Tyrhys Dolan scored the only goal of the game to help Blackburn produce one of the narrow football scores of the weekend in the Championship. Back-to-back single-goal victories for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men, but unlike the Swansea game, they were in command and the outcome never appeared in doubt after Tyrhys Dolan put Rovers ahead with his fifth goal of the season shortly after the half-hour mark. Substitute Tyler Morton squandered a late chance to seal the game, but Blackburn, helped by a defense that had maintained three consecutive clean sheets at Ewood Park before this, held on to go up to the fourth place.
It is not difficult to recognize Blackpool’s difficulty. Although putting in a valiant effort, one of the Sky Bet Championship’s leanest attackers failed to record a shot on target, leaving them four points adrift of safety. Blackburn was missing injured top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz and gave Sammie Szmodics his first start since December, while the Tangerines were able to recall Charlie Patino following his ban. Unsurprisingly, the guests were content to sit back and challenge their hosts to break them down. Dolan almost broke the deadlock midway through the first half when he cut in from the left and fired a 25-yard effort goalward that goalkeeper Chris Maxwell had to tip over.
Rovers were comfortably up, but the visitors had a decent chance in the 63rd minute when Dom Thompson got space on the left and crossed to Josh Bowler, who sliced terribly wide. With 19 minutes remaining, Thomas fired in another beautiful cross, finding Sam Gallagher in acres of space, but the striker scuffed his attempt and Blackpool could breathe again. When substitute Morton was brought clean through in the 81st minute, he clipped the ball over the onrushing Maxwell and past the far post, effectively ending the game. Poveda sliced another chance wide in injury time after Rovers had blocked two attempts, prompting screams of handball from the visiting fans, but Blackburn held on to move into the playoff spots.
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