It happened again - a controversial penalty awarded & Rovers 2-1 lead is eroded in the second half at Oakwell. But the full story suggests that Blackburn should have been 4 up by the break, and yet were 1-0 down against the run of play when Nick Prosscwitz beat Paul Robinson just ahead of the half hour. But before the break, first Tom Cairney then Rudy Gestede made it 2-1 (2 in 2)! On that showing it should have been a strong second half for Rovers, but Barnsley had other ideas, and when Tommy Spurr was adjudged to have conceded a penalty the Blackburn bench were furious and Chris O'Grady made it 2-2 and 2 points dropped. But for Gary Bowyer what could be another serious injury created more problems. Lee Williamson was stretchered off after a long break - which provided concern and 9 minutes of extra time. And the boss will be unhappy again with the officials and questionable decision.
Rovers stay in 9th place, and will play Blackpoll at Ewood on Saturday - they lost 5-1 at Reading tonight! (28th January 2014)

Valuable Point - but more penalty controversy

Gary Bowyer told reporters: "We did have a penalty in the second half again. It's the second week running I'm talking about penalties that should or shouldn't be given against us, and at the moment we aren't getting them" Which tells part of the story, on an afternoon where Ben Marshall went off on a stretcher and for an immediate scan - and could have an extended break. The visitors started brightly and had command for the first ten minutes, then Rovers got into gear and created a number of first half chances, but it was all square at the break. It took less than two minutes after the restart for Rudy Gestede to make it 2 in 2 homes games, linking up with Jordan Rhodes for a cross he headed home. The Manager told RADIO ROVERS: "It was a great goal from Rudy, I thought the two of them linked up very well today. I'm delighted with they are starting to shape up them two. We knew what we were doing when we brought the big man in and I thought he was outstanding." When Todd Kane was fouled in the box - he stayed on his feet, and the ref waved play on - had he gone down a penalty would have been given. As it was the incident looked to have warranted a spot kick. "A lot of our players stay on their feet perhaps too much. But Todd shouldn't have to go down for it to be a penalty. You saw the impact of giving a decision that wasn't one last week and there you go again." said the Manager.
Derby brought on Patrick Bamford on the hour mark, and the prolific loan man claimed the equaliser with 7 minutes of normal time left to play. The Boss said: "The players are a little bit disappointed but we've just said to them it is about picking up points so lets see where we are after we've played Barnsley and Blackpool. If we can't get three then we have to make sure that we got one and that is what we've done today."
It was an FA Cup weakened with many Championship sides not in action and so Rovers are just 3 points outside the play off places - now in 9th place. But Brighton progressed in the cup and their game at Ewood has had to be postponed on February 15th. (25th January 2014)

"We didn't get started" - says the boss

A game where the scoreline certainly doesn't tell the whole story! But Rovers were second best at Forest, and handed the first two goals to the home side on a plate - well the penalty spot! Henry Lansbury converted both openers after Grant Hanley conceded the first after 15 minutes , then quarter of an hour later, Adam Henley the second. Rovers looked to be back in contention just 3 minutes later when Ben Marshall scored with a superb shot from just outside the box. But with no Paul Robinson or Jordan Rhodes again, the second half gave few more chances for Rovers. Jamie Paterson added Forest's third and four minutes into injury time Andy Reid finished the job with their fourth. Not a good day! Gary Bowyer was unhappy with the first penalty, but admitted that it had been a bad day all round;- "We didn't get started, so we'll put our hands up to that, we were a little bit slow. But then the game changes on that first goal and I've got to be careful because I don't want to get into trouble, but we've just had a look at it again and if that is a penalty then we should have had two penalties in the second half. Chris Taylor has been grabbed round as he is going for a cross, then Grant Hanley gets pulled down with Greg Halford not even looking for the ball. So that changes the game. I've no complaints about the second penalty, we should have defended better, Adam knows that. Then we come back into the game and we score a great goal with a fantastic finish from Ben Marshall, then in the second half I think it was just us really, we were camped in their half. We get caught on the counter with the third goal, again we should have defended better. Then we lose Scott with a bad injury which we felt should have been spotted again by the referee. So we had to end the game with ten men, but you wouldn't have known that with the way we played. We kept going, had half chances, but they grab a further goal at the end."
Rover remain 8th with other results largely going in their favour (18th January 2014)

Brave Rovers lose in a real game of 2 halves

The FA Cup adventure ended at Manchester City with Rovers conceding 5 goals without reply - but after holding them out for 45'00 + 23 seconds! Jordan Rhodes and Tommy Spurr were both ruled out through injury, and Gary Bowyer opted to start with DJ Campbell up front. A well managed first half saw some strong defending, and a few clear chances before only moments after a minute of extra time had been signaled Alvaro Negrado scored the first of two. The striker found his second just a minute later - but the other side of the break. At the interval Paul Robinson was replaced with Simon Eastwood after picking up an injury, and it was the sub keeper who saw the power of City's fierce attack. Edin Dzeko added the next, before Sergio Aguero claimed the fourth with Dzeco back for the fifth.
But the traveling fans never stopped chanting and came in for praise from the media and Twitter tweets.
Gary Bowyer told the clubs official website that he had nothing but pride for his team:- "We learned a hell of a lot about our boys in this fabulous arena. One thing they didn't do was lay down and die, that is for sure. We were probably a little bit naive with conceding right on the stroke of half-time again. We then concede a goal right after half-time but the response was great from our boys. I thought the way we went about it, the way we kept trying to play and play at the right times. Pantilimon has made a couple of decent saves. So I've nothing but pride for them. Our boys didn't freeze, they kept going and wanting the ball. We were playing against a world class team, probably the best in the world at the moment. They did alright tonight, they can be proud of how they went about it." The Manager will now turn his attention to the key league game on Saturday at Nottingham Forest - probably far more important a fixture in the larger Rovers picture.
And talking of pictures - hats off to the fans as they do "The Poznan" 5-0 down! (c) Twitter (15th January 2014)

Important win moves Rovers to 8th - 2 points from play offs

The Manager said this was probably one of the most important games of the season so far .. and the results and Leeds and against Man City would lose some of he value if Rovers couldn't build on recent successes. Well for the first half of the first half - Blackburn created chance after chance - then Doncaster applied some pressure - but it was still the home side's game. Just ahead of the break Rudy Gestede claimed his first home goal heading home to claim the opener. He linked up brilliantly with Jordan Rhodes, and expectations were high that more would follow. But a very different Doncaster Rovers came out for the second period, and they applied the pressure, with little in reply. But when Paul Robinson was called upon, he make a couple of key saves - the last 4 minutes into injury time to secure the points. Both teams could only manage 3 shots on target Former Rover Paul Dickov praised the Blackburn keeper telling reporters:- "Robinson showed why he's an England international with the two saves at the end. The first one was special. I've just seen it again and it was top class."
Meanwhile the Blackburn Manager told RDAIO ROVERS: - "It was a massive three points and a massive test. I would go as far as saying that, bar the cup game against Manchester City, that was the hardest game we have had this season. You have to take your hat off to Doncaster and Paul Dickov, we couldn't get out of our half in the second half. That said, in the first half we were outstanding, it was a game of two halves, it really was, we should have been out of sight in the first half, that is something that we have to work on, we have to be more ruthless. But the spirit, character, desire, passion and determination was immense in the second half, typified by Robbo's saves at the end."
The win takes Rovers to within two points of the play off places and up to 8th place in the league. But it's back to cup action on Wednesday with the FA Cup 3rd Round replay at Manchester City. Now on TV, the games kicks off at 20:10 GMT. Then next Saturday Blackburn are away at 5th place Nottingham Forestfor another big test. (11th January 2014)

If Blackburn Rovers can win their FA Cup 3rd round replay at Manchester City, then the reward will be a home tie against either Bristol City of Watford.
The full draw was made at Wembley this afternoon with many teams waiting for replays to know who'll they'll play. The full draw is:-

Sunderland v Kidderminster or Peterborough - Bolton v Cardiff - Southampton v Yeovil - Huddersfield v Charlton or Oxford -Port Vale or Plymouth v Brighton -Nottingham Forest v Ipswich or Preston - Southend v Hull - Rochdale v Macclesfield or Sheffield Wednesday - Arsenal v Coventry - Stevenage v Everton - Wigan or MK Dons v Crystal Palace - Chelsea v Stoke - Blackburn Rovers or Manchester City v Bristol City or Watford - Bournemouth or Burton v Liverpool - Birmingham, Bristol Rovers or Crawley v Swansea - Sheffield United v Norwich or Fulham
Ties to be played the weekend of the 25th and 26th January 2014 (5th January 2014)

'Proud' perfomance earns Rovers an FA Cup replay!

It was the game chosen to launch FA Cup 3rd Round day on TV, and few expected Blackburn Rovers to earn a replay against one of the top teams in Europe! From the start it was obvious that Rovers had every intention of giving the visitors a hard time - and had periods when they controlled play in all areas. Gary Bowyer was able to recall keeper Paul Robinson for the first time in over a year. He also allowed Jordan Rhodes and DJ Campbell to spend most of the match on the bench. New signing Rudy Gastede started up front. In a great atmosphere Rovers held the visitors 'till the last minute of the first half, and when Negredo gave them the lead. But it only took nine minutes of the second half for Blackburn to find the equaliser - Gestede's shot saved and Scott Dann on hand to net from close range. City played the last five minutes with ten men after Dedryck Boyata was shown a second yellow. But all the post match reaction was full of praise for a start to finish - end to end performance form the boys in Blue & White.
The Manager fro full of praise talking on RADIO ROVERS post match:- "It might be a bit greedy but we could have nicked it at the end. I have nothing but praise and pride for this group, it was a terrific performance against a world class team. The players are a joy to the football club at the moment. They've really restored some pride, the supporters can go away happy with that. We are pleased with how we went about it and how the players responded to going behind. The ages of some of them, it is terrific for them to play in that environment, hopefully it is a motivation for them.The fans pay their money and what they want to see is people having a go and working head and they certainly saw that today from them." Rovers now face a replay at the Etihad Stadium on 15trh January at 19:45 hrs. The Draw for the fourth round will be at 14:00 GMT on Sunday 5th January
(4th January 2014)

Rovers make double signing at the start of transfer window

Yesterday could have seen the last game for Rovers loan players Tom Cairney and Rudy Gestede - but Blackburn have announced that both have now signed full contracts with the club for the next three and a half year. Cairney was on loan from Hull City, and Gestede from Cardiff City.
Talking to the clubs official website, Tom said:- “I’m very pleased to sign permanently – that was a goal of mine when I came on loan in August. First and foremost, I wanted to try and get games under my belt. I knew it was a big club, with a lot of good players here and I really wanted to try and do my best and help the team push on. I feel like I’ve played well this season, but I still think there’s more to come and I’m looking forward to the future with Blackburn Rovers. It’s been 20-odd games in a row I’ve played, which is great. At my age, after the injury I got last season, it’s definitely what I needed and I’m just ready to kick on again and keep going.”
Rudy scored his first Rovers goal on New Years day, and told the site:- “I am very happy to sign for Blackburn Rovers. They gave me the chance to play and to be on the pitch and now they have given me the chance to sign a permanent deal and I’m delighted to take it. It’s a big club and so I’m very happy to stay here. Everybody was very welcoming with me when I joined. They tried to make me feel at home and that’s happened. The lads have been very nice, the staff have been very nice with me, people in the club have been very nice, so I’m very happy and I hope I will enjoy my time here. I trust in my team-mates and we are very close to the play-off places, so if we keep playing like we have and keep believing in ourselves, we can do something.”
In other transfer news BBC sport report that Bruno Ribiero has left on a free to return to Brazil. He only had five first team outings - all under Steve Kean. Jordan Slew has joined Ross County on loan. (2nd January 2014)

After the disappointment of Boxing Day at Ewood, Rovers changed their formation and attitude to get a worthy win at Leeds United. Playing three up front Jordan Rhodes was joined by Rudy Gestede and DJ Campbell - with 2 of the 3 rewarded with goals before the break. Rhodes claimed his 16th of the campaign after just 12 minutes, and then a first Rovers goal for on-load striker Rudy Gestede just after the half hour. Much criticism came the way of Referee Anothony Taylor who seemed to miss a clear foul on DJ in the box that should have lead to a pen. Jordan Rhodes hit the bar with minutes to go, and in between, a brief mix up at the back saw Matt Smith pull one back for the home side. But the traveling faithful seemed to agree with manager Gary Bowyer, who described the overall performance as "Magnificent!"
He told the clubs official website:- "I think we continued from where we were against Birmingham, bar the silly mistakes. We've come here today, a tough place to come, a noisy New Years Day crowd, and our young team and young players have stood up magnificently to it. "In the first half we were outstanding and we should have been out of side, we scored two good goals, one cleared off the line, a certain penalty. We controlled the game. "We knew there would be a period in the game where Leeds would come at us and that was exactly what happened at the start of the second half, and again it is a silly goal we gave away. "But I can't praise our lads enough for the way that they responded, they didn't panic, they kept the ball and they showed a lot of maturity in there."
The former Leeds trainee Tom Cairney played his last game under the loan deal from Hull City - but Rovers hope to make a permanent deal with Hull to bring him to Ewood. An initial offer was turned down, but City say he is available at the right price.
Saturday sees an early kick off (12:45) and the FA Cup 3rd round against the Premier Leagues' top side Manchester City. Happy New Year !! (1st January 2014)