Rovers’ match against Ipswich Town was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch with the hosts leading 1-0 – and the visitors down to 10 men.
Jacob Greaves was sent off for fouling Yuki Ohashi as the last man only four minutes into the second half.
Todd Cantwell then scored from the penalty spot after the captain had been tripped in the box by Darnell Furlong.
But the pitch deteriorated in the torrential conditions and the players were taken off around the 80-minute mark.
There was a delay while there was still some hope that the contest could resume but eventually it was called off.
Here are The Lancashire Telegraph’s main takeaways from what turned out to be an unusual afternoon at Ewood Park.
Conditions prove costly
The rain had been coming down heavily since early in the morning but the pitch was deemed suitable to play on ahead of kick-off.
However, the torrential downfall continued during the game and the surface deteriorated quickly heading towards the final 10 minutes.
By the time the referee made the call to take the players off, the ball had started to hold up significantly.
The officials returned to carry out checks in the hope that the fixture might be able to resume but the ball was not bouncing at all, nor was it rolling much, and it became obvious what the decision would be.
The announcement became even more inevitable when the Ipswich squad re-emerged to applaud the travelling fans, and the confirmation came moments later that the game had been abandoned.
Terrific Toth
Balazs Toth continued his positive start to the campaign, making several impressive saves to keep a dangerous Ipswich attack at bay.
Rovers defended resiliently but on the few occasions they were carved open, the Hungary international was equal to the danger.
George Hirst got in behind the backline but Toth rushed out and made himself big to deny the former Ewood striker.
Minutes later, Leif Davis skipped past a couple of challenges in the box and the goalkeeper made a flying save to his right to keep the scores level.
Toth broke into the side at the back end of last season following an injury to Aynsley Pears, who was named on the bench again, and has kept the shirt during the opening weeks of the new campaign.
He also made his competitive debut for Hungary against Portugal earlier this month and shows no signs of slowing down.
Miller makes his mark
Lewis Miller was handed his first Rovers start, replacing Hayden Carter after the defender picked up a knock.
Miller has played across the backline throughout his career. If there were any doubts over his ability to play in the middle of a back four, they were quickly put to bed.
Valerien Ismael had previously said that the Australian international has all the attributes to shine at centre-back in the modern game.
Miller looked comfortable alongside Scott Wharton, who got another start under his belt, and the pair defended well against Ipswich’s attacking threats.
One of his rare errors could have allowed Kasey McAteer to get in behind but the summer signing recovered immediately with a perfect challenge.
Sean McLoughlin is also now back available, although Carter’s absence is a concern after his rotten luck with injuries.
Wide threat
Ryoya Morishita delivered another promising display on only his second start for Rovers, and his first at Ewood Park.
Morishita’s movement made life tough for Davis, particularly in the first half, and he forced Alex Palmer into a decent stop at one stage.
Rovers had plenty of joy down the flanks at times, with Ryan Hedges also putting in a real shift on the left.
The hosts attempted 14 crosses compared to Ipswich’s 10, looking to make the most of their territory in the wide areas.
Moreover, Augustus Kargbo is a dangerous weapon to bring off the bench with his pace up against tired legs.
That threat becomes even greater when Rovers get their noses in front and have the chance to punish teams on the counter attack.
Late change
Rovers were forced to tweak their starting line-up after Sidnei Tavares pulled out of the warm up and Taylor Gardner-Hickman was selected as his replacement.
Gardner-Hickman wasn’t phased by the late change and gave a decent account of himself alongside Sondre Tronstad in the middle of the pitch.
Depending on the severity of Tavares’ problem, the 23-year-old might now get an opportunity to nail down the shirt.
Axel Henriksson should also be back soon, although he was not risked against the Tractor Boys as he recovers from a broken hand.
Tronstad has become a key member of the Rovers squad over the last couple of years, but there is arguably an opportunity for any of the other midfield players to seize following the sale of Lewis Travis.
Szmodics return
Sammie Szmodics received a warm welcome from the Rovers faithful on his return to Ewood Park.
The Irish international was named on the bench and greeted by applause as he headed down the line to warm-up.
He was introduced as part of a triple change after Cantwell’s penalty as Ipswich searched for a way back into the contest.
It is no surprise that Szmodics’ received such a reception after playing a key role during the 2023/24 campaign to help beat the drop, including his memorable brace at Leicester on the final day.
No player since Alan Shearer had scored 30 goals in a single season for Rovers until the ex-Peterborough talisman matched that feat.
If Szmodics can get anywhere his previous goal tally in the Championship then Ipswich will fancy their chances, although the fact that he is not a guaranteed starter highlights the depth of Kieran McKenna’s squad.
And yet, Rovers caused the Tractor Boys plenty of problems even before the sending off, which bodes well for the coming weeks and months.
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