petrov a handful and in fairness he got little support from Formica. However, Petrov proved to be a danger man throughout and the Rovers simply failed to get to grips with him in the same way that Bolton managed to nullify Hoilett. Grant Hanley and Scott Dann were not at their best and Dann, in particular, had a very poor game. He failed to pick up Wheater on set-pieces and his passing was exceptionally poor. Martin Olsson was probably the pick of the defenders, but he was unable to support the attack as he normally does. It was in midfield that the Rovers looked quite threadbare. Steven Nzonzi didn't enjoy one of his better afternoons, while Morten Gamst Pedersen struggled with the physical nature of the midfield battle. Both players were guilty of careless passing and neither was able to get forward to support the attack in any meaningful way. On the flanks both Marcus Olsson and Mauro Formica struggled to make an impact. Olsson's pace was occasionally put to good use, but there was no end product. Formica had another embarrassingly indifferent afternoon and one really does begin to wonder if this lad is cut out for the rigours of Premier League football. Junior Hoilett was simply marked out of the game, while Yakubu had one of those frustrating afternoons where he was unable to get into the game. In fairness, the lack of quality with regard to the service he was given goes some way to explain why the game passed him by. For the past two games the manager rightly received praise for his tactics and line-up. However, today, when the initial tactical plan had clearly failed, he was unable to come up with an alternative. Quite why we adopted the long-ball game and approached it in the manner we did is beyond my understanding. Hoilett and the Olsson twins buzzing around Bolton's somewhat ponderous centre-backs would surely have been a better option than trying to use the Yak as a battering ram. Even that might have worked if he had been given better service and support. However, once again, the manager's ability to think on his feet and make the changes that might alter the course of a game must be questioned. With eight games left, it is beginning to look as though eight points will be the very least that is required to survive. The run-in is quite daunting and at the moment it would appear as if wins against Norwich City and Wigan Athletic will be vital if we are to remain in the Premier League. Four days after the elation of the win over Sunderland, the Rovers are once again back in the thick of the relegation battle. With United next on the agenda, one suspects that things are going to get an awful lot worse before they get better — if indeed they do get better. Teams Bolton Wanderers Adam Bogdan; Gretar Steinsson, David Wheater, Tim Ream, Sam Ricketts; Mark Davies, Nigel Reo-Coker, Darren Pratley; Miyaichi Ryo, David Ngog (Ivan Klasnic 78), Martin Petrov Subs not used: Jussi Jaaskelainen (gk), Marcos Alonso, Zat Knight, Chris Eagles, Kevin Davies, Marvin Sordell Manager: Owen Coyle Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson; Mauro Formica (David Dunn 65), Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Marcus Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Bradley Orr, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, David Goodwillie, Anthony Modeste Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Bolton Wanderers – None Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe, Marcus Olsson Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 1 – 0 (0) Watford Rhodes 90 + 2 Referee: C. Boyeson Attendance: 13,233 For the second time in a matter of days Eric Black saw his team grind out a vital win and collect another valuable three points. Whilst Black's brand of football may not always be easy on the eye, there is no doubt that he has brought a little more organisation to the side. I suspect that most would agree that whilst the football might not be free-flowing, Black has certainly tightened up the defence and made the Rovers harder to beat. The trick, of course, is to keep it tight at the back whilst playing a more expansive game in attack. However, whether Black has the players at his disposal to do this is highly debatable. Thus, for the moment, we must grateful for back-to-back wins and successive clean sheets. With David Dunn injured and Martin Olsson dropped to the bench, Black kept faith with the players who had finished the game against Sheffield Wednesday in midweek . As well as Olsson the bench also contained a couple of unfamiliar names in Rosado, who had been on the bench on Wednesday night without getting into the action, and Raheem Hanley, who made his first appearance on the bench for the senior squad. Like the Rovers, the visitors are a club in transition and coming to terms with foreign ownership. In the case of Watford the Pozzo family already own two other clubs — Udinese and Granada — and in Gianfranco Zola have appointed a head coach who is well versed in the demands of English football. However, the influx of sixteen new signings in the summer has led to not unexpected inconsistency and, once again, Zola rang the changes to his line-up in search of a winning formula. With the visitors coming to terms with their new line-up and the Rovers happy to retain possession without ever really threatening the opposition goal, the first half proved to be something of a non-event. Neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled, although Bradley Orr appealed in vain for a penalty for handball when his attempt at goal bounced off a defender for a corner. Although the Rovers forced a number of corners during the early stages, Manuel Almunia, the former Arsenal custodian, didn't seem unduly troubled and on occasions was able to come and claim them without any pressure from a Rovers player. His first real save came in the twenty-sixth minute when he spilled a long-range effort from Jason Lowe but managed to collect it at the second attempt. In truth, the visitors offered very little going forward and on the one occasion that a shot was aimed at the Rovers goal, Paul Robinson was able to gather it with very little difficulty. However, although the Rovers enjoyed the majority of the possession, they were unable to turn it into genuine attempts on goal. Once again, Jordan Rhodes was asked to plough a lone furrow up front with Ruben Rochina supposedly operating just behind the Scottish striker. However, for much of the half the young Spaniard dropped deeper into midfield to collect the ball and, although neat and tidy in possession, he didn't really get into positions where he would hurt the opposition. As a result the main support for Rhodes came from Colin Kazim-Richards and unfortunately the Turkish international has been frustratingly inconsistent since he returned from injury. The pace and power he displayed in the opening two games seems to have been replaced with a more tetchy and sedate style which has incurred the wrath of referees and supporters alike. Whether he is still suffering from the after-effects of his injury is unclear, but at the moment he has yet to produce the form of the opening week of the campaign. Kazim-Richards had a shout for a penalty rejected when he attempted to reach a cross from Morten Gamst Pedersen. However, the referee felt that the Turkish international's claims that he was pulled back were overly optimistic and waved play on. On the brink of half-time Rhodes, who had continued to struggle as the lone striker, managed to set up a chance for Dickson Etuhu, but the former Fulham man blazed his shot well over the bar. The Rovers suffered a blow early in the second half when Gael Givet was forced to succumb to an injury picked up in an earlier challenge. Martin Olsson replaced him but, once again, seemed out of sorts and reluctant to embark upon those rampaging runs down the wing which have become the hallmark of his game. Although the Rovers continued to probe for an opening in the visitors' defence, there was a lack of pace and penetration about their play. Whilst sideways and backwards passes ensured that the Rovers kept possession, it meant that they made little headway. Indeed, it wasn't until the sixty-fifth minute that Almunia was forced to make a save when Kazim-Richards got on the end of a Pedersen cross but headed the ball straight into the arms of the goalkeeper. Twelve minutes later the Rovers were literally handed the perfect opportunity to win the match when a shot from Rhodes struck the arm of Tommie Hoban and the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. However, nothing is ever straightforward with the Rovers these days and there then followed a rather lengthy debate between Rhodes and Kazim-Richards over who should take the penalty. Whilst the majority of the fans no doubt fully expected Rhodes to take the kick, it was Kazim-Richards who grabbed the ball and opted to take the kick. He approached the ball in a confident fashion and then promptly smashed the spot-kick against the crossbar and Watford cleared the rebound. Nuno Gomes replaced Pedersen and almost immediately created a chance for Rochina, who had been largely anonymous during the second half, but the Spanish youngster fired his effort high over the bar. As the game approached its end, matters might have got worse for the Rovers, but Scott Dann was alert and prevented Troy Deeney from getting in a shot when in a good position. As the game moved into the five minutes of injury time, the Rovers snatched the points with another wonderful piece of opportunism from Rhodes. Danny Murphy and Kazim-Richards worked the ball to Rochina, whose shot was blocked, but the ball rebounded to Rhodes. The Scottish international took one touch to control it and then crashed a left-foot effort past Almunia into the back of the net. The final whistle brought an outpouring of relief rather than celebration as another indifferent performance had delivered a vital three points. Once again, Black set up a team that was solid at the back and difficult to penetrate. Jason Lowe and Dickson Etuhu anchored the midfield in front of the back and thus prevented the visitors from creating the time and space required to expose the Rovers' back line. The Rovers struggled to make things happen in the final third of the field, but up to that point they looked comfortable in possession. Once again, most of the danger came from set-pieces with Morten Gamst Pedersen whipping in crosses from corners and free-kicks which were always a threat. However, few chances were created from general play with Jordan Rhodes being left totally isolated for much of the game. The way in which he took his chance in injury time was another illustration of the fact that Rhodes is more of an old-fashioned inside-forward rather than a centre-forward. One feels that with a target man alongside him he would score more goals than he does at present with someone playing behind him. In this game Ruben Rochina continually drifted too deep and although his passes looked good at times, they were rarely of the variety that would hurt the opposition. Although this game is not destined to live long in the memory, the fact remains that in any promotion chase the results are far more important than the performances. If the Rovers are celebrating a return to the top flight in May 2013, nobody will remember, or indeed care, about how it was achieved. However, promotion still looks a long way off and the squad still has serious question marks about its ability to win games in sufficient numbers to achieve the goal of promotion. There are, of course, more pressing matters for the powers that be at Ewood Park to deal with. Four weeks have passed since Kean resigned and the search for a new manager appears no nearer a solution. However, of greater concern must be the fact that the departure of Kean has not seen the crowds return to Ewood Park and there is no doubt that the general dissatisfaction and disillusionment with Venky's is having a damaging financial impact at the club. Advertising hoardings are still empty, a shirt sponsor is still lacking, match sponsorship appears at an all-time low and, of course, the fans are still staying away. A win is said to paper over the cracks, but in the case of the Rovers it is chasms rather than cracks which have to be covered over and one can only feel that it is essential that the new manager is not only successful on the pitch but has the charisma off it to bring the fans back to Ewood Park. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Grant Hanley, Scott Dann, Gael Givet (Martin Olsson 56); Colin Kazim-Richards, Jason Lowe (Danny Murphy 89), Dickson Etuhu, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Nuno Gomes 78); David Dunn (Ruben Rochina 35); Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Mauro Formica, Raheem Hanley, Diogo Rosado Caretaker Manager: Eric Black Watford Manuel Almunia; Lloyd Doyley, Fitz Hall, Tommie Hoban, Marco Cassetti; Jonathan Hogg, Mark Yeates (Cristian Battocchio 81), Connor Smith, Franchone (Joel Ekstrand 74); Troy Deeney, Fernando Forestieri (Alex Geijo 85) Subs not used: Jonathan Bond (gk), Sean Murray, Matej Vydra, Ikechi Anya Manager: Gianfranco Zola Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Gael Givet, Scott Dann, Ruben Rochina Watford – Marco Cassetti Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Rovers Reserves (1) 2 – 4 (3) Everton Reserves Slew 43, Anderson 70 Vellios 5, 40 (pen), 42, Baxter 68 Referee: M. Salisbury Attendance: 333 On a freezing Monday night in January there was little incentive to make the 70-mile round trip to a "home" reserve game at Leigh Sports Village, particularly as the Rovers have failed to win a match all season. However, 333 hardy souls braved the bitterly cold weather to watch this latest set-back for the Reserves, although the overwhelming majority of fans were either locals who fancied a game of football or Evertonians. Fans from Blackburn at these games are becoming increasingly depleted in number. Even by their standards the Reserves made a desperately poor start to the game with the visitors going ahead after only five minutes. A left-wing corner was swung over by Adam Forshaw and Apostolos Vellios rose above the defence to power a header into the roof of the net. Bruno Ribeiro was on the line, but, not being the tallest, he was unable to get anywhere near the ball, let alone keep it out. The Rovers struggled to get a foothold in the match during the early stages despite the fact that Nick Blackman looked surprisingly lively on the right wing. On more than one occasion he ghosted past opponents and on one occasion he fired a fierce shot goalwards which Marcus Hahnemann did well to keep out. Everton had a goal ruled out when Vellios was adjudged to have pushed Jake Kean when the two went up for a cross. It looked a harsh decision as Kean seemed to misjudge the flight of the ball and Vellios appeared to make little or no contact with him. The visitors looked the better side and the Rovers were restricted in their attacking moves, although Zac Aley came close with a header which flew wide. Five minutes before the break the visitors doubled their lead after Ribeiro found himself the wrong side of Vellios in the penalty area and brought the Everton man down from behind as he was setting himself to shoot. Although Kean guessed correctly, Vellios had placed his spot-kick to perfection and it beat the outstretched arm of Kean and found the corner of the net. Two minutes later and Vellios was able to celebrate a hat-trick after Anthony O'Connor was beaten in the air and the Greek striker ran on to slot the ball home. The flurry of goals continued as the Rovers hit back immediately with Jordan Slew finding the back of the net from the right of the penalty area. After having been outplayed for much of the first forty-five minutes, the Rovers might well have pulled another goal back in the dying seconds of the half when Zac Aley saw a looping header bounce off the crossbar. The Rovers enjoyed greater possession in the second half and Josh Morris had the Everton custodian worried with an effort that flashed past his post with the veteran Hahnemann seemingly well beaten. However, it was the visitors who increased their lead with a fine individual goal from Jose Baxter. As the Rovers defence backed off him, the former England youth international smashed the ball into the back of the net from about 20 yards out. It was a terrific strike and one which gave Kean no chance to save. The Rovers pulled a goal back in the most unlikely of circumstances when Anderson hooked the ball over his shoulder and beat a startled Hahnemann from Aley's long throw. From that point on, it was Everton who took control of the game and quickly stifled any attempts by the Rovers to get back into the game. In truth, the visitors always looked the better side and the Rovers did well to keep them down to four goals. It was another disappointing show on a bitterly cold night. No matter how Gary Bowyer shuffles the pack, a winning combination continues to elude him. Adam Henley looked the one player on view who one could see as a possible first-teamer, but sadly too many of the others have looked pretty ordinary this season. Whatever problems Steve Kean might have between now and the end of the season, the solutions are unlikely to come from the Reserve team. Teams Blackburn Rovers Reserves Jake Kean; Bruno Ribeiro, Anthony O'Connor, Myles Anderson, Adam Henley; Nick Blackman, James Knowles, Josh Morris, Zac Aley; Tom Hitchcock (Jamie Maclaren 76), Jordan Slew Subs not used: Sebastian Usai (gk), Jackson Ramm, Reece Hands, Daniel Laverty Coach: Gary Bowyer Everton Reserves Marcus Hahnemann; Tyias Browning, Eric Dier, Johan Hammar, Ibou Touray; Magaye Gueye (Christopher Long 90), Jose Baxter, Adam Forshaw, Conor McAleny (Hallam Hope 79), James McFadden; Apostolos Vellios (John Lundstram 81) Subs not used: Adam Davies (gk), Adam Thomas Coach: Alan Stubbs Bookings 
Blackburn Rovers Reserves – Bruno Ribeiro Everton Reserves – None Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Middlesbrough (0) 1 – 0 (0) Blackburn Rovers Jutkiewicz 67 Referee: M. Atkinson Attendance: 22,882 As I sat down to write this report early on Thursday morning, news began to filter through from India that Henning Berg was about to be removed as manager of Blackburn Rovers. It was, therefore, somewhat ironic that the Rovers, in what has turned out to be Berg's last game in charge, should have given an improved performance even if the end result was depressingly familiar. Middlesbrough looked somewhat leggy in the opening half after their exertions at Elland Road on Saturday whereas the Rovers, fresh from a weekend off, looked the better side for long periods of the opening half. However, apart from a first-minute effort from Colin Kazim-Richards which hit the inside of a post before rebounding to safety, the Rovers failed to trouble Jason Steele despite having the lion's share of possession. The home side improved after the interval and once they took the lead the rest of the game had a depressingly familiar look about it. Dreams of promotion back to the Premier League are surely now well and truly over for this season. Indeed, the main aim is now to ensure that we are still in the Championship next season and don't slip even further down football's food chain. Whilst many may believe that to be unthinkable, the sad fact is that the Rovers are now hovering dangerously over the drop zone and unless this run of defeats can be halted, League One football might well become a reality. Once again the pre-match chatter was about team selection. Gael Givet, Dickson Etuhu and Simon Vukcevic were all dropped from the eleven that had performed so poorly at Bloomfield Road, while Grant Hanley, Danny Murphy and Diogo Rosado stepped up to replace them. The Australian rookie, Sebastian Usai, took his place on the bench as the back-up 'keeper, which again led fans to speculate on the future of Paul Robinson particularly as news of Brad Friedel signing a new two-year deal at Tottenham was announced as we were making our way up to Middlesbrough. The Rovers began brightly and might have taken the lead within the opening minutes but for the intervention of a post. Joshua King and Martin Olsson linked up well on the left wing and when the Swedish international full-back crossed into the area, Kazim-Richards latched onto it and sent in a shot across goal which hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety. The Rovers were looking very lively and another cross from Olsson was just too fierce for Rhodes to reach. However, the former Huddersfield man was soon back in the action with a shot which flew narrowly over the bar. Jason Steele was called into action to hold onto an effort by Rosado as the Rovers looked far more comfortable than they have done for some time away from home. Middlesbrough seemed strangely lethargic, although shots from Marvin Emnes and George Friend suggested that the home side still had the potential to trouble the Rovers. Joshua King looked lively down the left and on a couple of occasions he left defenders in his wake only to let himself down with a poor final ball. As the half progressed, the game became a little more even with both goalkeepers seeing more of the action, but in truth neither was seriously troubled. The second half started with the Rovers again taking the game to Middlesbrough and Steele was again called upon to make good saves from both Danny Murphy and Kazim-Richards. But it was Middlesbrough that took the lead on 67 minutes with a well-worked move that left the Rovers defence floundering. Friend played an accurate ball out of defence to Lucas Jutkiewicz on the half-way line. He, in turn, flicked the ball out to Scott McDonald, who then drove towards the Rovers penalty area. McDonald played the ball back to Jutkiewicz, who took the ball past Olsson before firing home from the edge of the area. The goal seemed to take the wind out the Rovers' sails and, as Murphy tired, the Rovers enjoyed less and less possession as Middlesbrough looked increasingly comfortable. The Rovers fans began the ritual "Venky's Out" chant and the mutterings against the players and management grew ever louder. Berg delayed the introduction of a substitute until David Dunn entered the fray on 80 minutes, but for whatever reason he was asked to occupy a position out wide on the left wing. Ruben Rochina replaced Rosado on 83 minutes and the young Spaniard almost snatched an equaliser in the dying minutes. He slammed a free-kick tamely against the wall but made better contact with the rebound, which Steele did well to turn around the post. As I close this report, it appears that events have overtaken me and that Berg and his backroom staff have been removed. Circus Venky it would appear is in full swing and one can only feel sorry for Berg, who found that working for Venky's and Shebby Singh is, indeed, a thankless task. One can only wonder who the next unfortunate soul to pick up this poisoned chalice will be. However, whilst Venky's and Singh remain, we all know that whoever gets the gig they will struggle to overcome the sheer madness that now infests Ewood Park at every level. It is difficult to comprehend how this once great club has been brought to its knees so quickly by one family in India who just over two years ago were completely unknown to the people of Blackburn. Teams Middlesbrough Jason Steele; George Friend, Jonathan Woodgate, Andre Bikey (Rhys Williams 46), Justin Hoyte; Emmanuel Ledesma, Josh McEachran (Richard Smallwood 56), Grant Leadbitter, Scott McDonald; Lukas Jutkiewicz, Marvin Emnes (Nicky Bailey 72) Subs not used: Jayson Leutwiler, Kevin Thomson, Ishmael Miller, Andy Halliday Manager: Tony Mowbray Blackburn Rovers Jake Kean; Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Scott Dann, Martin Olsson; Colin Kazim-Richards, Jason Lowe, Danny Murphy Joshua King; Diogo Rosado; Jordan Rhodes. Subs not used: Sebastian Usai (gk), Gael Givet, Simon Vukcevic, Dickson Etuhu, Morten Gamst Pedersen Manager: Henning Berg Bookings Middlesbrough – Emmanuel Ledesma Blackburn Rovers – Adam Henley Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Charlton Athletic (1) 1 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers Jackson 27 Etuhu 16 Referee: D. Deadman Attendance: 17,169 Steve Kean may have vacated the building, but little else had changed with regard to what was produced on the pitch. Sloppy at the back, lacklustre in midfield and a strike force that spent much of the match isolated and feeding on scraps was the order of the day at The Valley. This performance illustrated just what a big job any new manager will have in trying to turn this underperforming group of individuals into a winning team, for once again the Rovers were second best for much of the match. One assumes that the match plan was that laid out by Kean and his coaching staff during the week and a couple of changes were made to the team which suffered defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough. Jason Lowe and Morten Gamst Pedersen occupied the wide positions in midfield in place of Bruno Ribeiro and Fabio Nunes, who both dropped to the bench. The opening was a fairly cagey affair, but it was the home side who almost drew first blood when Salim Kerkar drove the ball low and hard across a packed goalmouth and saw his effort flash just wide of the far post. However, within a minute of that narrow escape the Rovers had taken the lead courtesy of a wonderful flowing move which was started by Dickson Etuhu. The former Fulham midfielder found Jordan Rhodes, who played the ball back to Nuno Gomes and the Portuguese international delivered an inch-perfect ball into the path of Etuhu. The Rovers midfielder capped a powerful run with a perfect finish and again underlined the fact that he has the potential to become the type of box-to-box player that the Rovers so badly need at the moment. Having taken the lead on 16 minutes, the Rovers began to look more confident and there was a much more fluid approach to their play. However, just as the large travelling support started to believe they might be witnessing the rebirth of a new and brighter future, the old failings returned. The referee adjudged that Leon Cort had been pushed as he rose for a header and pointed to the penalty spot. Both Scott Dann and Pedersen had jumped with Cort and the referee seemed to indicate that an incredulous Pedersen was the man he was holding responsible. However, Paul Robinson came to the rescue. Although Johnnie Jackson sent the former England man the wrong way, he saved the shot with his legs. Sadly, the relief was short-lived for the travelling fans as the Rovers failed to clear the ball and when Danny Green fired in a shot, Jackson was able to divert it into the back of the net. It was yet another sloppy goal to concede as the Rovers had had ample opportunity to clear the ball. It would appear that the page about "kicking the ball into row Z" and regrouping appears to be missing from the Rovers' defensive coaching manual. The equalising goal, on 27 minutes, completely changed the complexion of the game as the Rovers, inexplicably, went back in their shell and allowed Charlton to dominate them for the remainder of the match. The home side developed a number of promising moves which needed a string of blocks from the visiting defenders to keep the scores level. Gael Givet, Bradley Orr, Martin Olsson and Scott Dann all blocked efforts which looked to be on target, and on one occasion the woodwork came to the rescue when Green's effort from the edge of the area struck a post. The second half started with the surprise appearance of Grant Hanley in place of Givet. The former French international had been involved in one or two heated discussions with colleagues during the opening forty-five minutes but certainly didn't appear to be injured. The second half started in much the same way as the first had ended with the home side in total control. As an attacking force the Rovers were practically non-existent. A half-volley from Nuno Gomes which flew narrowly over the bar was the closest the Rovers came during the second half. Jordan Rhodes struggled to get into the game and was having to feed off scraps from a midfield that was forced deeper and deeper by an energetic opposition. Inexplicably, Gomes, who was the one player who looked as if he might be able to create an opening for the Rovers, was withdrawn. Whilst the introduction of David Dunn injected some life into the Rovers, one couldn't help think that Dunny and Gomes together might well have been a combination worth trying. As the game entered its final stages, Robinson was called upon on more than one occasion to keep the home side at bay. Danny Green, who had been a constant danger on the right wing for Charlton, fired narrowly wide and then forced Robinson to brilliantly turn aside a fierce drive. With the game deep into injury time, Bradley Wright-Phillips produced a spectacular overhead effort which Robinson did well to turn over the bar. The final whistle was greeted with a huge sigh of relief from all concerned with the Rovers as the players celebrated another hard-won point away from home. Paul Robinson was undoubtedly the man who ensured that the Rovers returned to Lancashire with a precious point. He produced some excellent saves as the home side looked ready to overwhelm the Rovers at times. In defence the Rovers simply don't appear to have the right balance. Neither full-back looked particularly comfortable. Martin Olsson, in particular, allowed Danny Green far too much time and space, while Bradley Orr was again found wanting for pace at times. In truth, neither full-back offered too much in an attacking sense with Olsson only making occasional overlapping runs. In midfield the Rovers looked quite pedestrian at times, which was a surprise considering the fluidity that produced the goal. Dickson Etuhu again suggested that he could be the ideal "box-to-box" player if he was given more freedom to get forward. However, he seems to be under instructions to remain shackled to Danny Murphy at the moment. Murphy was again disappointing and is really struggling to find the form which impressed so many during his time at Fulham. Not only does he look slow in movement at the moment, but he seems slow in thought and is too easily caught in possession. An on-form Murphy ought to be able to dominate games but at the moment he is struggling to make any impression. The use of Jason Lowe on the right-hand side of midfield was mystifying. Having seen Simon Vukcevic give an impressive performance for the Reserves earlier in the week, it was depressing to see Lowe plodding up and down the wing. Having watched Lowe over the years in the Academy and Reserves, I've never quite seen what he brings to the team and certainly not in a wide midfield role. Morten Gamst Pedersen has been much maligned and is clearly not the player he once was but seems fundamental to the way the Rovers are playing at the moment. Both Dann and Robinson continually fired the ball in his direction as he was the one player who was capable of winning the ball in the air. With Pedersen being asked to play narrow it required Olsson to overlap and this simply didn't happen enough. Again, one has to point a finger at the coaching staff for the lack of organisation. In attack, Nuno Gomes was a shining light. He tried to instigate things despite the appalling service he received. Sadly, not all his colleagues are on the same wavelength and don't always read where he is going to put the ball or when he is going to dummy a defender to allow the ball to run through into space. Apart from the goal, it was Gomes who came closest to scoring with his half-volley that flew narrowly over the bar. Jordan Rhodes endured another frustrating 90 minutes with the £8 million striker being starved of service for much of the afternoon. If the Rovers can't get the ball to him in the final third, then he becomes impotent as an attacking force. At The Valley he was having to drop deeper and deeper to get the ball and, as a result, became less of a threat to the opposition. Dunny gave a bright cameo late on and again reminded everyone that he still has something to offer. One can't help but feel that Dunn and Gomes might be a combination worth trying in a bid to deliver a better quality of service to Rhodes. If we are not going to utilise the wings then we need people who can pass the ball accurately in the centre of the field. Results elsewhere demonstrated, once again, just what an open league the Championship is. There are no outstanding teams and everyone appears to be capable of winning games and losing games in equal measure. With the money that has been invested in the Rovers squad, we really ought to be producing better performances than we have done thus far. However, having failed to produce any level of consistency this season, the fact remains that we are only one point off the top of the table. If the owners make the right appointment, there is every chance that their wish of returning to the Premier League might yet be achieved. However, this is Venky's and with rumours of interest in Garry Flitcroft as a possible managerial candidate one cannot help but fear the worst. Teams Charlton Athletic Ben Hamer; Lawrie Wilson, Leon Cort, Michael Morrison, Chris Solly; Danny Green, Dale Stephens, Danny Hollands, Salim Kerkar (Cedric Evina 90); Johnnie Jackson (Bradley Pritchard 53); Bradley Wright-Phillips Subs not used: David Button (gk), Scott Wagstaff, Jordan Cook, Michael Smith, Dorian Dervite Manager: Chris Powell Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Gael Givet (Grant Hanley 46), Martin Olsson; Jason Lowe, Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu, Morten Gamst Pedersen; Nuno Gomes (David Dunn 73); Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Fabio Nunes, Mauro Formica, Ruben Rochina, Bruno Ribeiro Caretaker Manager: Eric Black Bookings Charlton Athletic – None Blackburn Rovers – Danny Murphy, Jason Lowe Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Watford (0) 4 – 0 (0) Blackburn Rovers Deeney 52, 61, Abdi 67, Briggs 75 Referee: N. Miller Attendance: 13,775 For forty-five minutes Watford reminded me of the Rovers in the late 1980s when we challenged for automatic promotion before hitting the wall in the final weeks of the campaign and then being grateful to clinch a play-off place. In the first half, Watford looked like they had hit that wall as their football stuttered and they failed to make the most of their dominance in possession. They carved out just one chance in that opening period and were then denied by a brilliant save from the increasingly impressive Grzegorz Sandomierski. However, after half-time it was a completely different story as Watford began to play a brand of football so reflective of their manager, whilst the Rovers simply had no answer to the quick incisive passing of the home side. Time and time again the Rovers defence was carved open and Sandomierski was left totally exposed by a fragile back four and an increasingly overwhelmed midfield. Not for the first time this season the gulf between the Rovers and the opposition has been huge; indeed there is a positive chasm between the Rovers and a top six berth. All the teams in the top six are literally on a different level to the Rovers at present, particularly when the Rovers have to visit them. Whilst the Rovers may have the highest wage bill in the Championship, claims that they have the best squad in the league have been cruelly exposed as little more than wishful thinking. After the success in the last two home games the Rovers again struggled to make much headway on their travels. Eight away games in 2013 have produced just two points from a possible 24 and with trips to Millwall and Birmingham City still to come it underlines the importance of the remaining home game against Crystal Palace. For the trip to Vicarage Road, Gary Bowyer made just one change with injury ruling out Jason Lowe and David Dunn returning to the starting line-up. Neither side looked particularly threatening in the opening stages. Dunn tried to instil some life into the Rovers' attacking play, but a couple of early efforts went well wide. Watford, too, huffed and puffed but didn't really threaten Sandomierski and when a clever piece of play by Almen Abdi set up a shooting chance for Fernando Forestieri, the Polish 'keeper had no trouble saving a rather weak low shot. The home side conceded an indirect free-kick in the area due to a mix-up following a stoppage for treatment to a Watford player. The referee dropped the ball and a Rovers player was supposedly about to pass back to the 'keeper. However, confusion seemed to set in and for some reason a Watford player passed the ball back to Manuel Almunia, who inexplicably picked the ball up. In spite of vigorous protests by the home side the referee awarded an indirect free-kick to the Rovers, but when the ball was passed to Dann he skied his shot high over the bar. However, moments later Sandomierski was forced to make two saves of the highest quality. Troy Deeney, Watford's impressive centre-forward, sent in a powerful header which Sandomierski did well to get down to and keep the ball out. However, the ball merely rebounded off Scott Dann and seemed destined for the net until the young Polish 'keeper produced another reflex save to keep his goal intact. Forestieri had another attempt at goal which flew narrowly wide, but in truth Watford had looked nervy and very disappointing during the opening half. The Rovers never looked like they might threaten to score, with Rhodes being caught continually offside as he became increasingly isolated from the rest of the team. Nonetheless, hopes were high at the interval that the Rovers might hold out and snatch a precious point. Alas, those hopes were quickly dashed. Watford came out looking like a different team and after only seven minutes they had taken the lead. Forestieri cut inside from the left and slipped the ball to Deeney, who managed to evade the challenge of Gael Givet before firing the ball hard and low across goal into the bottom corner of the net. Although Sandomierski was at full stretch, he was unable to make a save as Deeney had placed his shot to perfection. After an hour the Rovers had a chance to get themselves back in the game when Dunn refused to give up on a ball that seemed destined to go out of play. Having got possession he crossed for Rhodes, who rose to send a powerful header over the bar. That was the last that was seen of the Rovers as an attacking force as Watford took complete control of the game from that point on. Within a minute of the Rhodes miss, Deeney scored his second goal of the game when he again combined with Forestieri. Once again, Forestieri played a delightful ball which left the Rovers defence flat-footed and allowed Deeney to beat Sandomierski from close range. At this point Karim Rekik replaced Givet, who appeared to be carrying a knock, and five minutes later the home side were celebrating a third goal. Once again it was Forestieri who was pulling the strings when he fed Almen Abdi, who was in the area and wasted no time in blasting the ball past Sandomierski. The Rovers looked a well-beaten side by this time and on 75 minutes Sandomierski had to be alert to tip a volley from Ikechi Anya behind. Unfortunately, the resultant corner ended with substitute Matthew Briggs firing home amidst a melee in the penalty area. With Watford in complete control and the Rovers happy to see out time there was yet another moment of madness from the men from Ewood Park. Leon Best, who hadn't won a header all afternoon, decided to "nut" Marco Cassetti in an off-the-ball incident. Best was rightly shown the red card as Rovers fans implored the referee to send him off. The dejected figure of the former Newcastle man left the field with the cries of "Cheerio, Cheerio" ringing in his ears as the travelling fans let their feelings be known. The fact that a straight red will mean he misses the rest of the season was viewed as the only positive to be taken from the game for many of the travelling supporters. The second-half display was simply inexcusable with only Grzegorz Sandomierski emerging with any credit. The Polish international 'keeper kept the Rovers in the game in the first half and could do little about any of the goals in the second period. The young 'keeper was badly let down by those in front of him. Todd Kane and Markus Olsson were both disappointing in the full-back positions. Both wandered forward and ended running up too many blind alleys. Both lost possession at key moments and both were found wanting defensively as Watford kept two players hugging the touchline at all times. The centre-back pairing of Scott Dann and Gael Givet did well enough in the first half, but Givet picked up a knock early in the second period and struggled until he was withdrawn after the second goal. Rekik and Dann both struggled to get to grips with the quick inter-passing of the Watford forwards once they upped the tempo. In midfield the Rovers struggled with Lee Williamson and David Jones playing as the holding midfield players. Both got better as the game went on, but ultimately they were unable to stem the tide when Watford upped their game. In front of these two Bowyer employed Leon Best on the right, David Dunn in the middle and Joshua King on the left. Best was a virtual spectator from start to finish until he opted for an early holiday with a moment of sheer lunacy. The key question around Best surrounds his fitness. After a number of knee injuries there must be a question mark with regard to his long-term fitness. King had another indifferent game. There were one or two flashes of pace from him, but ultimately they led to nothing. Dunny was not at his best, but he was the only player who looked capable of trying to provide a spark in the centre of the pitch. However, the truth of the matter is that the Rovers had nobody who had the passing ability of Fernando Forestieri, who seemed to run the game in the second half. Once again, Jordan Rhodes struggled to make any impression in another away match. With the Rovers sitting deep and trying to attack on the break, Rhodes' lack of pace proved something of a problem as he was continually caught offside in the first half as he tried to steal a march on the defenders. In the second half he completely faded from the picture as the Rovers failed to get any telling possession in the Watford half of the pitch. With eight minutes to go he was replaced as Gary Bowyer looked to protect him for the game at Millwall on Tuesday. Millwall is another six-pointer, but one which gives the Rovers a wonderful opportunity to pull clear of the bottom three. Another three points and the Rovers will surely be destined for another season of Championship football, whilst a draw at Millwall wouldn't be the worst result in the world. Despite the second-half debacle at Vicarage Road, I'm still of the opinion that the Rovers will survive this season, but what happens next season is anybody's guess. Unless there are drastic changes behind the scenes and within the squad, one really does fear for the future. Teams Watford Manuel Almunia; Lloyd Doyley, Joel Ekstrand (Matthew Briggs 69), Marco Cassetti; Ikechi Anya (Sean Murray 83), Jonathan Hogg, Nathaniel Chalobah, Almen Abdi, Daniel Pudil; Troy Deeney, Fernando Forestieri (Matej Vydra 76) Subs not used: Jonathan Bond (gk), Mark Yeates, Alex Geijo, Cristian Battocchio Manager: Gianfranco Zola Blackburn Rovers Grzegorz Sandomierski; Todd Kane, Scott Dann, Gael Givet (Karim Rekik 62), Markus Olsson; Lee Williamson, David Jones; Leon Best (sent off 90 + 5), David Dunn, Joshua King (Nuno Gomes 72); Jordan Rhodes (Josh Morris 82) Subs not used: Sebastian Usai (gk), Bradley Orr, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Goodwillie Caretaker Manager: Gary Bowyer Bookings Watford – Joel Ekstrand, Marco Cassetti Blackburn Rovers – Lee Williamson, Karim Rekik, David Jones Sending off Blackburn Rovers – Leon Best Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

On 29 September 1951, goals from Les Graham and Joe Harris earned the Rovers a 2–0 win over Notts County at Ewood Park. It was the tenth match of the season and prior to that game the Rovers had drawn 2 and lost 7 of their nine previous Second Division encounters. The following week the Rovers beat Everton at Goodison Park before embarking on another run of five successive defeats. After 16 games the playing record stood at won 2, drawn 2 and lost 12. Reason enough for instant dismissal of the manager you might think. But no, Jackie Bestall was allowed to continue, results improved, including a run of seven successive victories, and the Rovers finished six points clear of the relegation zone. The record of Steve Kean since his unexpected promotion to the managerial position nearly a year ago has been similarly dismal, but history suggests getting sacked by Blackburn Rovers mid-season is no easy feat. When a manager has retained the confidence of his employers, he has been able to get away with indifferent results for perhaps longer than would be afforded him at other clubs. In this respect, Steve Kean is certainly not the first manager at Ewood Park to benefit from a patient and prudent approach that appreciates the value of long-term stability. What makes him unique in this regard, however, is that he has no managerial track record that his employers might have taken into account to allow him more time. Furthermore, for the first time in the club's history, the Rovers have embarked upon a poor run of results, lasting some ten months now, without any experienced administrators in the boardroom. There is no Bill Bancroft, Bill Fox or Jack Walker, who were lifelong supporters and for whom the club's well-being took precedence over their loyalty to a particular manager. There isn't even a John Williams, who, although not a lifelong fan, had become an adopted Blackburnian and had adopted the values of the men who had gone before him. Today we find ourselves in the hands of a family who, no matter how well-meaning, one suspects do not have the experience to deal with the situation that we now find ourselves in. Historically, Blackburn Rovers have always shown reluctance to engage in mid-season managerial changes and have tended to favour a more conservative approach with regard to dismissals. Since the appointment of the first professional manager in February 1922, thirty men have held the position of manager at Ewood Park, yet only eight of them have been shown the door by the club once a season was underway. Of course, there have been managers who have taken matters into their own hands and tendered their resignations mid-season for a variety of reasons. Disputes between directors and managers led to the resignations of Bob Crompton, Arthur Barritt and Eddie Hapgood. Ill health accounted for Will Scott's decision to resign, while Jack Marshall ended his time at Ewood in February 1967 in the wake of a spate of transfer requests, a run of poor results and the imposition of an assistant manager who took charge of all coaching activities. Ray Harford, who had previously tendered his resignation on a couple of occasions, only to have it rejected by Jack Walker, finally resigned in October 1996 in the wake of a series of disappointing results. Others — Johnny Carey (first time around), Ken Furphy, Jim Smith and Graeme Souness — left during the season to take other jobs and, of course, Tony Parkes reverted to the role of assistant to allow Souness to become manager in March 2000. The most tragic mid-season change was brought about by the death of Bob Crompton in March 1941. In the main the directors have waited until the close season before making changes, although several managers have, of course, been headhunted by other clubs during the summer months. Thus, the eight men sacked mid-season by those in the boardroom — Eddie Quigley, Jim Iley, Bob Saxton, Don Mackay, Roy Hodgson, Brian Kidd, Paul Ince and Sam Allardyce — are the select few, but do they have anything in common? At first glance one might assume that a poor run of results might be the answer, but that has not always been the case. Whilst there is no doubt that results have played a part, there are other factors which have come into play and which have sometimes taken precedence over results. The dismissal of Sam Allardyce by Venky's is a perfect example of other factors. His results since becoming manager in December 2008 had been generally good. Having saved the club from what seemed certain relegation, he lifted the Rovers to a highly respectable tenth place finish in 2009–10. When Venky's chose to remove him in December 2010, he had taken twelve points from the previous seven matches. Not spectacular, maybe, but certainly nothing like Steve Kean, who has taken just four points from the first seven matches of this season. While some fans expressed dissatisfaction with the style of football under Allardyce, few were concerned about results or had worries about relegation. Compare that scenario with the one we see today at Ewood Park. Now the clamour for a managerial change grows louder with each disappointing performance and the "fortress Ewood" mantra of Allardyce has become a distant memory. In its place organised demonstrations are becoming part of the matchday experience as the club remains entrenched in the relegation zone. Yet, while Allardyce was shown the door, Steve Kean enjoys a ringing endorsement from the owners, who believe he is doing a fine job. Results per se are not always the deciding factor with regard to managers making an early exit at the behest of directors and owners. There must be other factors, and history at Ewood Park would suggest that retaining the confidence of those in the corridors of power is every bit as important as the exploits on the pitch or criticism from the terraces. The relationship between manager and chairman/owner is unquestionably the most important one in any club. In the autumn of 1971 the Rovers found themselves in Division Three for the first time in the club's history and the first 15 games produced just three wins and three draws. Although the club was rooted to the foot of the table, there was never the faintest suggestion that Ken Furphy, who had become manager in July 1971, was under any pressure. He was given time to turn things around and stabilised a club that was seemingly in freefall. The key factor was that he retained the confidence of Bill Bancroft, the chairman and the man who had persuaded him to leave Watford and drop down a division to rebuild the Rovers. Furphy was a vastly experienced manager and this also helped persuade supporters to give him time to do a very difficult job. He had a proven track record in managerial terms which earned him the time to make the necessary changes. The examples of Bestall and Furphy illlustrate how an experienced manager might be given more time if he has the confidence of his employers. Equally, the role of the employer is of vital importance in determining the fate of the manager. Until the arrival of Venky's, that role was taken by men who were steeped in the traditions of Blackburn Rovers. Men like Bill Bancroft, Bill Fox and Jack Walker were lifelong supporters of the club for whom the club was a way of life. Like Bancroft, Fox and Walker before him, Williams quickly came to appreciate that the club was far more important than any individual and its survival and well-being overrode all other factors. Bancroft, Fox, Walker and Williams were nobody's soft touch. They were not men who would make decisions on the whim of the crowd. Indeed, Bancroft and Fox resolutely withstood pressure for some time from the supporters to axe Iley and Saxton respectively before they actually pulled the trigger. However, there had come a point when their personal loyalty to the manager had to take second place to the general well-being of the club. Would any of these men have sacked Sam Allardyce in December 2010 and replaced him with Steve Kean? The answer, one suspects, would be a resounding "No". The fact that Venky's removed a manager whom they believed didn't fit their vision of the club and replaced him with a man with no previous managerial experience, despite decent credentials as a coach, could be said to have demonstrated a rather cavalier approach to the future well-being of the football club. The dismal results that have been achieved over the past ten months would suggest that, to date, the decision has been far from vindicated. One might argue that Jack Walker dispensed with the services of Don Mackay in a similar fashion. Having taken control in January 1990, Walker supported Mackay during the latter part of the 1990–91 season as the club fought to stay in Division Two. Furthermore he made funds available during the summer of 1991 for the manager to strengthen the squad with the calibre of player who would help the club win promotion. Sadly, Mackay was not a name that could attract the type of player that Walker wanted and after the opening three league games of 1991–92, which brought just one point, Walker decided to make a change. However, he didn't gamble on the unknown but went for a management team he believed was best qualified to bring success to Ewood Park. The appointments of Kenny Dalglish and Ray Harford shook the football establishment and put the club back in the national spotlight. It was the sort of bold initiative that Venky's so desperately needed to copy in the wake of the sacking of Allardyce, but instead they gambled on a novice with the appointment of Kean. There have been instances in the past when calls were made for a manager to be sacked, but these have been few and far between. Of the eight who were sacked by the club during the course of a season, only Iley, Saxton and, to a lesser extent, Ince have incurred the wrath of the supporters. Quigley was shunted sideways, to look after scouting and the club's youth policy, long before there was the slightest suggestion of unrest on the terraces. Likewise, Walker removed Hodgson and Kidd before unrest had really had time to develop. In both cases he accepted that his appointments had not worked out as planned and took immediate action to remedy the situation. The first major campaign to rid the club of a manager came early in the 1978–79 season. Jim Iley had been appointed successor to Jim Smith in April 1978 and had overseen the four remaining games of that campaign. He arrived making all the right noises. He was going to continue with the attacking policy of Smith which had taken the club to brink of promotion. However, he also promised to tighten the defence, which most agreed needed attention. Sadly, the reality proved somewhat different. The new season had hardly begun before the first signs of unrest amongst the Ewood faithful began to surface. In the days before social networks, the expressions of unrest either manifested itself on the terraces or in the letter pages of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. It soon became clear that the manager had lost the support of the fans, the local media and, so rumour would have it, the players — indeed, Simon Garner's book suggests the rumours had strong foundations. The only people who seemed to stand behind the manager were Bill Bancroft and his fellow directors. Perhaps Bancroft realised that without the necessary transfer funds to strengthen his squad that Iley would need time to impose his ideas on the existing playing staff. However, having sanctioned the signings of Alan Birchenall and Joe Craig, Bancroft witnessed the two make a losing debut at home to Charlton Athletic. It proved to be a defeat too far and Bancroft reluctantly came to the conclusion that the club's best hope of survival was without Iley. He was sacked after only 172 days in charge, the majority of which were during the close season. Unfortunately, the move couldn't help save the club from relegation as Bancroft found that there were no takers for the vacant manager's position. In the end, he had to appoint John Pickering, the first team coach, to the position of manager and despite his best efforts he couldn't keep the club out of the relegation places. The supporters became embroiled in a similar campaign in 1986–87 when Bob Saxton was at the helm. Saxton had been manager since the summer of 1981 and in the main had done an excellent job. On a shoestring budget he had established the club as a potential promotion candidate and went quite close to gaining First Division status in 1984–85. He had been forced to work with a very small squad due to the dire financial situation which existed at the club at that time. Bill Fox, the chairman, managed the books with an iron grip that made Scrooge appear a positive spendthrift. In retrospect, he did a brilliant job in keeping the club afloat, although many of us, at the time, didn't appreciate how serious the situation was and became increasingly critical of both manager and chairman for the lack of spending. As the team started to age together, results began to falter under Saxton. The 1985–86 season saw the team saved from relegation on the last weekend of the campaign. After opening the following season with three successive wins, the Rovers didn't win another game until 22 November. The natives became more than restless and protests became a regular event at Ewood Park. There was nothing pre-planned but simply a reaction to the latest disappointing performance. Appreciative of the work that Saxton had done and with the players fully behind their manager, Fox stood firm in the wake of these protests. However, a Boxing Day defeat at Ewood Park, against relegation rivals Huddersfield Town, brought matters to a head. Fox had backed his manager as long as possible, but the point had been reached where a change had to be made and so, reluctantly, he parted company with Saxton. Don Mackay was brought in and not only did he lead the club to a mid-table position but he also took the club to Wembley and won the Full Members' Cup. More recently, the dismissal of Paul Ince came after a dismal winless run of 11 successive league games. Although there was growing dissatisfaction with the manager's performance, it was not on the same scale of the protests in the 1970s or 1980s. However, defeat at Wigan on 13 December 2008 was the sixth successive league game that had been lost. John Williams and David Brown, the Walker Trust representative on the Board, looked at the faces in the dressing room that day, after the defeat, and were both of the opinion that a change had to be made if the club was to survive. On the following Tuesday, Ince was sacked and the next day Sam Allardyce was appointed manager. The result was that the club survived and the following season went on to finish in a very respectable tenth position. In contrast to the above accounts of ultimate failure, there are numerous examples of men who have presided over a run of disastrous results and yet lived to tell the tale, so to speak. Jack Marshall won three and lost eighteen games during the second half of the season in 1965–66, which resulted in the club being relegated, and yet he wasn't replaced. Although out of contract, the Board asked him to continue on a week-to-week basis and ultimately he didn't leave the club until February 1967 when he tendered his resignation despite the club challenging for promotion. Similarly, Jim Smith, a hugely popular manager at Ewood Park, had a difficult start to his tenure at the club. Only two of the first fourteen league matches that he presided over were won and the club spent the majority of the season fighting relegation. Nonetheless, he retained the full support of the Board, players and supporters. As the Rovers prepare for the next Premier League game of the 2011–12 season under current manager Steve Kean at Queen's Park Rangers, the clamour for the removal of Kean continues to grow and yet, despite five defeats from the opening seven league games, he retains the confidence of the owners. Many who have retained their jobs in the past, in the wake of disappointing results, did so because of an impressive managerial CV that convinced their employers that they could turn things around, while some, as we have seen, had a decent managerial record behind them yet were axed when they lost the confidence of those who employed them. What makes Kean unique in this situation is that support for him is extended without any track record whatsoever to back him up. In the past, it has been the support of the Board or the owner that has been the key factor in a manager retaining his position at Ewood Park rather than results alone and so it is today. However, in the past the men holding the fate of the manager in their hands have had a wealth of experience to call upon in helping them to make that decision of whether to sack or not. Unfortunately, October 2011 finds Blackburn Rovers with owners who have no such knowledge on which to base their decisions. Thus, the future of our club rests in the hands of a family who, no matter how well-meaning, are left to make decisions which can be little more than a leap in the dark. Perhaps that should be the greatest worry for all supporters of Blackburn Rovers. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 2 – 0 (0) Ipswich Town Rhodes 64, Gestede 80 Referee: K. Stroud Attendance: 13,281 (635 Ipswich fans) Jordan Rhodes broke the deadlock after a dour opening forty-five minutes and not only set the Rovers on the way to victory but also severely dented the play-off hopes of one of his former clubs. Like Rovers, Ipswich Town seem destined for another season of Championship football. Fortunately, for the Rovers, the blossoming partnership between Rhodes and fellow goalscorer Rudy Gestede suggests there may be brighter days ahead at Ewood Park next season. The introduction of Gestede in place of David Dunn was the only change that Gary Bowyer made to the team which had drawn with Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday night. Dunn dropped down to the bench, which also included Dickson Etuhu for only the second time in an injury-plagued season. The Rovers made a bright start with Lee Williamson testing Dean Gerken within the first minute. However, hopes of another goal fest quickly disappeared as the game settled down into a rather drab, end-of-season affair. Ipswich looked quick and inventive in midfield but had little in the way of end product. The Rovers looked better at the back than in recent games, but the midfield struggled to provide Rhodes and Gestede with the type of service that they require. Both sides had a string of half-chances that never quite threatened to break the deadlock. Jonathan Williams provided Daryl Murphy with a chance thanks to an intelligent cutback, but Murphy blazed his effort over the bar. Murphy then headed over after more good work by Williams. The Rovers responded with a decent effort from Tom Cairney which Gerken saved. Gestede then fired a 25-yard drive just over the bar. The Rovers again threatened from a set-piece when a Craig Conway free-kick was met by Gestede, but sadly his flicked effort was saved by Gerken on the line. Ipswich went straight up to the other end after Anthony Wordsworth set Murphy free. Murphy's low cross was met by Aaron Cresswell, but the left-back's shot was bravely blocked by Matt Kilgallon and Williams' follow-up attempt was well saved by Paul Robinson. As the half drew to a close, the Rovers had a strong penalty shout when Gestede went down seemingly pushed under the close attention of Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra. However, the referee was unmoved and waved play on. The second half started in a very similar manner to the first before Ipswich started to create one or two half-chances. The ever dangerous Williams hit the Rovers on the break, raced away but fired wide from a tight angle. Then Frank Nouble had an effort well saved by Robinson after the Ipswich wide man fired in a terrific drive from the edge of the area. Gradually, the Rovers began to get on top and Gestede, who had given the visiting defence a torrid time, won another aerial battle to provide Conway with a chance which he blazed over the bar. On 64 minutes the Rovers opened the scoring and once again it was Gestede who created the chance after he cushioned Grant Hanley's long ball into the path of Rhodes. The former Ipswich striker, who had been relatively quiet up to this point, took the ball on before guiding a low shot beyond the despairing dive of Gerken. With the deadlock broken, Ipswich visibly wilted and the Rovers started to exert more and more pressure on the visiting defence. Indeed, the Rovers might well have doubled their lead after seventy-six minutes when Tommy Spurr's low cross was flicked on by Rhodes into the path of Gestede, but, on the stretch, the Benin international fired over the bar. However, four minutes later he found the back of the net in typical style. Rhodes was fouled near the right-hand corner flag and Conway floated a tempting cross into the box and Gestede rose to head home. With the game comfortably won, Bowyer was able to introduce Luke Varney, David Dunn and Etuhu as the Rovers continued to dominate proceedings. Varney and Cairney both had late efforts blocked as the Rovers ended their run of four consecutive draws with a well-deserved victory. Paul Robinson made a couple of saves early on to keep Ipswich at bay and again underlined the fact that he is the undisputed number one 'keeper at Ewood. Michael Keane gave another good performance at right-back and looks likely to retain that position for the remainder of the campaign. Grant Hanley enjoyed a steadier game in the heart of the defence and had a hand in the opening goal for the Rovers. Matt Kilgallon made a vital block to keep out Aaron Cresswell in the first half and gave another impressive performance in the centre of defence. He continues to look a very astute signing on the part of Bowyer. Tommy Spurr was sound defensively and in the second half in particular got forward to support the attack. Tom Cairney enjoyed time and space on the right and was able to drift infield to probe the Ipswich defence. He also had a couple of decent efforts on goal. Corry Evans worked hard box-to-box and tried to get forward to support the attack. Sadly, a groin injury brought an early end to his afternoon. Lee Williamson, after a quiet first half, was a dominant figure in midfield in the second period. He took control of the midfield as the game went on and stopped the flow of the Ipswich forward movement. Williamson does a lot of the dirty work in midfield that doesn't always catch the eye but has looked increasingly impressive in the absence of Jason Lowe. Craig Conway again underlined what a bargain buy he has turned out to be with another cross which ended in a goal. He was a constant thorn in the side of the Ipswich defence and again impressed not only with his delivery but also his work-rate. Rudy Gestede completely dominated the Ipswich defence with his powerful style of front running. He created the first goal with a deft touch and scored the second with a typically powerful header. Another astute signing on the part of Bowyer. Jordan Rhodes was relatively quiet until Gestede presented him with a chance to do what he does best and finish in style. He is beginning to form a very promising partnership with Gestede which augers well for next season. Luke Varney, David Dunn and Dickson Etuhu all arrived late in the game and had little time to make an impact on proceedings but underlined that once everyone is fit the Rovers will have a pretty strong squad going into next season. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michael Keane, Grant Hanley, Matt Kilgallon, Tommy Spurr; Tom Cairney, Corry Evans (Luke Varney 78), Lee Williamson (Dickson Etuhu 90 + 2), Craig Conway; Rudy Gestede (David Dunn 83), Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Simon Eastwood (gk), Josh King, Chris Taylor, Liam Feeney Manager: Gary Bowyer Ipswich Town Dean Gerken; Luke Chambers, Christophe Berra, Tommy Smith, Aaron Cresswell; Anthony Wordsworth (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 73), Cole Skuse, Luke Hyam (Paul Green 90), Frank Nouble; Jonathan Williams (Stephen Hunt 86); Daryl Murphy Subs not used: Scott Loach (gk), Tyrone Mings, Jay Tabb, Frazer Richardson Manager: Mick McCarthy Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Matt Kilgallon, Lee Williamson Ipswich Town – Anthony Wordsworth, Luke Chambers Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (2) 3 – 3 (1) Brighton & Hove Albion Rhodes 25, Cairney 42, Rhodes (pen) 86 Rodrigues 17, Greer 79, Stephens 88 Referee: K. Hill Attendance: 12,332 (272 Brighton fans) Eight goals have been scored in the past week by Blackburn Rovers and yet those three games have brought a return of just three points. If anyone wants to know the reason why we will be playing Championship football next season, they need look no further than the defensive frailties which return to haunt Gary Bowyer time and time again: An experienced England international goalkeeper, with 40 caps to his name, who is continually exposed on his near post. A budding Scottish international centre-half who struggles to dominate aerially in his own penalty area. A right-back spot which has become something of a poisoned chalice and so on and so on. The woes of the Rovers' defensive backline is, for me, the real story of why the Rovers have been unable to mount a sustained challenge for a play-off spot. Defensive inconsistency has been the real Achilles' heel for the Rovers. Three clean sheets in February ought to have been the perfect platform to mount a play-off push in March. Sadly, the defence has simply fallen apart over the past eight matches. Conceding a staggering nineteen goals in these games meant any realistic play-off challenge was well and truly holed below the waterline. Success is usually built on a solid defensive platform rather than the rickety structure that passes for the Rovers defence these days. Above all, we need a leader at the heart of the defence who can organise on the pitch and hold the defensive unit and the team together. Whilst the result and the manner in which the three goals were conceded proved disappointing, there was still much to admire about the Rovers performance in this game. The manager made just one change to the team which drew at Millwall at the weekend with Tom Cairney returning after injury at the expense of Luke Varney, who dropped to the bench. Rovers were given a pre-match boost with news that Grant Hanley's red card had been overturned and the Scottish international was free to play. In a game that had become a "must win" for both clubs in terms of clinging to rapidly diminishing play-off hopes, it was the visitors who started the more brightly. Keith Andrews, the former Rover who has become something of a pantomime villain for some Rovers fans, was at the forefront of most of Albion's early moves and he fired a 25-yard effort narrowly over the bar. Andrews then sent in a dangerous cross which Paul Robinson did well to gather and avert any danger. For a team that had lost its previous three games without finding the net the visitors looked increasingly dangerous going forward and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring on 17 minutes. The goal itself was a relatively simple affair with a long ball by Bruno Saltor being headed on by Jose Ulloa into the path of Jesse Lingard on the right. He made progress down the wing but faced with Matt Kilgallon he simply slipped the ball into the path of David Rodriguez on the right of the penalty area and the young Spaniard merely moved it away from Hanley and then fired a low shot which beat Robinson on his near post and found the back of the net. The Rovers again showed the spirit which Gary Bowyer has engendered in the team by hitting back fairly quickly after this reverse, although, it must be said, luck was very much on our side. Rohan Ince tried to bring the ball out of defence but was robbed by Cairney. The ball was played to Lee Williamson, who was brought down on the edge of the box. Cairney took the kick but seemed to mishit it and the ball went along the ground towards the far post where Jordan Rhodes demonstrated his predatory instincts and in an instant had run onto the ball and fired home from close range. The play became more even, but Robinson had to be alert to keep out another effort from the ever dangerous Rodriguez, although he hadn't realised that a linesman had flagged for offside. Excellent interplay by Cairney and Craig Conway provided a heading opportunity for Rhodes, but the Scottish international was just wide with his attempt. Another cross from Conway was met by the head of David Dunn, but the ball was deflected wide. Just as it looked as if the teams would end the half on equal terms, the Rovers produced an excellent piece of football which resulted in a second goal. Conway and Corry Evans combined to set Tommy Spurr free down the left wing. The former Doncaster man showed great pace to get past a defender and once inside the area he drove the ball across goal to the far post where Cairney rifled the ball home from the tightest of angles. The Rovers started the second half in search of a third goal to kill the game. Another cross from Conway deflected off Bruno and looped over Tomasz Kuszczak and onto the bar. Albion's Polish international 'keeper then made a routine save from a fierce effort from Rhodes and then pulled off a much better save to keep out a low shot from Conway which seemed to be destined for the bottom corner of the net. Cairney was the next to have an effort on goal saved by Kuszczak. The visitors hit back with a splendid effort from substitute Solly March which flashed across the six-yard box before Robinson was forced to make a one-handed save to his left to keep March out. Once again, the Rovers defence proved vulnerable to a simple corner routine. On 79 minutes a corner from Kazenga LuaLua was met by former Rover Gordon Greer, who steered the ball home at the near post. With the game seemingly drifting to another draw the Rovers were thrown a lifeline when Rhodes found himself sandwiched between defenders as he attempted to reach another cross from Conway. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and, despite some delaying gamesmanship on the part of Kuszczak, Rhodes slotted the spot-kick home with some aplomb. That goal ought to have won the game and brought three points which would have kept the slimmest of play-off hopes alive. However, the Rovers' penchant for self-destruction surfaced once again just a couple of minutes later. Lingard was given too much room and his cross from the left found Dale Stephens, who had evaded his marker and ghosted into a position which enabled him to head home and equalise. Rudy Gestede came on in a last-ditch bid to find a fourth goal but his back-post header was just off target. The official crowd was given as 12,332, but many felt the empty spaces around the stadium suggested that many ticket-holders had opted to spend the evening elsewhere. Paul Robinson had a mixed evening. He was badly caught out at his near post for the first goal but made one or two decent saves afterwards. Michael Keane was steady at right-back and tried to get forward to support the attack. Grant Hanley was another who had a mixed evening with one or two decent tackles but a number of rash challenges which saw him caught out by fleet-footed opponents. Matt Kilgallon, like Hanley, had a difficult evening at times, whilst on other occasions he did some decent work in the centre of defence. Tommy Spurr put in a steady performance defensively and played a vital part in the second goal for the Rovers and looked very good going forward. Tom Cairney made a welcome return on the right of midfield and was a major driving force in creating things for the Rovers in the first half. He took his goal extremely well before fading as the game went on. Corry Evans worked hard in the centre of midfield alongside Williamson before his evening ended early after picking up a knock in the second half. Lee Williamson played his part in the first goal for the Rovers and proved a tenacious opponent in the centre of midfield, working hard before being withdrawn late on. Craig Conway was the outstanding performer for the Rovers on the night. He supplied a steady stream of crosses and was a constant thorn in the side of the visiting defence. David Dunn gave his usual workmanlike performance in trying to open up the opposing defence. It's just a pity that he can't last ninety minutes these days because there is no doubt that the Rovers are a better side when he is on the pitch. Jordan Rhodes continues to show a welcome return to form and the opening goal was a real goal poacher's effort. The penalty was his fiftieth goal for the Rovers. Chris Taylor worked hard when he came on but never looked like making a difference in terms of opening up the Brighton defence. Josh King had one decent run but was largely kept quiet during his brief appearance. Rudy Gestede had one header which just went wide but wasn't on long enough to have any real impact on the game. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michael Keane, Grant Hanley, Matt Kilgallon, Tommy Spurr; Tom Cairney, Corry Evans (Chris Taylor 68), Lee Williamson (Rudy Gestede 88), Craig Conway; David Dunn (Josh King 70), Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Simon Eastwood (gk), Todd Kane, Luke Varney, Liam Feeney Manager: Gary Bowyer Brighton & Hove Albion Tomasz Kuszczak; Bruno Saltor, Gordon Greer, Matthew Upson; Stephen Ward, Keith Andrews, Jake Forster-Caskey (Solly March 63), Rohan Ince (Dale Stephens 46), Jesse Lingard; David Rodriguez (Kazenga LuaLua 76), Jose Ulloa Subs not used: Peter Brezovan (gk), Lewis Dunk, Inigo Calderon, David Lopez Manager: Oscar Garcia Bookings Blackburn Rovers – None Brighton & Hove Albion – Solly March, Bruno Saltor Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Barnsley (1) 2 – 2 (2) Blackburn Rovers Proschwitz 29, O'Grady (pen) 69 Cairney 36, Gestede 44 Referee: S. Stockbridge Attendance: 9,703 (684 Rovers) As Gary Bowyer is apt to remind us "there are no easy games in this division". Barnsley might well be languishing at the bottom of the league, but in the second half they displayed the type of battling qualities that may yet see them clamber out of the relegation zone. However, their greatest ally might well be secured by drafting in Sebastian Stockbridge and his linesmen to officiate at their future matches. For the third successive league game the decisions of officials, with regard to awarding penalties, swayed the outcome and decided the destination of the points. Of course, it would be wrong to put the whole of the blame for this disappointing result on the shoulders of another set of incompetent officials. They seem to be par for the course in the Championship. In many ways the Rovers were the architects of their own downfall by not making more of the possession which they enjoyed during the first half. Having overrun Barnsley for much of the first forty-five minutes, they only had a one-goal margin to show for their dominance and then, in the second half, found themselves being forced to defend as Barnsley upped the tempo of their game. Ultimately, it was another soft penalty decision which proved to be the deciding factor, whilst two strong penalty claims by the Rovers went unanswered. Whatever one thinks of the tactics that the Rovers employ there can be no argument that the club are not getting the rub of the green with regard to key decisions or injuries. Gary Bowyer made a change to the starting eleven with Ben Marshall ruled out by injury and Chris Taylor dropping down to the bench. David Dunn and Lee Williamson came into a midfield that adopted a narrow diamond formation with Dunny playing just behind Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes. The width was supplied by Adam Henley and Tommy Spurr trying to get forward at every opportunity. The Rovers took the initiative from the start and within five minutes Luke Steele was forced to make a save to keep out an effort from Tom Cairney. On seven minutes a cross from Spurr was heading towards the head of Rhodes in front of goal, when he was flattened from behind. Although the ball came out to Gestede, his shot was saved by the legs of Steele. However, it is difficult to imagine a claim for a more blatant penalty than the Rovers had for the foul on Rhodes and yet Mr Stockbridge appeared completely unmoved. Undeterred, the Rovers continued to pin the home side back in their half as they passed the ball around with growing confidence. Gestede, who was looking very dangerous, had another effort blocked and Dunn was just wide with a clever chip. Dunn, who was at the heart of everything in the opening half, played an inch-perfect pass out to Henley, who was galloping down the wing. The young full-back's cross found Spurr on the left and his shot took a deflection off Rhodes and seemed goalbound until Steele made a save. It was difficult to see how the home side would get in the game and then, on 17 minutes, Nick Proschwitz beat the offside trap and found himself in front of goal with just Paul Robinson to beat. The time and space which the striker had seemed to take him by surprise and when he finally got his shot away, Robinson produced a brilliant piece of goalkeeping to get down to his right to make a one-handed save. The Rovers had another glorious chance on 23 minutes when Cairney's corner found the head of Gestede, but on this occasion the former Cardiff man's attempt was off target. On 29 minutes Barnsley had their second chance of the game and on this occasion made no mistake. A wickedly curling cross from Dale Jennings completely deceived Grant Hanley and once the centre-back missed the ball it was too late for Henley to pick up Proschwitz, who rifled the ball into the back of the net from point-blank range. The Rovers continued to take the game to Barnsley and got the goal that their efforts deserved on 36 minutes and what a goal it was. Dunn and Gestede, who were the spearhead of all Rovers' attacking moves, combined in a move which saw the ball break for Cairney, who hit the perfect shot from fully 25 yards over Steele and into the net. The Rovers were now in complete command, as they had been for most of the half, and on 44 minutes Gestede gave the Rovers the lead. The architect of the goal was Dunn, who went on a great run before finding Gestede with a superb pass. The striker wasted no time in beating Steele at the near post with a shot which flew into the back of the net. Danny Wilson made one change at half-time as he looked to try to get his team a foothold in the game. However, it was the Rovers who had the first opportunity of the half when Dunn again split the defence with a pass that gave Cairney the chance to shoot. Sadly, on this occasion the former Hull man was just too high with his effort. Wilson made two further changes as Barnsley suddenly started to cope with the Rovers' dominance in midfield. Indeed, Williamson was having to work overtime to cover the gaps that suddenly started to appear. With Dunny tiring, Lowe struggling and Cairney fading, the home side began to dominate the possession in the middle of the park. Williamson, to his credit, kept things ticking over by winning tackles and keeping the passing simple. Just as it looked as if the Rovers had weathered the storm the officials conspired to throw the home side a lifeline with a very soft penalty decision against Spurr. A cross from Barnsley's left wing was deflected high in the air and as Liam Lawrence waited for the ball, he clearly felt the presence of Spurr at his back and went to ground. As the referee hesitated, the linesman, who was looking at the front of Lawrence and certainly couldn't see what was going on behind the Barnsley player, flagged for a penalty which the referee duly gave. Chris O'Grady made the most of the gift and converted the spot-kick. Things went from bad to worse for the Rovers when Williamson, who had enjoyed an excellent second half, was sent crashing to the ground in an aerial duel and had to be stretchered off after a long delay while he received treatment. The injury resulted in nine minutes of added time and both sides went in search of a winner. Rhodes, who had been virtually anonymous for much of the match, fired into the side-netting, whilst Hanley was unfortunate to see a delicate glancing header deflected just wide when it seemed destined for the net. The Rovers continued to search for a winner and really ought to have snatched it at the death when Spurr's corner found Rhodes in front of goal, but the striker headed well wide when in a good position. In the final minutes Robinson had to tip an effort from Jim O'Brien away when it looked as if the visitors might have grabbed a late and undeserved winner. In many ways a draw was a fair result with the Rovers dominating the first half and Barnsley enjoying more of the second period. In the first half the Rovers played some excellent football but didn't make their superiority count in terms of goals. In the second period the home side got the better of the Rovers in midfield with only Williamson offering the required resistance. Sadly, one or two players were a little below par with Lowe and Rhodes making little impact, whilst Taylor and Josh King offered less than one might have expected when they came on as substitutes. In the end the result was influenced, once again, by officiating that was dubious at best. Rovers could easily have had two penalties — the Rhodes incident and one when Henley was felled in the area — but in the end got neither. Barnsley, on the other hand, received the softest of decisions. They say that decisions even themselves out over the course of the season, so the Rovers are due quite a windfall of good fortune in the final months of the campaign. Whilst it was a frustrating night for the travelling fans, the fact remains that the Championship throws up this type of result on a regular basis. At the moment the Rovers are a decent top-ten side but are, perhaps, a player or two short of being top-six material and are certainly some way off being ready to challenge for automatic promotion. Nonetheless, having gone from relegation battlers less than twelve months ago to a comfortable top-half side is progress even if the progress is not as rapid as some would like. The Rovers are now five points adrift in the race for sixth place — six in effect when goal difference is taken into account — and there is now little margin for error if the Rovers want to keep the season alive. The visit of Blackpool at the weekend gives them an opportunity to get back to winning ways, but the Seasiders themselves are due a change in fortunes, so it promises to be another intriguing game. Paul Robinson again demonstrated that he is the undisputed number one 'keeper at the club. His save in the first half was quite brilliant and he did well to preserve a point right at the end. It was an assured performance by the former England man. Adam Henley had a better game and enjoyed more time getting forward under the system that was used. At times he might have crossed the ball instead of passing back for the cross to be made. Nonetheless, it was an improved performance from the youngster. Grant Hanley was caught out for the opening goal in that Proschwitz had pulled away from him and got between him and Henley. Otherwise the stand-in skipper performed well in defence. Matt Kilgallon gave another steady performance which suggests that if Dann leaves, then the former Sunderland man would simply step up to fill the void on a permanent basis. Tommy Spurr, like Henley, saw plenty of the ball in forward positions. He attacked well down the left and got in a number of decent crosses. Defensively he performed well when called upon and was rather unfortunate with the penalty award against him. Lee Williamson grew into the game and was excellent during the second half until he was injured. Neat and tidy in possession and prepared to put his foot in and win the ball in midfield, this was a very similar performance to the one he gave at Elland Road. Tom Cairney was given more of a roving role and played much of the game in the middle of the field. He scored a cracking goal, but one or two passes went astray at times in dangerous areas. Jason Lowe partnered Cairney in front of Williamson but didn't have the best of games. He got around the pitch, but his passing wasn't the best and he struggled with a slightly different role. David Dunn played just behind the front two and in the first half he was the most creative player in the team. Everything positive went through him and he created the goal for Gestede just before half-time. He tired in the second half and it was no surprise when he was withdrawn. Rudy Gestede grabbed another goal and was the main threat in front of goal. He held the ball up well and was a constant threat in the area both in the air and on the ground. Jordan Rhodes had a disappointing game by his standards. He never really got into the game and was surprisingly anonymous against a defence that looked anything but watertight. Chris Taylor replaced David Dunn and made little impact on the game. Josh King came on for the injured Williamson and despite several promising runs his final ball was pretty indifferent. As so often with King he flatters to deceive. Teams Barnsley Luke Steele; Lewin Nyatanga (Tomasz Cywka 55), Peter Ramage, Martin Cranie, Tom Kennedy; Stephen Dawson (Paul Digby 46); Brek Shea, Jim O'Brien; Dale Jennings (Liam Lawrence 62); Chris O'Grady, Nick Proschwitz Subs not used: Christian Dibble (gk), Paddy McCourt, Jean-Yves Mvoto, Reuben Noble-Lazarus Manager: Danny Wilson Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Matt Kilgallon, Tommy Spurr; Lee Williamson (Josh King 77); Jason Lowe, Tom Cairney; David Dunn (Chris Taylor 64); Rudy Gestede, Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Simon Eastwood (gk), Todd Kane, Markus Olsson, Josh Morris, Connor Mahoney Manager: Gary Bowyer Bookings Barnsley – Stephen Dawson Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 3 – 2 (1) Millwall Jordan Rhodes 22, Ben Marshall 48, David Dunn 85 Martyn Waghorn 42, Steve Morison 89 Referee: D. Webb Attendance: 12,643 (249 Millwall fans) My first sight of Millwall came forty-seven years ago when an Eamonn Rogers goal was sufficient to give the Rovers a one–nil win in a closely fought game at Ewood Park in December 1966. The Millwall of 2013 is a completely different creature from that earlier incarnation which boasted the likes of the legendary Harry Cripps and Eamon Dunphy. Instead of the robust football that they were noted for at that time, they are now a slick, quick-moving outfit who play a style of football that is extremely easy on the eye. In many ways they looked the better side for long periods of this encounter, but ultimately the Rovers did enough to grind out a vital victory. Make no mistake: this was a crucial win for the club and one which not only keeps them on the coattails of the play-off contenders but also, and perhaps just as importantly, puts clear distance between themselves and those in the relegation zone. With three winnable games ahead of them the Rovers might yet make the second half of the campaign an interesting affair. With Lee Williamson having picked up a knock in training, Gary Bowyer was forced to make a change from the team which had done so well at Loftus Road last week. Josh King returned to the team on the right wing with Tom Cairney switching inside to partner Jason Lowe in the centre of midfield. As the game began at Ewood the weather was pretty dire with a cold, swirling wind and driving rain and it was no surprise that it took both teams time to adjust to the difficult conditions. The Rovers had a couple of early efforts with Chris Taylor, against his former club, sending a headed attempt wide, whilst David Forde punched away a Cairney free-kick. Gradually, the visitors started to enjoy more possession and Martyn Waghorn and Steve Morison began to cause Scott Dann and Grant Hanley a number of problems with their skilful ball control and quick movement. A couple of early corners for Millwall again highlighted the uncertainty in the home defence when balls come into the box. Millwall looked quite comfortable, when the Rovers hit them on the break with a simple long ball from Hanley which Jordan Rhodes latched onto. The striker took the ball away from Mark Beevers, who lost his footing and slipped to the ground, before firing a perfectly placed shot across Forde and into the corner of the net. Taylor might have added a second from a Cairney corner, but his effort was off target. However, having recovered their composure after conceding a goal against the run of play, the visitors started to enjoy more possession and got their reward three minutes from the interval. Once again, the Rovers were masters of their own downfall, quite literally in this case, when Hanley slipped and enabled Morison to put the ball across the face of the goal and, on the far post, Waghorn managed to force the ball home from the tightest of angles. Having already switched King and Taylor during the latter stages of the first half, the interval brought another tactical switch with King reverting to the left wing and Ben Marshall taking the role just behind Rhodes. Within three minutes of the restart the Rovers were ahead when Tommy Spurr's perfect cross was met by the head of Marshall, who seemed to ghost into the area unmarked to plant a firm header past Forde. Despite taking the lead, the Rovers struggled to contain the quick raids of the visitors and Simon Eastwood was forced to push one effort onto the roof of the net in rather unconvincing fashion. Both sides made changes as the half ebbed and flowed, with the visitors looking increasingly likely to get on level terms at any minute. Dunn, who had replaced King, created a good chance for Rhodes to seal the game when he put the striker through on goal with just Forde to beat. Unfortunately, the Millwall 'keeper forced Rhodes wide and was then able to save the shot when it finally came in. However, on eighty-five minutes the game ought to have been won when Dunn marked appearance number 351 with a goal. A corner from Cairney was headed back across goal by Hanley and Rhodes headed it goalwards, with Dunn popping up to head home from close range via the post. Once again, Rovers' vulnerability on crosses was highlighted on 89 minutes when a routine corner was missed by Eastwood and Morison was on hand at the back post to nod home. Indeed, the Rovers might well have dropped two points just a couple of minutes later when Morison was unable to make a proper connection with the ball and Eastwood was able, with his arm at full stretch, to keep the ball out and so secure the Rovers a priceless win. Simon Eastwood had a mixed afternoon. His late save ensured the win, but he was badly at fault for the second goal and might have done better with the first. However, his handling was decent and his kicking very good. Nonetheless, one can't help but feel that the return of Paul Robinson will put both Eastwood and Jake Kean under enormous pressure in terms of retaining the number one spot. Adam Henley had a difficult afternoon against a lively Millwall attack. However, he wasn't alone in that and, once again, looked an impressive prospect at times with some decent tackling and sound attacking play down the right wing. Scott Dann and Grant Hanley struggled to keep the Millwall pairing of Waghorn and Morison in check and were surprisingly exposed on several occasions with Hanley, in particular, struggling with the fleetness of foot of the Millwall front two. Tommy Spurr was probably the pick of the back four simply because he did the simple things well and brought a no-nonsense approach to defending. Josh King started on the right, moved into the centre behind Rhodes and then ended on the left wing as the Rovers looked to find the right attacking combination. Once again, King impressed with his turn of pace, but his final ball left much to be desired. Jason Lowe filled the defensive role in midfield and, as always, covered plenty of ground and worked hard to try to cover gaps in front of the back four. He kept things ticking over and was quietly very effective in the role. Tom Cairney was moved into the centre to fill the gap left by Williamson's injury but was strangely ineffective during the first half. He improved after the break, but he didn't seem to influence the game as much as he has done when playing on the right. Ben Marshall's form continues to improve and he put in another very impressive performance, firstly on the left wing and then providing support in the centre for Rhodes. He used the ball intelligently, was always a threat and snatched a very good goal. Chris Taylor had a mixed afternoon against his former club. He wasted a couple of good opportunities to find the back of the net and was not as effective as he had been against Leeds and QPR. Jordan Rhodes had a much better game in terms of his contribution to the team in general and he also scored a superb individual goal. This was undoubtedly his best performance for weeks as he adopted a more physical approach in terms of backing into defenders. 
David Dunn looked lively when he came on and, of course, scored the goal which ultimately proved to be the winner. Rudy Gestede made a brief appearance but wasn't on long enough to really make an impression on the game. Teams Blackburn Rovers Simon Eastwood; Adam Henley, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Tommy Spurr; Josh King (David Dunn 75), Tom Cairney, Jason Lowe, Ben Marshall; Chris Taylor; Jordan Rhodes (Rudy Gestede 88) Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Todd Kane, Matt Kilgallon, Alex Marrow, Ruben Rochina Manager: Gary Bowyer Millwall David Forde; Alan Dunne (Justin Hoyte 85), Paul Robinson, Mark Beevers, Scott Malone; Liam Feeney (Jermaine Easter 71), Nadjim Abdou (Andy Keogh 77), Liam Trotter, Martyn Woolford; Martyn Waghorn, Steve Morison Subs not used: Stephen Bywater (gk), Danny Shittu, Guy Moussi, Scott McDonald Manager: Steve Lomas Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Chris Taylor Millwall – Nadjim Abdou, Liam Feeney Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 1 – 0 (0) Watford Rhodes 65 Referee: S. Duncan Attendance: 12,981 After the encouraging performance at Bournemouth on Saturday the Rovers followed it up with another impressive ninety minutes against Gianfranco Zola's highly-rated Watford at Ewood Park. A 1–0 win was no less than the Rovers deserved from a highly entertaining game in which both sides created chances. As expected, Gary Bowyer retained the starting eleven that had done so well at Bournemouth but was able to welcome Alan Judge and Ben Marshall back to the bench. Zola, on the other hand, made five changes from the team which beat Wigan Athletic at the weekend. The game started at a decent pace with both sides looking to get forward at every opportunity. Like Bournemouth, Watford employed three centre-backs and two wing-backs but, unlike the Cherries, Watford look to have perfected the system with Scottish international Ikechi Anya looking particularly dangerous down the left wing. The Rovers' first opportunity to break the deadlock came on the quarter-hour mark when Tom Cairney played the ball out to Josh King on the left wing. The Norwegian international's low cross was cleared as far as Corry Evans, who was lurking on the edge of the penalty area. Evans wasted no time in slipping a delicate little pass through to Jordan Rhodes. The Rovers striker beat the offside trap and, although in the clear, he dragged his shot wide of the far post. The first half developed into something of a game of cat and mouse. Watford were happy to sit deep and flood the midfield areas and then look to hit the Rovers on the break. The visitors always presented a threat with their pace in attack. However, apart from a Lewis McGugan volley that went wide they had few genuine opportunities in front of goal. Similarly, the Rovers enjoyed plenty of possession but were unable to create any clear-cut chances. As half-time approached, both sides came close to breaking the deadlock. A cross from Davide Faraoni found Javier Acuna, but his headed attempt was blocked by Todd Kane. At the other end, Josh King fired wide before a Tommy Spurr cross was headed back across goal by Leon Best towards Rhodes. As the Rovers player went for the ball, he appeared to be pushed to the ground, but the referee waved play on and the ball broke for Evans, who fired just inches wide from about 18 yards out. The claim for a penalty seemed a strong one as the Watford defender seemed to climb all over Rhodes in his quest for the ball. The second half saw Watford make a change with Diego Fabbrini replacing Acuna, whilst the Rovers remained as they were in the first half. Watford had an early opportunity to take the lead, but Anya wasted it. McGugan then had an effort on goal which took a deflection before being claimed by Jake Kean. The Rovers started to get their attacking game together and King began to show his pace down the left. One such run ended with Manuel Almunia having to make a save and moments earlier the former Arsenal 'keeper had been on hand to save an effort from Rhodes. The Rovers gradually built up a head of steam and after 65 minutes they gained their reward with a goal which was straight from the training ground. As Spurr waited to take a long throw, Scott Dann moved up towards the near post. Spurr's throw found the head of Dann, who flicked the ball across goal for Rhodes to rise above the defence and head home. On the hour mark Gary Bowyer substituted Best, who is clearly still finding his way back to full fitness, with Ben Marshall and the former Leicester man took up a position just behind Rhodes. Marshall was soon in the thick of the action and after evading two challenges he sent in a fierce effort which flew just wide. Marshall then almost turned provider when he drifted to the left wing and after a neat piece of footwork to escape his marker he sent over a dangerous-looking cross only to see Rhodes flick it away from the head of the oncoming Tom Cairney. Watford continued to try to force their way back into the match, but efforts from Anya and Forestieri were off target. As the game drew to a conclusion, Markus Olsson replaced King, who had clearly run himself to a standstill. However, more worryingly, as the game moved into the five minutes of added time, Dann left the field with what looked like a thigh strain. He was replaced by Matt Kilgallon, who was making his senior debut for the club. After one or two anxious moments the Rovers actually saw out the game quite comfortably and were able to keep the ball in the corners at the Watford end as the visitors desperately tried to get possession. The last two games have been hugely encouraging, but more importantly it has been the manner in which those wins were achieved that has been so impressive. Gary Bowyer has got the side playing some quick, incisive football which is a joy to watch. The defence looks reasonably solid, the midfield is far more creative than twelve months ago and Rhodes is now enjoying better support from King and Best. Jake Kean didn't have much to do, but what he did he did quietly and efficiently with no mistakes. Todd Kane made an important block in the first half and got forward throughout the game. Unfortunately, his final ball was disappointing and all too often possession was lost. Tommy Spurr didn't get forward too much, but he was solid enough at left-back and, of course, his long throw led to the goal. Scott Dann had an outstanding game and continues to grow as a leader on the pitch. He was imperious throughout until injury forced him from the field in the closing minutes. His role in the set-piece which led to the goal was crucial. Grant Hanley had another solid game and completely snuffed out the threat of Troy Deeney. At the end of last season Deeney had led Hanley a merry dance, but on this occasion the Watford striker never got a kick. Although Tom Cairney was nominally given the role on the right of midfield, he tended to wander infield at every opportunity to look at ways of unlocking the visiting defence. It was another impressive performance from the Hull City midfielder and his partnership with Evans and Lowe is becoming increasingly impressive. Jason Lowe enjoyed another excellent game following on from his impressive performance at Bournemouth. He covered the ground in front of the back four and closed the gaps that Watford tried to exploit. He was voted man of the match at Ewood on the night. Corry Evans again showed that there is more to his game than just defensive qualities. Time and time again he got forward and found gaps in and around the Watford penalty area. Although his passing wasn't always perfect, he is quickly becoming a key member of this side. Josh King again demonstrated that his pace will trouble any defence in this league. In the second half the visitors simply had no answer to his electric runs down the left. At times his final ball could have been better, but he continues to remain a constant threat. Although Leon Best had a quieter game than against Bournemouth, there is no doubt that his inclusion brings extra qualities to the Rovers' attacking options. He won the majority of aerial battles that he was involved in and he provided the sort of support which Rhodes has lacked for so long. Once he is fully fit, one feels that he will be a major asset leading the line and taking some of the pressure off Rhodes. Jordan Rhodes, although not as clinical as usual, was on hand to score the vital goal. He showed a much better appetite for working defenders and his link-up play with Best, King and Marshall was highly encouraging. Cairney and Evans are beginning to spot his runs, which will hopefully see him enjoy more chances in the opposition area. Ben Marshall gave a brief cameo and looked better than in any of his earlier appearances. Supporting Rhodes in the middle he looked quite tricky and when he wandered onto the left he delivered one or two dangerous crosses. With ten games gone the Rovers find themselves in eighth position in the table and looking up at the play-off places rather than worrying about the bottom three. It is, of course, too early to say if they can turn what looks a solid mid-table side into a play-off chasing one, but on the evidence of what we have seen so far there looks to be no danger of last season's flirtation with relegation being repeated. Teams Blackburn Rovers Jake Kean; Todd Kane, Scott Dann (Matt Kilgallon 90), Grant Hanley, Tommy Spurr; Tom Cairney, Jason Lowe, Corry Evans, Josh King (Markus Olsson 83); Leon Best (Ben Marshall 61), Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Simon Eastwood (gk), Lee Williamson, Alex Marrow, Alan Judge Manager: Gary Bowyer Watford Manuel Almunia; Essaid Belkalem, Gabriele Angella, Marco Cassetti; Iriney (Josh McEachran 61); Davide Faraoni, Cristian Battocchio (Fernando Forestieri 72), Lewis McGugan, Ikechi Anya; Troy Deeney, Javier Acuna (Diego Fabbrini 46) Subs not used: Jonathan Bond (gk), Lloyd Doyley, Sean Murray, Daniel Pudil Manager: Gianfranco Zola Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Leon Best, Corry Evans Watford – Lewis McGugan, Davide Faraoni Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Derby County (1) 1 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Russell (pen) 43 Best 89 Referee: S. Attwell Attendance: 21,188 It was rather apt that Gary Bowyer should begin his tenure as manager of Blackburn Rovers at Derby's Pride Park. In the build-up to the game Bowyer had stressed the fact that the rebuilding of the club would be a long-term project and that there were no instant solutions to the problems that are likely to accompany the introduction of the rules surrounding Financial Fair Play. For the past few seasons Nigel Clough has been faced with similar issues of having to reduce the wage bill whilst building a team on limited resources which necessitated the promotion of young players from their academy. Bowyer has begun the task by bringing in a number of new faces at little cost, in terms of transfer fees, but the shedding of high earners is likely to take some time — just as it has done at Pride Park. Several of Bowyer's new faces were on view at Pride Park as the Rovers showed their battling qualities to overcome adversity and grab a vital point with a late, late goal. Last season it was the opposition who invariably sneaked a late goal to pinch a point or snatch a win and it was a refreshing change to see the Rovers look much fitter in the closing stages of the game. Bowyer had said his pre-season plans revolved around improving the fitness of the players and that certainly looked the case. As part of the 125-year Football League celebrations both teams were led out by a club legend. In the case of Derby County it was Roy McFarland, the centre-half who led the club to the title under Brian Clough, whilst the Rovers were led out by Bryan Douglas, undoubtedly the greatest player it has been my pleasure to watch in over half a century of following the Rovers. The travelling Ewood faithful received something of a surprise with the first contribution of new signing Tommy Spurr. The former Doncaster Rovers full-back demonstrated an enormous long throw that caused consternation in the home defence as the ball flew into the penalty area like a missile. Within a minute Spurr demonstrated his ability on the ball when he delivered a cross into the area which came off Jordan Rhodes and landed at the feet of Ruben Rochina. Sadly, the young Spaniard snatched at the chance and managed to stab the ball wide of an inviting goal. Rochina then sent another effort over the bar before Lee Grant raced from his line to prevent Rhodes from latching onto a dangerous looking ball played into the penalty area. Rochina then turned provider with a delightful ball that played in Alan Judge, who curled his effort just wide of the post. At this stage the Rovers were dominant and playing some lovely football as they opened up the home side with some slick passing. Derby, by contrast, struggled to find a way through the Rovers defence and their first real opportunity didn't arrive until after 20 minutes when Will Hughes, Derby's highly talented midfielder, chipped the ball over the Rovers defence for Jamie Ward to run onto, but fortunately Jake Kean was quickly off his line and turned the shot wide. Rovers quickly responded and Rhodes met a corner with his head only to see his attempt blocked on the line by Craig Forsyth. Rochina then blasted a free-kick straight into the wall as the Rovers continued to dominate. Sadly, the young Spaniard then received a serious shoulder injury in what looked a rather innocuous aerial challenge. As Rochina was stretchered off, he was replaced by Leon Best, a player who had spent the majority of last season out of action due to a cruciate injury. With DJ Campbell, Matt Kilgallon, Adam Henley, Paul Robinson, Lee Williamson, Dickson Etuhu and John O'Sullivan already out of action with injuries the Rovers are certainly not enjoying the best of fortune at the moment. The lengthy delay while Rochina received treatment seemed to knock the Rovers out of their stride. The half ended with Derby beginning to enjoy more possession and suddenly the Rovers defence found themselves coming under pressure for the first time in the game. Just as it looked as if the Rovers might reach the sanctuary of the dressing room at half-time to regroup, the flailing arm of Alex Marrow made contact with the ball as a Jamie Ward free-kick was played into the area. Referee Stuart Attwell had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Johnny Russell stepped up and sent Kean the wrong way as his drilled the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Derby began the second half in much the same way as they ended the first period. The Rovers continued to struggle to find the rhythm that they had shown earlier in the game. However, on the hour mark they almost equalised when Alan Judge played a ball across the six-yard box, but Best could only lunge at the ball and divert it against the post rather than finding the back of the net. Kean was then forced to make a good stop from a Richard Keogh drive as Derby continued to come forward in search of a second goal. Bowyer shuffled the pack with the introduction of Chris Taylor and Tom Cairney and their arrival helped to allow the Rovers to take some control of proceedings. As the game entered the last ten minutes the Rovers seemed to have nullified Derby and were enjoying much better possession and causing the home defence an increasing number of problems. A couple of shouts for a penalty, which could have gone either way, went against the Rovers and it looked as if they would run out of time as they desperately searched for an equaliser. However, after 89 minutes they finally found the goal that had eluded them for so long. Todd Kane played the ball into the area but it came out to Taylor who immediately whipped it back into the box and Best was on hand to volley the ball home despite having his back to goal. As Best went to celebrate with Dave Fevre, who had worked so hard to get him restored to full fitness, the travelling fans celebrated a result which the Rovers thoroughly deserved. Jake Kean enjoyed another impressive afternoon and dealt with everything that came his way with a quiet confidence. Kean looks like becoming a top goalkeeper and it is easy to forget that, in goalkeeping terms, he is still exceptionally young. A youngster who had a difficult afternoon was Todd Kane. The Chelsea youngster, who was so impressive during his loan spells last season, has struggled to find his form in pre-season and he received something of a chasing in this game. However, like all young players his form will dip from time to time and whilst there is no doubting his ability at the moment his touch and decision-making are yet to reach the same standard as last season. On the opposite flank Tommy Spurr enjoyed an impressive debut. Tall, slim and quick, he showed a good touch and was quick in the tackle. Clearly his long throw will be a welcome addition to the Rovers' attacking options. Scott Dann and Grant Hanley combined well in the centre of defence and one can only hope that the club can retain Dann so as not to disrupt this partnership. Josh King got the nod on the right of midfield but was fairly disappointing in terms of what he produced. Whilst he has pace his end product is very erratic and defensively he is not the best at tracking back to help his full-back. On the opposite flank Alan Judge was far more effective and he delivered several dangerous looking crosses and also worked hard to help out defensively. In the centre of midfield the much maligned duo of Jason Lowe and Alex Marrow did a workman-like, if unspectacular, job of defending in front of the two centre-backs. Neither produces much in the way of creativity but both worked hard at trying to close down the opposition. Lowe was caught in possession on a few occasions but was able to get back and retrieve the situation. Marrow was overly robust at times and conceded several free-kicks. Their work rate couldn't be faulted and clearly this is the reason they are in the team. In attack, Ruben Rochina was his usual mixture of brilliance and exasperation until his injury. He looked capable of finding an opening and the injury is a blow as it would have been interesting to see if Gary Bowyer could have harnessed his undoubted skill and integrated it into the team dynamic. Jordan Rhodes, who has been virtually anonymous during pre-season games, had another quiet afternoon. Perhaps one decent opportunity and one decent shout for a penalty were his main contributions. Leon Best, who was Rochina's replacement, gave the home defence rather more problems and ought to have done better with the effort which hit the post. However, his strike for the equalising goal was a wonderful effort. Chris Taylor looked more than useful when he replaced King and although he might not have the same speed, his contribution was far more useful in terms of his distribution of the ball and ability to defend as well as attack. Tom Cairney didn't really get much time to catch the eye, but what he did was neat and tidy and he looks like a defensive midfield player who can distribute the ball with a good degree of accuracy. All things considered it was a very promising start for Gary Bowyer. However, it is early days and the rebuilding of the club is going to take time — certainly more than a season or two — as there aren't the funds to buy the type of player who is likely to bring instant success. However, with the right coaching and gradual improvement the signs are there that the slow process of recovery might just have begun. Teams Derby County Lee Grant; Kieron Freeman, Richard Keogh, Jake Buxton, Craig Forsyth; Jeff Hendrick, Craig Bryson, Will Hughes (John Eustace 81), Jamie Ward; Chris Martin (Conor Sammon 84), Johnny Russell (Paul Coutts 62) Subs not used: Adam Legzdins (gk), Adam Smith, Michael Jacobs, Ben Davies Manager: Nigel Clough Blackburn Rovers Jake Kean; Todd Kane, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Tommy Spurr; Josh King (Chris Taylor 64), Alex Marrow (Tom Cairney 77), Jason Lowe, Alan Judge; Ruben Rochina (Leon Best 39); Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Simon Eastwood (gk), Gael Givet, Markus Olsson, David Dunn Manager: Gary Bowyer Bookings Derby County – Paul Coutts Blackburn Rovers – Leon Best, Todd Kane Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Birmingham City (1) 1 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Morrison 42 Rhodes 66 Referee: A. D'Urso Attendance: 18,979 The curtain finally came down on the 2012–13 season in fairly languid fashion at St. Andrew's. In a typical end-of-season affair, with nothing at stake for either side, the players were happy to play out a game which, although entertaining at times, lacked the intensity that one normally expects of Championship football. The heavy rain on the way down to Birmingham had given way to brilliant sunshine by the time both teams took to the field. Gary Bowyer opted to make one change from the eleven that started against Crystal Palace with Morten Gamst Pedersen replacing Nuno Gomes, who dropped to the bench. There was the normal end-of-season mood at St. Andrew's with both sets of supporters having little to celebrate in terms of achievement. Birmingham's hopes of a place in the play-offs had long gone and they seem to be a club in transition as Lee Clark opts to build a future around a promising group of young players. The Rovers, of course, had endured one of the most difficult seasons in their long and illustrious history and most fans were just grateful that the club had avoided accompanying Wolves into League One. Nonetheless, despite the disappointments, both sets of fans gave their players a warm reception at the end of the game. The home side began the game in attacking mode and within the first minute they had carved out a decent opportunity. The towering Nikola Zigic laid the ball off to Morgaro Gomis, but his shot went narrowly wide. Nathan Redmond, who produced some sparkling play on the left wing, had a shot saved by Grzegorz Sandomierski, whilst Paul Caddis and Zigic both sent efforts wide of the target. Indeed, Zigic might have worked himself a superb opening, but his attempts to control the ball on his chest, when clear of the defenders, was poor and the ball ran away for a goal-kick. The Rovers struggled to make much impression during the early stages as an attacking force. The main threat came down the left flank with Josh Morris and Joshua King linking up well. However, despite some promising runs by both players the Rovers were unable to make much capital out of them. Rhodes almost made something out of nothing when he latched onto a poor back-pass, but Jack Butland just about got to the ball first. At the other end the lively Redmond forced Sandomierski into action and the Polish international did well to get down and push the Birmingham man's shot away to safety. As the half seemed to be drifting to a stalemate, Birmingham found the net just three minutes before the break. Ravel Morrison picked up the ball on the edge of the area, skipped past a couple of indifferent challenges and then fired hard and low into the far corner of the net. Gary Bowyer was forced to make a change at the interval as Lee Williamson was unable to continue after receiving a couple of hefty knocks during the first half. Cameron Stewart replaced him and took up a berth on the right wing. Birmingham began the second period in much the same way as they had the first with Redmond causing all sorts of problems down the left wing. However, the home side were unable to capitalise and gradually the Rovers started to be seen more and more as an attacking force. David Jones and Pedersen began to gain more possession in the centre of midfield, while Stewart and King increasingly caused both full-backs problems with their direct style of running. A curling free-kick from Jones hit the top of the crossbar as the Rovers stepped up their search for an equaliser. On 66 minutes the Rovers equalised with a goal which began with a long throw from Pedersen. Grant Hanley flicked the ball on and Jones stormed in to head the ball goalwards. Butland managed to save, but the ball rebounded into the path of Jordan Rhodes, who headed home from close range. The Rovers had cause to thank Sandomierski for keeping the scores level when he was forced to dive bravely at the feet of Zigic. However, the game ebbed away in typical end-of-season fashion with neither side really prepared to do enough to win the game. Bowyer took the opportunity to blood John O'Sullivan, the outstanding midfield player in this season's under-21 side, and the Republic of Ireland youth and under-21 international was quick to make his mark with a couple of feisty challenges. Indeed, the youngster might have got on the scoresheet, but, after an effort from Stewart was blocked and fell to him, the youngster's attempt was deflected wide off a defender. A draw was a fair result and the point was sufficient to take the Rovers to 58 points and a seventeenth-place finish. The Rovers ended the season four points clear of the relegation zone and ten points adrift of the play-off places. Once again, Grzegorz Sandomierski impressed between the posts. On the evidence of what we have seen thus far he would make a useful addition to the squad on a permanent basis. But, like so many decisions that need to be made, one suspects that it will be put on hold until the owners make a decision with regard to the manager. Todd Kane was another loanee to make his final appearance and, once again, he produced a lively performance both in defence and in attack. Josh Morris had a difficult start to the game but grew into it and in the second half was able to devote more time to supporting the attack. Grant Hanley and Scott Dann had a fairly comfortable afternoon and neither player seemed overly stretched. Both looked strong in the tackle and powerful in the air and again underlined what a good partnership they are forming. David Jones, Lee Williamson and Morten Gamst Pedersen performed soundly in the centre of midfield. The Rovers never looked likely to be overrun in this area and all three were able to get forward at times and cause the opposition problems. Pedersen and Jones whipped in some dangerous corners which, on another day, might have been converted. Williamson worked tirelessly until he had to succumb to a couple of knocks he received during the first half. David Goodwillie again occupied a place on the right-hand side of midfield, but, in truth, the Scottish international struggled to make much impact on the game. He worked hard but was wasteful in possession. Joshua King looked a threat during the early stages using his pace on the left. However, all too often his dangerous runs came to nothing and in the second half he saw less and less of the ball. Jordan Rhodes again popped up with a poacher's instinct in front of goal to grab the equaliser. However, he struggled to make much headway against a strong Birmingham defence and yet again, in an away match, looked ill at ease with the role of lone striker. One can't fault his work-rate, but if he remains at the club next season, there will have to be a rethink about how to make him more effective in terms of the build-up play in away matches. Cameron Stewart enjoyed a better forty-five minutes than of late and looked quite dangerous running at the Birmingham defence, but his crosses were not always the most accurate. John O'Sullivan got his first taste of first-team action and didn't look out of place. The young Republic of Ireland midfield player has enjoyed another good season with the under-21s and will hopefully step up to the senior squad next season. Gary Bowyer, ably assisted by Terry McPhillips and Tony Grant, has done an excellent job in keeping the club in the Championship and the players have clearly responded to him. However, what happens next is anybody's guess. Venky's have some big decisions to make in the coming days and, as we know only too well, making decisions is not something they are particularly good at. If the club is to progress, a decision needs to be taken about the manager and then a decision needs to be taken about the boardroom. Whatever they decide they cannot allow the club to continue as it has done for the past twelve months. A divided boardroom and a revolving door to the manager's office is not the way forward. One would hope that this lesson will have been learnt, but, then again, this is Venky's — the people who admitted to being confused last season and who now acknowledge that their club is out of control. It is vital that the owners move quickly and put a structure in place that will finally take the club forward. Sadly, their past performance hardly fills one with confidence that they are capable of making any decisions, let alone the right ones. Teams Birmingham City Jack Butland; Paul Caddis, Curtis Davies, Paul Robinson, Shane Ferguson; Chris Burke, Ravel Morrison, Morgaro Gomis (Callum Reilly 73), Wade Elliott, Nathan Redmond; Nikola Zigic Subs not used: Colin Doyle (gk), Steven Caldwell, Hayden Mullins, Koby Arthur, Akwasi Asante, Olly Lee Manager: Lee Clark Blackburn Rovers Grzegorz Sandomierski; Todd Kane, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Josh Morris; David Goodwillie (John O'Sullivan 76), Lee Williamson (Cameron Stewart 46), David Jones, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Joshua King; Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Matthew Urwin (gk), Gael Givet, Nuno Gomes, Karim Rekik, David Bentley Caretaker Manager: Gary Bowyer Bookings Birmingham City – None Blackburn Rovers – None Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 1 – 1 (1) Crystal Palace Rhodes 42 Dobbie 28 Referee: P. Gibbs Attendance: 19,796 Once again, after another day of public humiliation in the High Court, it was left to Gary Bowyer and the players to restore the good name of Blackburn Rovers. Whatever happens off the field is, of course, out of the hands of Bowyer and his players. However, on the field they have restored some pride in the battered old club and at least given the Ewood faithful some cause for optimism no matter how dim that chink of optimism may be at this time. Only a swing around in goal difference unprecedented in the game is going to deny the Rovers their place in the Championship, despite the bumbling efforts of those in the corridors of power who have almost condemned the club to the wilderness of the lower divisions. Whilst fingers can rightly be pointed in the direction of Messrs Singh, Shaw and Agnew and their endless bickering combined with the inept leadership from the Rao family in Pune, the same cannot be said of those entrusted with guiding the team over the past few weeks. Gary Bowyer, Terry McPhillips, Tony Grant and the players have worked a minor miracle in guiding the club to safety whilst having to put up with the daily circus that Singh, Shaw and Agnew would appear to have turned Blackburn Rovers into. Injuries again forced Bowyer to shuffle a rapidly dwindling pack with Colin Kazim-Richards, David Dunn and Markus Olsson all ruled out. In their place Nuno Gomes and Joshua King were restored to the starting eleven, whilst David Goodwillie started a game for the first time this season, ironically against the club he spent some time on loan with earlier in the campaign. Palace needed the win to ensure they cemented their place in the play-offs and the men from Selhurst Park started the brighter of the two sides. With the need for goals, Palace ensured that Wilfried Zaha, the man Sir Alex Ferguson signed for £15 million in January, before loaning him back to Palace, saw plenty of the ball. Indeed, throughout the first half he gave Josh Morris a torrid time, but after the interval the young Rovers full-back seemed to get the better of him. The Rovers' early attacks came from an unexpected source with David Goodwillie, playing on the right of midfield, seeing plenty of the ball. The Rovers opened with a four-man midfield with Nuno Gomes filling in the hole just behind Jordan Rhodes. Sadly, the veteran Portuguese international seemed badly out of touch, with the result that Rhodes was often left somewhat isolated. Considering that two of the Championship's leading marksmen were on the pitch in Rhodes and Glenn Murray, it was something of a surprise that it took some 23 minutes before a decent attempt was made on goal and then Rhodes fired well over. Nonetheless, both sides were attempting to play attractive attacking football on a difficult surface. The Ewood pitch is not what it was and with so many bobbles the players did well to produce the brand of football that they did. After a succession of corners, which the Rovers dealt with fairly confidently, the visitors took the lead on 28 minutes with a fairly routine long ball played up to Aaron Wilbraham. The Palace front-runner flicked it forward to Stephen Dobbie, who neatly skipped inside Grant Hanley and found himself in front of goal with only Grzegorz Sandomierski to beat. Dobbie wasted no time in firing a low shot past the exposed 'keeper. Sometimes you simply have to acknowledge the skill of the opposition in creating and taking a chance. A clever piece of footwork and a clinical finish by Dobbie were testimony to that. Palace looked to increase their lead and on 33 minutes Dobbie curled a free-kick from 30 yards just wide of the target. Another Dobbie free-kick produced a chance for Damien Delaney, but his half-volley missed the target. The Rovers had produced one or two moments down the left thanks to the pace of King, but frustratingly the final ball was often wanting. However, on 42 minutes Morris started a move down the left which presented King with the opportunity to clip the ball over the Palace defence for Rhodes to chase. As Julian Speroni came out to meet the Scotland striker, Rhodes calmly lofted the ball over the 'keeper and into the far side of the goal. It was another wonderful piece of opportunism from Rhodes. The interval brought a change on the part of the Rovers with the disappointing Nuno Gomes being replaced by Morten Gamst Pedersen as the Rovers reverted to a 4-2-3-1 system. The Rovers started the second period strongly and pushed the visitors back as they began to attack down both flanks. The Rovers had a strong shout for a penalty when a delightful piece of play down the left saw Morris make inroads into the Palace area before he seemed to be blatantly tripped by Kagisho Dikgacoi. However, the referee was unmoved and play was waved on much to the consternation of Gary Bowyer and the Ewood faithful. Whilst the Rovers were rightly enraged about this decision, they would later have something of an escape themselves when Hanley appeared to push Glenn Murray to the ground when the Palace striker seemed certain to reach a cross and head for goal from close range. Almost immediately Morris created another opportunity when he raced forward and his shot, whilst not on target, almost found the foot of Rhodes before eventually landing at the feet of Goodwillie on the far post. From a tight angle the former Scottish international striker got his shot away, but Speroni claimed it without too much difficulty. Palace really ought to have taken the lead almost immediately when Murray got on the end of a long ball, stepped inside Hanley and, with just Sandomierski to beat, crashed his shot onto the top of the crossbar and over. A header from Mile Jedinak, on the hour mark, deflected off the top of the goalframe and then Murray saw another fine drive flash just wide of the far post. Gradually, the Rovers halted the frequency of the Palace attacks and started to apply more pressure of their own. King, Pedersen and Morris worked some neat triangular passing movements down the left as both Morris and King got into some excellent positions and Pedersen was able to find them with some delicately played passes. Morris, in particular, was beginning to catch the eye as he gained in confidence and made a number of positive runs at the visiting defence. With Pedersen covering them, King and Morris were able to continue to raid down the left safe in the knowledge that the gaps behind would be plugged. Palace ought to have won the game with just six minutes remaining. Dikgacoi chipped an inch-perfect ball to the back post, where Delaney was waiting to pounce. However, his header back across goal was off target and flew harmlessly wide. It really was a very bad miss. This was a hugely entertaining game played out by two sides who tried to play an attractive style of passing football. The Ewood faithful got right behind their team in the second half and the players responded with one of the best home performances of the season. The tactical switch at half-time which had seen the introduction of Pedersen undoubtedly helped as the Norwegian international had one of his better games and his presence seemed to give the side a better balance. At the final whistle Gary Bowyer gathered the players together, along with his coaching staff, on the pitch and rather than a traditional lap of honour, with children in tow, they walked around the pitch to acknowledge the support of the crowd. It was a dignified end to a traumatic season at Ewood Park. Once again, Grzegorz Sandomierski could do little about the goal. Apart from that, he did what he had to do in a confident fashion. The lad is still raw in many ways but would nonetheless make a useful addition to the squad on a permanent basis once his loan deal expires. If Paul Robinson is leaving, then cover will be required for Jake Kean and, if money is tight, one suspects that Sandomierski might well be a decent buy. Both of the Rovers full-backs had mixed afternoons but ultimately came out on top. Todd Kane again showed why Chelsea have given him an extended contract this week with another all-action display. Good in defence and quick to attack, Kane again demonstrated good control and a willingness to get forward and support the attack even if some of his crosses were a little wayward. Josh Morris had a difficult first half against Wilfried Zaha but after the break subdued the Palace winger and then took the game to the opposition with a series of runs into the Palace penalty area. After an impressive second-half display at Millwall, Morris continued in similar fashion in this game and whipped in some dangerous crosses which caused Palace problems. Grant Hanley and Scott Dann generally coped well with the impressive Palace attack. Hanley continues to grow in stature and is now beginning to bring the ball out of defence in a fashion similar to Colin Hendry during his first stint at the Rovers. Dann is a steadying influence at the back since he became captain and is enjoying his best form since joining the Rovers. In midfield the Rovers seem to have found a hardworking combination in David Jones and Lee Williamson. Both are industrious and keep things ticking over in midfield, which is exactly what seems to be required at this level. Williamson has a decent range of passing and defensively looks sound. Likewise, Jones keeps the ball moving with a pass-and-run style which is simple but effective. The wide positions in midfield were occupied by David Goodwillie and Joshua King. Goodwillie, in an unfamiliar role, worked hard and tracked back well. He displayed a decent range of passing but often ran into trouble when trying to take the ball forward. An industrious display but without much in the way of end product. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the last couple of games have seen Goodwillie produce some of his best football since arriving at the club. King, on the other hand, always looked a threat with his electric pace down the left. Joel Ward struggled to handle him and was rather fortunate to stay on the field after a succession of fouls in the second half. Once again, the end product was not always there, but this was a much improved performance by King and suggests that his pace may well be a valuable asset next season. Nuno Gomes, the veteran Portuguese international, had a disappointing afternoon and made little or no impression during the first half. Although playing in the hole, supporting Rhodes, he struggled to get into the game and too many of his passes went astray. It was no surprise that he was replaced by Morten Gamst Pedersen at the start of the second half. The introduction of Pedersen certainly seemed to give the Rovers a better balance and the Norwegian international, playing in the centre of midfield, linked up well with King and Morris on the left. His passing was better than of late and his industry in midfield enabled Jones to push forward with Pedersen able to cover defensively. It was a much improved performance from the Norwegian and one which suggests that there should still be a place for him in the Rovers squad for next season. Once again, Jordan Rhodes demonstrated his instinctive finishing ability with another superb goal. On the day that he was awarded the Player of the Year award it was fitting that he should produce such an exquisite finish. In fairness, Palace kept him fairly quiet apart from the goal, but given half a chance he made the most of it. On Monday the circus will again move to the High Court and one waits with baited breath for the latest revelations of a club which is deemed to be out of control by the owners. Meanwhile, Gary Bowyer and his players will continue to prepare for the final match at Birmingham City on Saturday. One suspects that all Rovers fans will be only too happy to bring the curtain down on what has been a traumatic season. Teams Blackburn Rovers Grzegorz Sandomierski; Todd Kane, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Josh Morris; David Goodwillie, Lee Williamson, David Jones, Joshua King (Cameron Stewart 90); Nuno Gomes (Morten Gamst Pedersen 46); Jordan Rhodes Subs not used: Sebastian Usai (gk), Karim Rekik, Danny Murphy, David Bentley, John O'Sullivan Caretaker Manager: Gary Bowyer Crystal Palace Julian Speroni; Joel Ward, Danny Gabbidon, Damien Delaney, Dean Moxey; Wilfried Zaha, Mile Jedinak, Kagisho Dikgacoi, Stephen Dobbie (Owen Garvan 65); Aaron Wilbraham (Jonathan Williams 55), Glenn Murray Subs not used: Lewis Price (gk), Yannick Bolasie, Kevin Phillips, Peter Ramage, Andre Moritz Manager: Ian Holloway Bookings Blackburn Rovers – None Crystal Palace – Joel Ward Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article