Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out five talking points from the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

RETURN OF THE DACK

Bradley Dack made his first Rovers outing in a month and his 50th in blue and white halves.

He marked it with a fifth goal in five games this season, and a 23rd of his Rovers career.

The first half saw him create an opening through a sumptuous piece of skill on the left touchline but it wasn’t until the second that he had a clear sight of goal.

And when he did it was through his own doing as he intelligently turned a Danny Graham shot in to the corner.

He finished the game in central midfield, harassing and chasing to try and see Rovers over the line.

It was the perfect performance to respond to a difficult past month for the 24-year-old who for a fifth consecutive time won Sky Sports’ man of the match in a televised fixture.

BOSS’ WALL WORRIES

Tony Mowbray brought up the placement of the Rovers wall for the equaliser, feeling it made it easier than it should have been for Conor Hourihane to whip it around them.

While he conceded it was an excellent strike from the Villa midfielder, an extra body in the wall, or those in it moving a step or two to their right, would have made it much more difficult.

Once it went around the wall, David Raya was left with no chance.

And after conceding from a direct free-kick against Bristol City, one which turned the course of that match, Mowbray admits it is something his side need to work on.

UNBEATEN AT EWOOD

It would have been nice to mark it with three points, but Rovers have now gone a year unbeaten at Ewood Park.

AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, September 16 2017 were the last team to win a league game at Ewood, 24 games ago.

Playing at home at the start of last season looked to be a burden too heavy for the players to carry.

Now it is where they enjoy their football the most, and were unfortunate not to claim a second home win of the season.

This was a proper game, two sides willing to go toe-to-toe, with fans invested in their sides’ play and controversial moments to discuss post-match.

Next up for Rovers is Nottingham Forest and then Sheffield United before the next international break.

These are the occasions Rovers worked so hard to get, and now they’re here, they’re embracing, not fearing, them.   

CENTRAL FIGURES

For the 16th consecutive match it was the Smallwood-Evans combination in the middle of the Rovers midfield.

We got our first glimpse of Harrison Reed in the final quarter and he enjoyed an eventful Rovers debut.

His energy played a part in the Rovers goal, while he had a chance to snatch a winner late on, only to blast over from the edge of the box. He also picked up a booking and was the man to concede the free-kick from which Aston Villa scored.

He will provide a threat to that starting combination, though Richie Smallwood was much improved with no player on the pitch making more tackles, and only Grealish completing more tackles.

Mowbray trusts his midfield duo, so Reed will need to show his discipline out of possession to force his way in, but as cameos on debuts go, it was a good start.

CONTROVERSIAL CALLS

The game would have been a great advert for the Championship, with a good amount of controversy thrown in for the neutral.

First there was Dack’s header disallowed for offside. It looked close on first viewing, though replays show Alan Hutton was playing him onside, though maybe not by as much as it seemed by the time Dack met the ball with his head.

Within minutes it was Villa who were aggrieved. John McGinn went down taking contact from Richie Smallwood’s outstretched leg. The referee waved away the appeals, but seemingly didn’t view it as a dive as he didn’t card McGinn, most likely because he was already on a yellow card. Replays showed Rovers got away with one.

Then, in the dying seconds, you could say Reed was naïve, or you could say Grealish clever, or the referee bought one, but the free-kick from which Hourihane scored was soft, and hotly contested by Rovers.