Blackburn Rovers vs Blackpool. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance14,483.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool at Ewood Park as Tyrhys Dolan's first half goal sent Jon Dahl Tomasson's side back into the top six
Tuesday 21 February 2023 23:17, UK
Blackburn moved into the play-off places with a dominant 1-0 win over struggling Blackpool.
Jon Dahl Tomasson's men made it back-to-back single-goal victories but unlike the Swansea game, they were in control here and the outcome never looked in doubt once Tyrhys Dolan had emphatically put Rovers ahead with his fifth goal of the season just after the half-hour mark.
Substitute Tyler Morton missed a chance to make the game safe late on but Blackburn, backed up by a defence that had kept three successive clean sheets at Ewood Park before this, held on to move up to fourth.
For Blackpool, it is not difficult to see their problem. Although they put in a committed performance, one of the Sky Bet Championship's leanest attacks failed to register a shot on target and they are now four points adrift of safety.
Blackburn were without injured top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz and handed Sammie Szmodics his first start since December, while the Tangerines were able to recall Charlie Patino after suspension.
The visitors were unsurprisingly happy to sit back and challenge their hosts to break them down. Rovers found the going tough early on but Dolan almost broke the deadlock midway through the first half when he cut in from the left and whipped a 25-yard effort goalwards that goalkeeper Chris Maxwell had to tip over.
Dolan was not to be denied in the 31st minute, though, as Sorba Thomas did well to collect the ball on the right and stroked in a fine low cross that the forward hammered into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
The best that shot-shy Blackpool could muster was a wild strike from former Rovers loanee Ian Poveda that was never troubling the goalkeeper.
At the other end, Joe Rankin-Costello headed over after fine build-up play from Szmodics and Dolan.
Rovers were well in control but the visitors had a decent chance in the 63rd minute when Dom Thompson found space on the left and his cross found Josh Bowler but the midfielder sliced horribly wide.
The impressive Thomas sent in another smart cross with 19 minutes to go, finding Sam Gallagher in acres of space but the striker scuffed his shot and Blackpool could breathe again.
Substitute Morton should have put the game to bed in the 81st minute when he was played clean through but he clipped the ball over the onrushing Maxwell and past the far post.
Poveda sliced another effort wide in stoppage time after Rovers had blocked two efforts to howls of handball from the visiting support, but Blackburn held on and moved into the coveted play-offs.
Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson:
"It [the goal] was great to see. Sometimes we work on things in training that we do as well in the game. It was perfect to see. It was an excellent move. We just need to create those moments, but we controlled the game. I think it's been a tough schedule, so in that way, big effort from the lads, praise the lads. They've done an excellent job and I saw some good football.
"Tyrhys is in a good place at the moment, he's doing really well and he's performing at a high level. It's also good that he got the goal. You need of course goals to win games. It's great to have another clean sheet, it says a bit about the spirit and togetherness and they've been extremely solid. But you need goals to win games as well, so it's a perfect goal and it's a well-executed goal."
Blackpool's Mick McCarthy:
"Goals change games, as we know. I'm really disappointed how we gave it away. It was a great goal from them, but I can see the points that have cost us. Second half, at least we passed the ball. But no, a disappointing performance. It's a shame because we had a good crowd here. It is a fabulous goal by them, we'd be saying the same, but I can see how it came about.
"From Saturday when we came away all feeling good, we've let ourselves down tonight with that performance. Anything I put it down to can be construed as excuses. We've had lots of games in February. That hasn't helped. We've never been onto the training ground. It's play, recovery, play, recovery. And we're second bottom of the league, so confidence doesn't come easy. That makes life difficult. This is the most disappointing of all of them (games)."
