Quietly & not always convincingly Rovers are staying in touch

Where previously it was goalfests and free-flowing football commanding the headlines, it has been the platform at the other end of the pitch that has helped them collect 10 points from a possible 12.

This run of form has been built on three clean sheets and just one goal conceded, meaning that one goal can now be enough for them to win three points. Wait 13 months for a 1-0 win and then two come along in the space of six days.

It has felt a slog watching Rovers at times of late, ‘stodgy’ the preferred adjective of Tony Mowbray. Yet they have defended resolutely, giving up just seven shots on target across their four Championship fixtures in January.

Their top scorer tag, which has now gone after Brentford’s pummelling of Wycombe, wasn’t enough to propel them into contention. However, a more resolute defence, has done just that.

Adam Armstrong’s goal was the 15th Rovers have scored between minutes 76 and 90, bringing with them 12 priceless points in the process, including late Ewood winners against Millwall and Rotherham. So while things haven’t always been as pleasing on the eye as we’d hope at home, they deserve credit for sticking at it to the bitter end.

Again it took substitutes coming off the bench to find a way through, Mowbray making four in one go to try and inject some life into a game that was drifting after a bright start from Rovers.

Until the pitch settles down, there may well be more games like this to come, and it will require a change in style from Rovers who did look to get the ball forward quicker than we’ve seen, Ben Brereton being as close to a partner to Armstrong in a 4-4-2 as we’ve seen all season.

It may well be a move away from all that Rovers have worked on since returning from lockdown, but the best teams adapt and find away. Rovers did the latter, but will need to do more of the former.

And so to Armstrong. He has now overtaken his tally from last season when heading home his 18th against Luton in what was just his 28th appearance, 20 fewer than in 2019/20.

Yet, there have been three separate runs of three games without a goal since netting against Millwall to make in 15 in 16 appearances. It has felt like something of a drought. Within that run there have been plenty of chances, including two late on at Middlesbrough, and another early on here.

He never quite got the ball fully out of his feet to take advantage of running clean through on goal just three minutes in, Sonny Bradley scrambling back to deny him what looked to be a free shot from 12 yards.

He planted a shot into the back row of the Blackburn End lower tier and prior to his goal, his afternoon resembled a greyhound chasing around the track with little chance of getting on the end of the intended target.

However, he, and Rovers, stayed alive and with four minutes to play, as Luton switched off from a drop ball, substitutes Lewis Holtby and Sam Gallagher combined, a cross nodded back across goal and into the path of Armstrong who in turn found the back of the net.

Incredibly, this was Rovers’ second headed goal of the season, both by the diminutive frontman.

He tested Sluga with a shot from a tight angle seconds into the second half which followed a first that saw Rovers go a sixth consecutive opening 45 minutes without a goal at Ewood. Infact, it’s now just one first half goal in 11 matches.  

One thing Rovers are doing however, is staying in games, even when not at the top of their game. And when scoring first, they’re proving unbeatable.

Luton enjoyed the better of the closing stages of the first half, peppering the Rovers box with crosses, but where previously this may have resembled panic stations, they were committed to attacking the ball and getting it clear. And when he was able to, Thomas Kaminski was quickly off his line to claim.

The visitors’ one shot on target actually arrived from an over-eager throw out from Kaminski, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 25-yarder from the resulting break well watched by the Rovers ‘keeper.

The goal arrived from Armstrong with five minutes remaining, three more added on for stoppages, with Kaminski taking the concern out of those with an excellent take inside his six yard box as Luton surrounded him with bodies from a late corner.

The visitors did think they had levelled though moments after Armstrong’s goal, and would have done were it not for a clearance off the line by Barry Douglas and then the linesman’s flag for offside as Harry Cornick turned home the rebound.

Relief was again the biggest feeling as the final whistle blew, Rovers leaving the field knowing they can play so much better, and supporters will need to see more to fully convinced about where they can go in the remaining 20 games.

A return to form of captain Darragh Lenihan in a flourishing partnership with Jarrad Branthwaite, the upturn in performances of Douglas, and Lewis Travis’ industry ahead of them and Kaminski’s presence behind them, as well as the attacking depth that Mowbray can rotate, including off the bench, are what offer hope for the upcoming games.

Only four teams can better Rovers’ 32 points from the last 20 games, and a repeat of that will give them a chance of achieving their end of season aim. But let’s not get caught up that, looking beyond what’s to come next, with areas of improvement still required.

Indeed, the way things are going, it’s hard to see which players Mowbray will have the choice of selecting from one game to the next such is the ever-changing picture with injuries.

Following a second unbeaten month in three and then a transfer window to conclude, it’s time to see what the six in February will bring.

Whether it's resilient Rovers, ruthless Rovers, whatever the version, the job now is to keep the season alive for as long as possible. And backing up an unbeaten month with a good haul of points is the first objective.