Blackburn Rovers vs West Bromwich Albion. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance14,258.
Jack Livermore sees red for the second time this season
Tuesday 1 January 2019 21:25, UK
Two goals in the space of five second-half minutes gave Blackburn a hard-fought 2-1 win over 10-man West Brom.
Tony Mowbray's men bounced back from three consecutive defeats in impressive fashion, denting the Baggies' promotion push in the process.
The hosts were rewarded for their display early in the second half thanks to Charlie Mulgrew's goal direct from a corner - the second time he has managed that this season - and Bradley Dack's composed finish for his 12th of the campaign.
Former Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez dispatched a penalty to change the complexion of the game midway through the second half, but Jake Livermore's late sending off thwarted comeback hopes, as Blackburn ended a five-match winless run.
It was West Brom's first reverse after nine unbeaten.
Rovers were excellent in the first half and Dack sent Danny Graham clear early on, but Sam Johnstone stood firm and blocked with his feet.
The league's top scorers reminded their opponents of their threat though. Harvey Barnes should have done better in the 15th minute when he shot tamely at David Raya.
At the other end, Dack's trickery bamboozled two West Brom players, giving him time and space to let fly with a low drive that Johnstone parried away.
Blackburn were rewarded for their display eight minutes after the restart in stunning fashion, when Mulgrew's curling corner missed everybody and nestled in the far corner - the captain's eighth goal of the season.
The visitors were stung into action, and so were Raya's palms after a vicious Hal Robson-Kanu effort.
But Rovers carved them open on the break for a quickfire second in the 58th minute, when Adam Armstrong sent Dack clear. He showed great composure to shift the ball onto his left foot before firing emphatically into the top corner.
The shellshocked Baggies were handed a route back into the game in the 63rd minute, when Barnes was brought down in the box.
Rodriguez stepped up and ignored the chorus of boos to slot a perfect penalty into the left corner for his 13th goal this term.
Darren Moore's side were revitalised and were inches away from the equaliser when Kieran Gibbs cut inside, only to see his curling effort sail narrowly wide.
Substitute Livermore was dismissed three minutes from time after he hauled down Lewis Travis, but the Baggies continued to pile forward and Craig Dawson was denied at point blank range at the death, as Rovers held on.
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray: "I don't know if you've spoken to him, but we have spoken about Mulgrew shooting from corners to be honest and we've done that this week. It's not an accident that Charlie Mulgrew can bend the ball in the net from the corner flag and we had enough people get in front of the keeper.
"You probably don't believe that but we did work on Mulgrew (scoring from corners). If you've been to our games, you'll know he's been playing in the middle trying to head the ball in.
"But I made the decision last week that he's going to start taking them again from the right side with his left foot, and he has to shoot, and it worked.
"I am delighted for Charlie. It's another avenue for him to try and continue in his goalscoring vein - 14 last year, eight this year, it is a pretty amazing tool that he's got."
West Brom boss Darren Moore: "I'm okay. I've not spoken about it. All I've said initially is 'lads, get yourselves gone. Let's get home, back with your families, let's have 24 hours away from football' and we recharge and go again. We came here to win the game, make no mistake about it.
"We went nine games. We wanted to go 10 (unbeaten). We've been on an impressive run of games, we were trying to chalk up our fifth away win this season (in succession), but it wasn't to be.
"I thought Blackburn were dogged with their work. First half, both teams cancelled each other out then the two quick goals for Blackburn allowed them to hold on to something in the second half.
"We responded very quickly and it made it an intense finish, but out of the two teams I thought we were the stronger ones finishing in terms of trying to get the equaliser."
