UPDATED REPORT: Blackburn Rovers 3 Brentford 2

All the goals came in the first half as Rovers recovered from conceding the opener to Brentford's Scott Hogan inside 30 seconds to take the lead thanks to a Graham double. 

His first came when he reacted quickest to follow up his own header and the second arrived from the penalty spot after a foul on Corry Evans.

At that point Rovers were in charge but they switched off defensively to allow Hogan and Brentford a route back into the game on 25 minutes.

The first half action didn't stop there though and Rovers restored their advantage when Sam Gallagher's driving run and cross was turned into his own net by Harlee Dean seven minutes before the interval.

The second half couldn't compete with the first for action but it was no less enthralling as Rovers defended stubbornly, and at times desperately, to secure three precious points.

That win had looked a long shot when Rovers conceded inside the first minute. 

Barely 30 seconds had elapsed before Brentford struck and Rovers were very much caught cold in the sleet and snow at Ewood.

The hosts carelessly lost possession in midfield and one Lasse Vibe through ball took out the entire Rovers defence and sent the predatory Hogan clean through.

The Bees hotshot could barely believe his luck and had time to take a couple of touches before neatly finishing past Jason Steele off the near post.

Injuries had forced Coyle into a new-look back four which saw Darragh Lenihan and Charlie Mulgrew form a debut central pairing and the lack of familiarity showed in an error strewn first half.

But at the other end of the pitch Rovers were at times scintillating. Their neat interplay carved Brentford open time and again with both Liam Feeney, impressive on the right, and Craig Conway getting plenty of joy down the flanks.

It was from out wide that Rovers carved out their first clear cut chance and it took a superb save from Daniel Bentley in the visiting goal to deny Gallagher a fifth strike in five games as he clawed the Southampton loanee’s header away.

But it wasn’t long before Rovers did level proceedings.

Craig Conway’s cross into the box was half cleared and defender Derrick Williams showed the composure and creativity of a forward to pull the ball down and clip a perfect ball into the box. Graham met it with a firm header and although Bentley was equal to that effort with a fine save, the Rovers striker reacted quickest to bundle home the rebound.

Moments later Rovers were in front and again Williams was involved. His pass found Evans on the left and the midfielder’s driving run was halted by a poorly-timed Josh Clarke tackle.

That gave Graham the chance to double his and Rovers’ tally and he did so with aplomb as he sent Bentley the wrong way to complete the turnaround.

The goal came shortly after home fans began their ‘red card to Venky’s’ protest which saw a number of home supporters brandish red cards and banners to show their displeasure at the club’s absent owners six years on from their Ewood takeover.

It was a scene repeated in the second half as supporters voiced the anger in minutes 18 and 75, a nod to the year the club was formed.

On the pitch the second goal had raised rampant Rovers’ spirits and it looked as though they could run away with proceedings.

Conway claimed a second spot kick when he went down in the box only to receive a yellow card for simulation while Gallagher and Graham were proving a handful in the air for the visiting defence.

But then Rovers shot themselves in the foot as against the run of play the Bees drew level.

The goal came when a misplaced pass in midfield handed Brentford possession. With Ben Marshall up field in support of the attack, the visitors exploited the space down their left, worked the ball across to Nico Yennaris on the right edge of the box and he found Hogan who shot across Steele and into the net.

Although Brentford had moved the ball neatly the Rovers backline stood off the Bees who took full advantage to level the scores.

Both sides now sought to steal the momentum with Conway firing wide for the hosts and Sullay Kaikai shooting narrowly wide at the other end.

But it was Rovers who were next to strike with Gallagher the instigator.

The frontman picked up possession on the left and his driving, diagonal run found him the space to fire in a dangerous low cross which Brentford skipper Harlee Dean could only turn into his own net.

There was still seven minutes remaining in an absorbing first half and the Bees sought to restore parity. First Hogan couldn’t quite stretch to meet a cross at the far post before Dean shot straight at Steele.

The half time whistle provided some calm amid a first half of chance after chance.

Both managers must have wondered why they had bothered doing any defensive work in training as they headed down the tunnel.

Unsurprisingly the second period failed to live up to the drama of the first as both sides shored up at the back and probed with a little less certainty going forward.

Brentford had the better of the opening stages but only had a wayward Vibe effort to show for it.

At the other end Ben Marshall fired high and wide as Rovers attempted to rediscover their attacking rhythm.

Gallagher and Graham continued to offer a threat for the home side and it was the latter who spurned a great chance to put the game to bed 17 minutes from time. Conway did well on the left to create space and after his delayed shot was blocked Graham fired over from an angle.

Brentford took heart from the miss and began to play almost exclusively in the Rovers half as they sought an equaliser.

The home side were sitting deeper and deeper but the visitors were struggling to create any clear cut chances and were restricted to pumping crosses into the Rovers box.

The lack of clear chances did nothing to dispel the tension around Ewood as Rovers defended desperately and at times comically. When one wayward clearance cannoned straight into the face of Mulgrew from point blank range, leaving the Scot prone on the floor, and Brentford still couldn’t lay a shot on target, you sensed it would be the home side’s day.

And so it proved, with the Blackburn End roaring on their support, Rovers, who threatened sporadically on the counter attack in the final quarter, saw out four minutes of added time to earn a valuable victory.