Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
Riverside StadiumAttendance25,554.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday | Goalless draw as Michael Carrick's Boro see push towards play-offs halted.
Saturday 16 March 2024 18:19, UK
John Eustace's long wait for a first win as Blackburn boss continues after his side ground out a goalless draw at Middlesbrough.
It was a sixth draw in eight games for Rovers since Eustace replaced Jon Dahl Tomasson in the dugout and their third on the bounce - with Blackburn still three points above the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.
Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in four league games and have kept three clean sheets on the bounce, but their hopes of a top-six finish are hanging by a thread. Norwich's win at Stoke means Michael Carrick's side are now seven points adrift of the play-off places with eight games to play.
Both teams had their moments at the Riverside but lacked the clinical touch needed in front of goal.
Middlesbrough almost made the perfect start when Emmanuel Latte Lath was denied by the feet of Aynsley Pears inside two minutes. And the home side should have taken the lead when a corner from the right was glanced on by Luke Ayling into the path of Marcus Forss, who looked certain to score from just two yards out but somehow missed the target.
Blackburn threatened early on as well, with the Championship's top scorer Sammie Szmodics unsurprisingly looking the away side's best route to goal. He saw one low drive well saved by Seny Dieng and had another opening soon after but was denied by a fine slide tackle from Paddy McNair.
Boro were dealt a blow when Forss went off injured and lost their way a bit afterwards, but they almost forced a breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Ayling's header was blocked on the line by Dominic Hyam.
Sensing an opportunity, Blackburn started to grow in confidence and Sam Gallagher stung the hands of Dieng with a fierce strike from the edge of the area.
Riley McGree scored a stunning winner for Boro at Birmingham on Tuesday night and looked to repeat it here but his shot from distance flashed wide. Defender Matt Clarke then headed wide from a Jonny Howson free-kick.
A Blackburn corner caused Boro problems and, after Scott Wharton's header was blocked, substitute Tyrhys Dolan looked to turn in the rebound but was crowded out before the hosts managed to scramble clear.
Boro almost snatched a dramatic last-minute winner through Isaiah Jones when his shot was deflected onto the bar and substitute Sammy Silvera miskicked the rebound.
Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick:
"I'm frustrated, really, I think it was one of those games where we needed a moment and couldn't quite find it, whether it was the pass or the finish.
"There was some alright football in between the boxes and we defended the box alright, but couldn't quite find the moment.
"I thought we started alright and looked bright and dangerous and had a couple of opportunities that didn't quite go in for us, then we lacked quality after that and didn't have the moment to make a difference.
"There's always a positive. The clean sheet, Seny (Dieng) has had to make a couple of saves but nothing extra special.
"We defended the box pretty well. Of course the clean sheet is important but we hope for more and the point doesn't do an awful lot. It's a little one to add to the tally but really it's winning games that matters."
Blackburn's John Eustace:
"I thought we were outstanding. With and without the ball we were very good, we've had a really good week on the training field and I'm really disappointed we didn't win the game.
"Again, we showed great character in difficult moments. I'm disappointed we didn't win but delighted we didn't lose.
"It's another draw. I want more wins, of course, but you can see the commitment and character in the group.
"The games we've had so far, every game we've been fully committed and we've been unfortunate not to win more games. The fans can see the commitment week in, week out and with a bit of luck we'd have won this game but it just didn't drop for us at the right times.
"There is pressure on everyone. We have to keep our head, keep positive, don't get sucked into the negativity. We've been in the bottom five or six but it's important we keep focused and keep believing.
"I haven't looked at the other scores, I'm just focused on Blackburn and then commitment today was outstanding. We showed we'll roll our sleeves up and we're ready for the fight."
