Blackburn Rovers complete second half fightback to pick up a vital 3 points

A big game at Ewood Park saw an out of form Blackburn Rovers side take on Wayne Rooney’s Derby County in a game that had huge ramifications at both ends of the Championship table.

The two sides headed into the game following defeats just three days ago. Rovers saw an injury-time winner from Andreas Weimann hand Bristol City an away win, whereas Derby suffered a 2-0 defeat at second placed Bournemouth.

Without a win in three games, Blackburn were looking at the sides below them as they hoped to maintain their playoff spot with a victory on Tuesday night. A win for the Rams could see them reduce the gap between themselves and Reading in 21st to just two points.

An opening 45 minutes dominated by Derby followed. A lacklustre first half from Blackburn saw the side booed off at the break with the visitors leading 1-0 thanks to Ravel Morrison’s strike in the 28th minute and it could have easily been more with Morrison going close with a volley and Tom Lawrence denied by Thomas Kaminski in the dying seconds of the half.

The right-hand side partnership of full-back Nathan Byrne and winger Malcolm Ebiowei were a threat all half and it was Byrne who provided the assist for the opening goal of the game.

But this game was very much a tale of two halves as Derby were left to rue their missed opportunities with Wayne Rooney admitting in his post-match press conference that his side should have been ahead by more than the single goal at the break.

“I felt we could have been ahead by more, Tom had a very good chance at the end of the half. I felt from the first half we were in complete control. You could feel the frustration from the home fans and coaches and we had to take advantage of that but we didn’t, and I knew the game would end up the way it did”.

A frantic ten minutes at the start of the second half ultimately cost the Rams. Scott Wharton rose highest at the near post to level the scores from a corner. Just six minutes later Rovers had completed the comeback when Tyrhys Dolan got on the end of Bradley Dack’s cross to head home from close range.

After being booed off at the half the Rovers fans were behind their team with the noise inside Ewood Park encouraging Blackburn to push for a third. The hosts went close again but Derby managed to recover without conceding another goal.

But as Derby pushed for an equaliser in stoppage time Rovers were able to catch them on the counter-attack with Sam Gallagher heading Ryan Giles cross past a helpless Ryan Allsop to secure Rovers first win in three games to help maintain their playoff spot with the likes of  Sheffield United, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest occupying the positions just outside the playoff places.

Tony Mowbray’s side will now travel to Reading on Saturday who are in desperate need of points as they battle to avoid relegation. For Wayne Rooney’s Derby side he will continue to be hopeful that his team can pick up the points that they need to stay in the division.

The fact the Rams have had a -21 points deduction this season ad still have a chance of staying up is a credit to the job Rooney and his coaching staff have done this season. They will hope for a big performance as they welcome Coventry City to Pride Park at 12.30 on Saturday.

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