A third clean sheet in a row for Rovers – but no way through at the other end as 10-man Cardiff City held out for a goalless draw at Ewood Park.

Miserable conditions meant a classic was never likely, but despite playing the final quarter of the game with a man advantage, Rovers failed to make it count.

They tested Alex Smithies, but mostly with long-range efforts, their best opportunity coming in first-half injury timem as Adam Armstrong was denied one-on-one by Smithies.

The final ball was to be their downfall for much of the game however, with Cardiff holding out for a point heading into the international break.

There were two changes for Rovers, both enforced, as Daniel Ayala came in for his debut in place of Darragh Lenihan missed out with a knee injury. Joe Rankin-Costello was replaced by Ryan Nyambe at right back.

Space was at a premium as Rovers tried to force the issue against a Cardiff City side who were solid in their shape. Curtis Nelson did well to clear ahead of Tyrhys Dolan who sniffed a chance in the six yard box from Nyambe’s nod-down, while the Bluebirds defender also did well to block an Armstrong effort.

Thomas Kaminski needed to show all of his sound handling at the other end, but it was a fingertip save to deny Junior Hoilett that kept the score at 0-0 as the winger fizzed a shot at goal from the left edge of the box.

A succession of free kicks, given away by both sides, wasn’t allowing for the greatest flow to a game that was being played in treacherous conditions.

Former Rovers loanee Greg Cunningham was on as early as the 13th minute, replacing Joe Bennett, and the Irishman endured a difficult start, into the book for a foul on Nyambe, seconds after coming back onto the pitch with a bandaged head after a collision with Dolan.

A sleepy half somewhat could fire in the closing stages, with both sides going close. Sheyi Ojo, who had a sighter some 20 minutes earlier, took aim from the left edge of the box after cutting inside Bell, with Kaminski across to palm the ball behind, taking no chances in the wet conditions.

But Rovers should have been ahead going into the break, the clearest opening falling the way of Adam Armstrong. He skipped past the last defender before running clear of Cunningham who was wary of a second booking, but goalkeeper Smithies stood up for long enough to get a vital touch to an attempted chip.

And he was required again in the third of four added minutes, down quickly to save, and then hold on to, a well-hit Brereton strike as Nyambe’s cross dropped his way on the edge of the box.

There was a particularly lively start to the second half in which Leandro Bacuna and Bradley Johnson both entered the referee’s notebook for halting breakaways before Cardiff forced the first effort at goal. A free kick was powerfully met by the head of Sean Morrison but too close to Kaminski who saved underneath his crossbar.

The aerial threat of the visitors was starting to tell, as after first just being unable to get on the end of a left wing cross, Kieffer Moore did head a right wing delivery goalwards, with only the pressure from Ayala putting him off having a clean run at it as he glanced wide.

The final ball was letting Rovers down on the rare occasions they had chance to break forward, with Cardiff enjoying the better of the second half. In a bid to change that Tony Mowbray made two changes in as many minutes, with Sam Gallagher and John Buckley on for Brereton and Dolan.

One of Buckley’s first involvement was to free Armstrong whose neat touch took him inside Nelson, though again his shot was too close to Smithies who held on well.

The two substitutions meant it was Gallagher and Rothwell playing either side of Armstrong for the final half hour as Rovers tried to find some momentum going forward.

The game become 11 against 10 with just under a quarter of the game to go as Tomlin was sent off for a second cynical foul, this time taking out Gallagher 20 yards from the Rovers goal.

Armstrong was still trying his luck, another left foot strike well hit, but straight down the throat of Smithies. There was a close opening for Gallagher, who on the stretch couldn’t quite turn home a cross from Bell on the stretch at the far post as Rovers began to force the issue.

Cardiff were defending the width of their 18-yard box well, forcing Rovers into shots from distance, another saved by Smithies in the 76th minute, this time from Holtby who was soon replaced by Harry Chapman in Rovers’ final switch.

There still wasn’t much urgency from Rovers, indeed it was Cardiff who had the next goalbound effort, a flicked header from sub Joe Ralls needing Kaminski to dive away to his right to gather.

Five added minutes gave Rovers chance to find that elusive goal, Rothwell soon becoming the next player to take aim from distance after working a shot angle, but dragged it wide of the near post.

Two chances did come before the final whistle, another Rothwell side-foot going narrowly wide, moments after Sean Morrison almost put through his own goal.

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Ayala, Williams, Bell, Johnson, Holtby (Chapman, 78), Rothwell, Dolan (Buckley, 60), Brereton (Gallagher, 58), Armstrong

Subs: Fisher, Davenport, Wharton, Bennett

Cardiff City: Smithies, Osei-Tutu, Bennett (Cunningham, 13), Morrison, Bacuna, Moore, Nelson, Tomlin, Pack, Ojo (Vaulks, 86), Hoilett (Ralls, 74)

Subs: Day, Glatzel, Murphy, Bamba