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Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Middlesbrough: Sam Gallagher's strike moves hosts up to second

By Alex WinterBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Championshipcomments251

Blackburn's Sam Gallagher stepped up to the goalscoring plate in the absence of Rovers top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz, who is on international duty with Chile
Blackburn's Sam Gallagher stepped up to the goalscoring plate in the absence of Rovers top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz, who is on international duty with Chile

Sam Gallagher scored a second-half winner to send Blackburn Rovers second in the Championship as they edged past Middlesbrough.

The 26-year-old took advantage of Paddy McNair's error to swivel and score his sixth goal of the season with a low shot.

Until that point, Boro were much the better side in the second half but a lengthy delay after a fan was taken ill halted their momentum and, moments after the restart, Gallagher struck.

Matt Crooks had a golden chance to equalise towards the end of the 12 minutes of stoppage time but headed a free-kick from the right over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

Midfielder Crooks should also have scored with an earlier header from eight yards out, only for Lewis Travis to head off the line, and his Boro team-mate Aaron Connolly saw a right-footed shot deflected just wide after a slick move down the right.

It was just a second defeat for Chris Wilder as Middlesbrough manager since his appointment in November, as his side missed the chance to climb into the play-off places.

They also missed opportunities to clear their lines before conceding what proved to be the winning goal.

There was no obvious danger as a ball was played back towards the top of the Boro penalty area but McNair aimed a wild hack at it, made no significant contact, and it fell for former Southampton striker Gallagher to shoot across goalkeeper Joe Lumley into his right corner.

The visitors pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages of what proved to be an hour-long second period, but on-loan Brighton forward Connolly fired over from a tight angle before Crooks somehow missed the best chance of the night.

The extensive stoppage time was caused by an eight-minute period of treatment for a Blackburn supporter near the dugouts, midway through the second half, with the individual conscious as medical staff led them away on a stretcher.

Both sets of players took on liquids and tried to stay warm during the unexpected delay after half-time
Both sets of players took on liquids and tried to stay warm during the unexpected delay after half-time

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray:

"Scoring the goal was always going to be difficult for us, without Ben Brereton and Joe Rothwell. But, although he's missed a fair whack of the season, Sam Gallagher's goals per starts is pretty good.

"Gallagher is fast, strong, good in the air, with a rocket in his right foot. I'm always encouraging him to hit it because when you watch it in training it's like a bazooka, his right foot. It's a great strike.

"He has all the attributes to be a top player. His ambition has to be to get to the Premier League. Hopefully with this club. Look at this monster of a boy who can run like the wind with a rocket in his boots. Why can't he play in the Premier League? He's working really hard and I'm delighted he's getting the rewards."

Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder told BBC Radio Tees:

"I didn't enjoy watching my team's performance. There were so many things wrong. We started off on the back foot, they jumped on us and we were never bright enough or quick enough.

"We were in the ascendancy after half-time, we tightened up, we played quicker and pushed a good team back. That's what I was looking for from the beginning.

"We had two incredibly good chances but we didn't deserve anything out of the game."

Line-ups

Blackburn

Formation 3-4-1-2

  • 1Kaminski
  • 26Lenihan
  • 25van Hecke
  • 16WhartonBooked at 90mins
  • 2NyambeBooked at 37mins
  • 27TravisBooked at 50mins
  • 4Johnson
  • 20EdunBooked at 90mins
  • 21BuckleySubstituted forZeefuikat 89'minutes
  • 7KhadraSubstituted forButterworthat 77'minutes
  • 9Gallagher

Substitutes

  • 5Ayala
  • 6Davenport
  • 11Rankin-Costello
  • 13Pears
  • 14Butterworth
  • 35Garrett
  • 42Zeefuik

Middlesbrough

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Lumley
  • 2DijksteelSubstituted forWatmoreat 89'minutes
  • 6Fry
  • 17McNairBooked at 90mins
  • 35JonesBooked at 90mins
  • 25CrooksBooked at 15mins
  • 16HowsonSubstituted forBalogunat 80'minutes
  • 7TavernierBooked at 29mins
  • 3TaylorBooked at 4minsSubstituted forCoburnat 90+11'minutes
  • 11Sporar
  • 26ConnollyBooked at 26mins

Substitutes

  • 10Payero
  • 14Peltier
  • 18Watmore
  • 22Bamba
  • 28Daniels
  • 37Coburn
  • 47Balogun
Referee:
Darren England
Attendance:
14,670

Match Stats

Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamMiddlesbrough
Possession
Home32%
Away68%
Shots
Home15
Away9
Shots on Target
Home3
Away1
Corners
Home6
Away7
Fouls
Home14
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Middlesbrough 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Middlesbrough 0.

  3. Post update

    Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dael Fry.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Deyovaisio Zeefuik (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Matt Crooks (Middlesbrough) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Assisted by Marcus Tavernier with a cross following a set piece situation.

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Middlesbrough. Josh Coburn replaces Neil Taylor.

  7. Booking

    Tayo Edun (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card.

  8. Post update

    Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Tayo Edun (Blackburn Rovers).

  10. Booking

    Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Isaiah Jones (Middlesbrough).

  12. Post update

    Tayo Edun (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Aaron Connolly (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Matt Crooks.

  14. Post update

    Dael Fry (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Daniel Butterworth (Blackburn Rovers).

  16. Post update

    Duncan Watmore (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Scott Wharton (Blackburn Rovers).

  18. Booking

    Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough).

  20. Post update

    Deyovaisio Zeefuik (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

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251 comments

  • Comment posted by Forest Fan 1960, at 22:27 24 Jan

    Credit to Blackburn how they have turned their season around after that 0-7 defeat to Fulham. The Championship is a great league to be playing in.
    'Forest fan'

  • Comment posted by man u fan, at 22:14 24 Jan

    Congrats rovers really hope you get automatic promotion over Bournemouth as its would be nice to a see a team without the parachute payments to go up

    • Reply posted by Pepe Pig49, at 22:37 24 Jan

      Pepe Pig49 replied:
      ...says a Prawn sandwich guzzler!

  • Comment posted by Turn Again, at 22:35 24 Jan

    The last time Fulham went up as champions Blackburn went up with them and they both stayed up for a few years. Would be nice to see that happen again.

    • Reply posted by Paul, at 23:35 24 Jan

      Paul replied:
      ulham have proved they are the best in the division- however Rovers have shown a great resolve and have some quality - much more deserving than the pompous usual no hopers once they go up.

  • Comment posted by roversthroughandthrough, at 22:43 24 Jan

    For all you armchair fans, never mind Sky. Go to the game. The atmosphere and tension was immense tonight! Worth every penny. Long live live football.

    • Reply posted by Misstra Misstra, at 22:55 24 Jan

      Misstra Misstra replied:
      And wont it be even better when they let the fans back in!

  • Comment posted by harryap3045, at 22:32 24 Jan

    As a forest fan, thought Middlesbrough put us to the sword. Out of everyone in the playoffs they impressed me, for blackburn to have won they have made statement.

  • Comment posted by JuliusCaesarWasASocialist, at 22:12 24 Jan

    Need Blackburn back in the Prem. Proper club from the glory days of the prem. Get Blackburn, Boro and Fulham up and nonsense like Burnley, Watford and Norwich down

    • Reply posted by ormy, at 22:45 24 Jan

      ormy replied:
      Nonsense like Norwich who absolutely walked the championship last year. Lol thick as two short planks

  • Comment posted by TomB, at 22:14 24 Jan

    Incredible result and performance from Rovers.

    No Pickering at LB against Boro's biggest threat Jones, our best Midfielder this Season Joe Rothwell missing and Ben Brereton Diaz with 20 League Goals this Season on a Plane to Chile.

    Also facing a bang in-form Middlesbrough and we find a way to stop their momentum and grind out the result.

  • Comment posted by James tomkinz, at 22:00 24 Jan

    A brilliant rovers win.
    Former Premier League winners found a way to win when the chips were down.

    With players ruled out through injury, suspension and international call ups, this victory is so much sweeter!!!

    Common you blues!!

    • Reply posted by A Matter Of National Security, at 22:21 24 Jan

      A Matter Of National Security replied:
      Surely you mean 'blue & whites'?

  • Comment posted by Grb, at 22:42 24 Jan

    Tough game for the spectators.
    Credit to the travelling supporters 👏

  • Comment posted by TheRovers, at 22:48 24 Jan

    Not surprised Middlesbrough have won 7 in 8. Strong, quick, nasty at times (Lenihan lucky to avoid a broken nose).

    Type of team who would have steamrolled us last season when we could thrash the bad teams but that's it. But this season we've got bottle through the team, love it.

  • Comment posted by RaggedTrouseredPhil, at 22:15 24 Jan

    Well done Rovers. WAFC in peace, I hope you get promoted this season, Mowbray is obviously a good manager on the football side of things and has got you men buzzing at the moment.

  • Comment posted by MattD, at 23:36 24 Jan

    What a job Tony Mowbray has been doing at Blackburn. Been there a good few years now, slowly rebuilding them up again, so he's really has helped Rovers find their rhythm again.

    I hope to see him back in the Premier League, a good decent man he is too.

  • Comment posted by bigbadwolf2018, at 22:13 24 Jan

    A good game. Well done Blackburn but I was impressed by Boro and think they will find themselves going up playing like that. Let’s hope you both go up at the expense of those to-to Baggies who offer nothing to the Prem.

    • Reply posted by bigbadwolf2018, at 22:16 24 Jan

      bigbadwolf2018 replied:
      Meant yo-yo Boiler towel ball baggies

  • Comment posted by Stu Gotz, at 22:07 24 Jan

    Classly. Injuries, call ups, I'm sure someone's got covid in the club but no postponement. People are tougher up north

    Well deserved.

    • Reply posted by got2avkayanow, at 00:42 25 Jan

      got2avkayanow replied:
      Carrying around a contagious desease without taking precautions to protect others, yeah really tough !

  • Comment posted by dan, at 22:10 24 Jan

    A proper hard fought win from Rovers, not their best but grinding out wins against the teams around them is something they have previously struggled with. A happy Rovers fan tonight

  • Comment posted by Rose Berry, at 22:11 24 Jan

    Perennial problem for Boro - just don't score enough. But how was that not a penalty?

    • Reply posted by maxtheschnauzer, at 22:35 24 Jan

      maxtheschnauzer replied:
      Stonewall

  • Comment posted by nixonneill, at 22:01 24 Jan

    Come on you Blues!

  • Comment posted by Tuds, at 23:07 24 Jan

    The Boro were shocking tonight, couldn't string 2 passes together down the left. McNair had an awful game and Connolly, well, not entirely sure what Wilder sees in him. Hopefully, thats the poor one out of the way and we play much better against Coventry.

    • Reply posted by MW, at 11:06 25 Jan

      MW replied:
      the stat says different more passes and more completed passes than Blackburn but all that matters are goals

  • Comment posted by Golfpunk, at 22:50 24 Jan

    C'mon Rovers! Get back up there!

  • Comment posted by David McManus, at 22:10 24 Jan

    Rovers on the rise

    • Reply posted by A Matter Of National Security, at 22:27 24 Jan

      A Matter Of National Security replied:
      Rovers Return?

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Fulham27176473254857
2Blackburn28157645301552
3Bournemouth27147643241949
4QPR2614574031947
5West Brom27129634201445
6Huddersfield2812883733444
7Middlesbrough2712693126542
8Nottm Forest2711793529640
9Stoke26115103228438
10Coventry2510783430437
11Sheff Utd2510693332136
12Blackpool27106112832-436
13Luton259883631535
14Millwall268992729-233
15Preston268992933-433
16Bristol City2796123547-1233
17Swansea248792832-431
18Birmingham2787122840-1231
19Hull2785142331-829
20Cardiff2665152847-1923
21Reading2784153351-1822
22Peterborough2554162151-3019
23Derby2781182626014
24Barnsley2528151738-2114
View full Championship table

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