Blackburn Rovers returned to winning ways in the Championship with a hard fought 2-1 victory against West Ham United.
Andri Gudjohnsen and Dapo Afolayan both struck in the second half at Ewood Park, before Joel Piroe pulled one back to set up a nervy ending.
It was a fifth home win of the season for Tony Mowbray’s men, who head into the international break – and the derby at Burnley later this month – in high spirits.
Mowbray made one change from the defeat against Stoke City, with Gady Beyuku replacing Ryan Alebiosu. Harry Pickering made his 150th start in blue and white, and Tom Atcheson returned to the bench.
The opening stages were cagey, with the visitors seeing plenty of the ball but Rovers managing to keep them at arm’s length.
Harry Pickering had a shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked by Max Kilman. Ex-West Ham man Afolayan got on the end of the resulting corner but couldn’t guide his header on target.
Andri Gudjohnsen went close to breaking the deadlock after a well worked move down the right wing. Beyuku released Jayden Fevrier and his cross found the Iceland international, who looped a volley just wide of the top corner at full stretch.
West Ham’s first real sight at goal came when Divine Mukasa created a pocket of space with a clever turn before hitting a shot towards goal, which was pushed away by Balazs Toth.
Jarrod Bowen flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal and Arne Engels saw a free kick held by Toth as the visitors tried to apply some pressure.
Early in the second half, Konstantinos Mavropanos had a free header from a corner but steered it wide of the post.
Bowen thought he had found the opener with a glancing header from Edvin Austbo’s cross, but the woodwork came to Rovers’ rescue. Moments later, Engels hit a low drive just past the post.
It felt like West Ham were starting to build momentum, but they were caught out by a brilliant Rovers breakaway.
Todd Cantwell found Jayden Fevrier, who raced down the right wing and delivered an inviting cross for Gudjohnsen, who made no mistake with a clinical header for his 11th goal of the season.
Afolayan doubled the lead, collecting the ball on the edge of the box and hitting a sweet strike across Hermansen into the bottom corner.
But West Ham pulled one back eight minutes from time. Valentin Castellanos’ cross from the right dropped for Piroe, who lashed a powerful shot into the roof of the net.
Substitute Augustus Kargbo wanted a penalty late on as he drove past his man in the box, but the winger was booked for diving.
Cantwell had a chance to kill the game off in stoppage time after another quick breakaway, this time involving Moussa Baradji and Yuki Ohashi, but the skipper’s shot was straight at Hermansen.
Thomas Soucek’s header was saved by Toth in the last of five minutes added on, and Rovers stood firm to take the points.
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Attendance: 20,471 (7,035)
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