Blackburn Rovers vs Swansea City. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance13,550.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City at Ewood Park on Saturday; Tyrhys Dolan scores the only goal of the game as John Eustace's side return to winning ways.
Saturday 19 October 2024 18:26, UK
Blackburn made it five successive home wins in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory over goal-shy Swansea.
John Eustace's men were aiming to match a record set by Rovers' title-winning side in 1994-95 by stretching their perfect Ewood Park start and Tyrhys Dolan's second goal of the season was enough to end a two-match losing streak and move them back into the top six.
Andi Weimann should have added a late second in what was an unconvincing performance but Blackburn maximised the time they were in the ascendancy, which they have done clinically all season at home.
Swansea had enough of the ball and play but could not apply the finishing touch, with Florian Bianchini and Goncalo Franco both missing gilt-edged opportunities either side of the break.
They are now winless in four and have failed to score in four of their five away games.
Owen Beck returned from suspension for Rovers, who also handed a start to Todd Cantwell. Swansea drafted in Bianchini and Liam Cullen, who scored the winner in the corresponding match last season.
Rovers raced out of the blocks and nearly went ahead in the opening three minutes but Cantwell struck the sidenetting.
They did take a deserved 13th-minute lead when Cantwell's corner was met first time by Dolan. His shot into the ground bounced beyond Lawrence Vigouroux, potentially via a slight Makhtar Gueye deflection.
The Swans should have levelled on the half hour when Josh Key sent in an excellent low cross that Bianchini could not connect with at the far post.
Ronald missed a presentable opportunity soon after when he failed to direct a Matt Grimes free-kick on target.
Swansea's slow start to the first half cost them dearly and they almost saw history repeat itself but luckily for them, Ryan Hedges blasted wide within seconds of the restart.
But Luke Williams' side looked increasingly threatening and Cullen should have done better than heading over Ronald's inviting cross.
The visitors passed up a glorious opportunity in the 61st minute when Azeem Abdulai's cross was headed by Ronald into the path of Franco, who lashed a half-volley beyond the far post from close range.
Blackburn substitute Weimann should have wrapped up the points with his first involvement but shot straight at Vigouroux.
Harry Darling saw a late header saved by Aynsley Pears before Swansea went agonisingly close to equalising when Key's injury-time cross drifted across goal.
Weimann still had the chance to force a sprawling save from Vigouroux but it did not matter as Rovers secured another home victory.
Blackburn's John Eustace:
"I'm just very proud of the efforts today. It's been two weeks where we've all been very angry and frustrated about the way we finished just before the international break - two difficult away games in that four-day period.
"It's been a tough two weeks, but we've done a lot of hard work on the training field and you can see that coming out today.
"(We) fully deserved the win. Swansea had lots of possession but I don't think Aynsley (Pears) had a save to make so that's what we were working on.
"We always looked a threat on transitions. I thought we played some really good football as well at times, especially in the first half, so very pleasing.
"We had three or four great chances to score (before the goal). As I say, Swansea are a really good footballing team. They set up very well so it's important we respect that fact. I don't think they had a shot on target, so I'm really pleased."
Swansea's Luke Williams:
"I'm disappointed with how we started the game. I thought we were slow, we were second in most of the duels and we paid the price today. We got to grips with the game too late.
"There's a foul in there (the build-up to the goal) but it's pointless talking about that because there'll be times when we make fouls in the box because everyone is fouling everyone from every single set-piece.
"I'm not really concerned about that. The fact that we allowed pressure on ourselves and conceded corners, that's the real problem for me.
"The problem is so obvious. We have to find the opportunity, not the threat. At the moment, in my opinion, it's not a quality problem. We're creating enough openings. But the mindset is that it's a threat and the fear of missing creeps in rather than the excitement of scoring.
"You have to be in a great place to not let those things creep in and to see the moments as great opportunities for you to be sliding on your knees and celebrating with your fans."
