ROVERS 2

(Graham, 19) (Armstrong, 46)

BIRMINGHAM 2

(C Gardner, 77) (Adams, 79)

Rovers saw more points slip through their fingers as they let a two goal lead slip at home to Birmingham City.

Goals from Danny Graham and Adam Armstrong looked to have set Rovers on their way to victory in terrible conditions at Ewood Park.

And they had a part to play in the award of a 77th minute penalty for Birmingham as David Raya lost out under the high ball to bring down Maxime Colin.

Craig Gardner dispatched the penalty and the visitors scored with their next attack as Che Adams couldn’t miss when tapping in from close range.

So from a position in which Rovers looked like they couldn’t lose, they almost lost, as they were rocking in the closing stages as the visitors threatened an unlikely winner.

Tony Mowbray made two changes to his side, with Darragh Lenihan and Amari’i Bell coming in to the back four at the expense of Paul Downing and Derrick Williams.

There was an early scare for Rovers, as after being caught out by a long ball forward, Charlie Mulgrew brought down Che Adams on the edge of the box. But Graham was well placed to deal with Connor Mahoney’s free kick.

Marc Roberts limped off for the visitors after just eight minutes, while Craig Conway was soon trudging off for Rovers after suffering an injury.

But Conway had only just made it off the pitch by the time Rovers scored with their first sight of goal. Harrison Reed whipped in a free kick and Graham got across to his marker to head home his ninth of the season and fifth in his last five games.

As conditions to play havoc with the game, Rovers tried to maintain patience when playing out from the back.

Their next opening came in the 28th minute when Adam Armstrong, on for Conway, teed up Dack but he dragged his shot wide of the target.

Corry Evans fired over moments later, from all of 25 yards, but it was the visitors who ended the first half the stronger.

Che Adams was looking a threat, pulling in to the left channel, and it was from there that he cut inside Darragh Lenihan, only to see David Raya well placed to save his shot.

The Rovers keeper, who then held on under pressure to a ball which hung in the wind, was scrambling across his goal eight minutes before the break as former Rover Connor Mahoney went close to an equaliser. He cut inside Bell, with his shot flashing narrowly wide of the target.

Rovers would have been happy to see their lead in to half time as a dangerous Jacques Maghoma break ended with Adams’ shot deflected comfortably through to Raya.

Having ended the half on the back foot, Rovers were handed a dream start to the second. They kept the ball alive in the Birmingham box before Dack played in Armstrong found the bottom corner with a neat finish.

It was almost three five minutes after the re-start as Smallwood pounced on a loose ball to play in Reed, with only a fine Lee Camp save keeping out his effort.

Rovers were almost maid to pay for a moment of sloppiness by Lenihan though as he sold Mulgrew short, only for his captain to come up with a good block to deny Adams’ shot.

Birmingham had made all of their changes by the 56th minute but they weren’t making an impact on a game which continued to play second fiddle to the conditions.

The game turned on its head though in the space of three minutes. Raya came off his line as Mulgrew sliced a clearance up in the air, only to bring down Maxime Colin. The referee pointed to the spot, with Craig Gardner emphatically firing down the middle.

And in the next attack the visitors were level. The ball was played by Gardner inside Nyambe and squared on a plate for Adams to fire home from six yards.

Rovers were now on the back foot and reeling at the back as Lenihan headed away under pressure with Adams waiting to pounce in search of a late winner.

They had a chance of their own, as a late free kick was turned goalwards by Lenihan, but after a scramble, the ball ran kindly for goalkeeper Camp.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Bell, Reed, Smallwood, Evans, Conway (Armstrong, 18), Dack, Graham (Brereton, 70)

Subs: Leutwiler, Williams, Rothwell, Downing, Palmer

Birmingham: Camp, Colin, Roberts (Harding, 8), Dean, Pedersen, Mahoney (Jota, 56), Kieftenbeld (C Gardner, 56), G Gardner, Maghoma, Jutkiewicz, Adams

Subs: Trueman, Bogle, Dacres-Cogley, Lakin