Blackburn Rovers 1 Middlesbrough 0: Sam Gallagher strike ensures Boro stay outside playoff spots

Sam Gallagher’s strike was enough to earn Blackburn a vital 1-0 win over Middlesbrough which propels them into the Championship’s top two.
Blackburn Rovers' Ryan Nyambe and Middlesbrough's Marcus Tavernier (right) battle for the ball at Ewood Park Picture: Mike Egerton/PABlackburn Rovers' Ryan Nyambe and Middlesbrough's Marcus Tavernier (right) battle for the ball at Ewood Park Picture: Mike Egerton/PA
Blackburn Rovers' Ryan Nyambe and Middlesbrough's Marcus Tavernier (right) battle for the ball at Ewood Park Picture: Mike Egerton/PA

In an absorbing contest between two of the division’s form sides, Rovers had to do without 20-goal top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz who is on international duty.

But Gallagher made light of the Chilean’s absence with a clinical 76th-minute strike – his sixth of the season – to deservedly give Tony Mowbray’s side all three points against his former club.

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Middlesbrough remain two points off the play-offs after only their second defeat of Chris Wilder’s tenure.

Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder and Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray on the touchline at Ewood Park. Picture: Mike Egerton/PAMiddlesbrough manager Chris Wilder and Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray on the touchline at Ewood Park. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA
Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder and Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray on the touchline at Ewood Park. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA

Rovers made a fast start, which saw Joe Lumley unconventionally clear Gallagher’s header across goal.

Gallagher’s acrobatic effort midway through the half required a smart save from Lumley and the impressive Reda Khadra whistled a free-kick wide on the half hour.

After the break as Connolly’s near-post strike was diverted just wide and from the 62nd-minute corner, Boro should have gone ahead, but Matt Crooks’s bullet header was brilliantly cleared off the line by Lewis Travis.

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Action was halted moments later due to a medical emergency in the stands, something Boro boss Wilder was quick to draw attention to.

MATCH-WINNER: Blackburn Rovers' Sam Gallagher  Picture: Richard Sellers/PAMATCH-WINNER: Blackburn Rovers' Sam Gallagher  Picture: Richard Sellers/PA
MATCH-WINNER: Blackburn Rovers' Sam Gallagher Picture: Richard Sellers/PA

Play resumed nine minutes later after the supporter received treatment and left to warm applause from all sides of Ewood, with Blackburn reporting that the male supporter was “now conscious and breathing”.

Blackburn settled quickest and scored what could be a crucial goal in their quest for promotion.

Paddy McNair failed to clear Boro lines and Gallagher swivelled and shot to devastating effect, finding the bottom left corner with a superb low strike.

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Wilder’s men rallied, first, Connolly lashed over from close range before Crooks powered a point-blank header over from Marcus Tavernier’s cross.

Blackburn Rovers: Kaminski, Lenihan, van Hecke, Scott Wharton, Nyambe, Travis, Johnson, Edun, Buckley (Zeefuik 89), Khadra (Butterworth 77), Gallagher. Unused substitutes: Ayala, Davenport, Rankin-Costello, Pears, Garrett.

Middlesbrough: Lumley, ADijksteel (Watmore 89), Fry, McNair, Jones, Crooks, Howson (Balogun 80), Tavernier, Taylor (Coburn 90), Sporar, Connolly. Unused substitutes: Payero, Peltier, Bamba, Daniels.

Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire).

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