Blackburn Rovers came from behind to stun Middlesbrough on Tony Mowbray’s return to the Ewood Park dugout.
Jeremy Sarmiento netted the opener but Andri Gudjohnsen and Todd Cantwell both struck in a ruthless five-minute spell in the second half.
Rovers dug deep to see out five minutes of stoppage time, securing all three points and a winning start on home turf.
Here are The Lancashire Telegraph’s takeaways from an eventful game in Lancashire
Mowbray magic
It was a big game for the head coach, who took up his position in the Ewood dugout for the first time since April 2022.
If that wasn’t enough, he grew up supporting Boro and made nearly 350 appearances over an 11-year stay during his playing career before returning as manager between 2010 and 2013.
There was a big cheer from both sets of supporters when Mowbray’s name was read out ahead of kick off.
And Ewood Park was rocking after the quickfire double in the second half turned the contest on its head.
Mowbray was full of praise for the fans after the final whistle and insisted shooting towards the Blackburn End was a big help for his players.
Since his return, the 62-year-old has spoken about wanting to build a team on the pitch that the fanbase can connect and identify with.
After the final whistle, Mowbray mentioned the likes of Bradley Dack, Charlie Mulgrew, Elliott Bennett and Danny Graham as prime examples from his first spell.
If the character on show against Boro is anything to go by, there are plenty of suitable candidates in the current group as long as the boss can continue to work his magic.
Morsy impact
Sam Morsy came into the midfield for his full debut, having come off the bench in the second half at Molineux.
The veteran midfielder couldn’t have asked for a better first experience of playing for Rovers at Ewood Park.
His individual performance was impressive, making countless tackles and interceptions up against a Boro side who love to dominate possession.
But Morsy’s role isn’t limited to the ‘ugly’ side of the game. He was tidy on the ball and brought a calmness to Rovers’ play, always seeming to make the right pass at the ideal moment.
The former Bristol City man is still building up his sharpness, despite his best efforts of staying fit with the PFA squad over the summer, and made way for Adam Forshaw after a hour.
But Morsy’s performance typified exactly what he will hop to bring to the team this season, and the supporters certainly enjoyed what they saw.
Home form
It is no secret Rovers’ form at Ewood Park was a problem last season, and the away record ultimately kept the squad in the division.
Getting an early win on the board on home turf, against a side of Middlesbrough’s quality, will be a big boost for Mowbray and his players.
Another of the main issues last term was the lack of end product in the final third, and the two seem to go hand in hand.
Even though Boro were dominating possession in the first half, and found a breakthrough from Sarmiento, it was Rovers who had looked more threatening around the box. Radek Vitek made a couple of decent saves to deny Ryan Alebiosu and Kristi Montgomery.
It felt like there was still something in the game for Rovers at half time and whatever Mowbray told his players clearly worked.
The equaliser was fairly straightforward; a corner delivery right on the money and a striker showing desire to get on the end of it. Gudjohnsen now has three in three and looks set to have a big role if he can stay free from injury.
But the winner was inspired play by Cantwell, who started the move and eventually finished it off with a clinical diving header.
The skipper certainly falls into the artist category of Mowbray’s motto, and he will be eager to provide more of those moments after a tough spell with injuries last term.
Rovers have scored six goals in their opening three games of the campaign, and the league table will be looking prettier if they can maintain that output in the final third.
Defensive resilience
At the other end of the pitch, there was a determination to keep a dangerous Boro attack at bay throughout the contest.
The goal was the only time Boro really managed to get in behind and Balazs Toth had otherwise been a spectator in the first half.
The goalkeeper earned his pay with a couple of saves in quick succession to keep out headers from Myles Peart-Harris and Morgan Whittaker.
But again, he had little to do in the final half hour with the visitors largely restricted to shots from distance.
Kim Hellberg’s side continued to see plenty of the ball, but Rovers kept their discipline and defended like lions every time a cross came into the box.
It is not an easy balance to find but if Mowbray can retain the steel that helped the squad beat the drop last season, while injecting creativity and attacking flair, then Rovers could be onto a winning formula.
Sean McLoughlin and Tom Atcheson deserve a mention, and the latter continues to show maturity beyond his years in the backline.
The 19-year-old has made a seamless transition to Championship football since he was drafted into the senior ranks last season, and his future looks very bright.
Meanwhile, McLoughlin has become an important member of the squad since his switch from Hull City just over a year ago.
As Mowbray alluded to after the game, the fact Hayden Carter is sitting on the bench proves the quality Rovers have at their disposal – and that is even before Scott Wharton returns from injury.
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