Blackburn Rovers vs Reading. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance10,517.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackburn Rovers and Reading at Ewood Park as goals from Sam Gallagher and Tyrhys Dolan steered Tony Mowbray's side to victory on Saturday
Saturday 23 October 2021 18:24, UK
A second quickfire double in the space of a week helped Blackburn end their four-game winless run with a 2-0 victory over Reading.
In a game of few chances, the Royals looked the most assured in possession but Rovers were much more clinical and they put their visitors to the sword in a devastating three-minute spell in the second half.
First, Sam Gallagher tapped home after the impressive Joe Rothwell's 61st-minute shot hit the frame of the goal, before Tyrhys Dolan celebrated his 50th league appearance for Rovers in style, curling in a beauty of an effort from 20 yards to notch his fourth this term.
Unlike last week against Coventry, Blackburn did not surrender their lead and moved level on points with fifth-placed Luton after extending their unbeaten Ewood Park run to a fourth match.
Reading's poor away form continued after they registered their fifth defeat on the road this season and it caps a miserable week following their midweek loss against Blackpool.
Tony Mowbray made four changes following the QPR defeat, including recalls for Gallagher, Dolan and Rothwell. The Royals drafted in Femi Azeez for his first start since August.
In an uneventful first half, Baba Rahman engineered space in the box before lashing over, but the only real chance came when Rothwell played an incisive pass for Gallagher who cut in from the left and let fly but saw his effort crash back off the top of the right-hand post.
A well-worked corner routine just after the restart between Rothwell and Gallagher presented the latter with a half chance that he fired well over.
He was presented with another chance in the 54th minute after a superb first touch brought the ball under instant control but he hammered his shot straight at Luke Southwood's body.
Gallagher finally got his goal in the 61st minute but it was all due to Rothwell, who drove at the heart of Reading's defence, ghosting past Scott Dann and, although his shot hit a post, the rebound fell invitingly to Blackburn's number nine, who tapped his fifth of the season into the empty net.
The Royals were inches away from an immediate equaliser but George Puscas could not stretch far enough to convert a cross.
And Rovers clinically doubled the advantage in the 64th minute in stunning fashion as Dolan cut in from the left before unleashing an unstoppable 20-yard drive that curled perfectly into the far-right corner.
Blackburn should have added more before the end, as Jan Paul Van Hecke poked wide with the goal at his mercy, before Dolan almost notched a carbon copy of his goal only for Southwood to make a spectacular flying save.
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "Tyrhys plays in our team because he sets the tone of hard work to be honest. He runs and closes and chases and he gets his reward. He's undoubtedly got some talent and has he showed numerous times today, scored a wonderful goal, got in behind them in the second half quite a bit, two or three times. The growth areas for Tyrhys Dolan are his final ball, final delivery in the box. But an amazing guy, an amazing human being.
"I think it is the anniversary this week of the passing of his best friend. I just know the kid that he is, he will be extremely proud of himself. I pick him every week because he works his socks off for the team and I demand that is the starting point for us, that everybody collectively has to run, chase, fight, put your foot in, tackle. As a striker, he has to score and create chances, and he's doing that."
Reading's Veljko Paunovic: "Unfortunately, I have to repeat the same thing as last game. Everything was under our control, especially in the first half. And even in the moments when we conceded the two goals, it happened after two giveaways. We have to be better in coping with counter-attacks or giveaways in the middle of the park.
"It's difficult to accept that today we didn't get a result and more than anything, what I'm disappointed in is we didn't score a goal because I think we played very good football. We didn't have the final pass, the final product. Most of the guys are carrying the burden of the whole season so far. I think there is a component of fatigue in today's execution."
