HOW and why it took a second half with 10 men for Rovers to produce a spirited display will be of concern to Tony Mowbray, as will a fourth consecutive defeat.

The boss’ best laid plans were undone by a lacklustre opening half against Middlesbrough in which he twice switched formations, before making three half-time substitutions having trailed to what proved to be the only goal of the game from Britt Assombalonga.

Derrick Williams’ 45th minute red card gave Rovers an uphill task, but one they almost scaled in an improved second half in which Danny Graham and Bradley Dack both went close.

But there is a growing sense that Rovers passed up an excellent chance of strengthening a now stretched squad in January, when Mowbray's men reeled off a four-game winning run, which now seems a long time ago.

Rovers were all at sea from the first whistle on Sunday, with Dack uncharacteristically twice passing the ball straight out of play to sum up their opening 45 minutes.

Boro were quicker to the ball and had the sharper train of thought as their 3-5-2 system caused Rovers all sorts of problems.

In midfield they were pressing Rovers in to mistakes and their front two combined for the opening goal 19 minutes in.

Jack Rodwell and Charlie Mulgrew got themselves in a mess defensively, allowing Ashley Fletcher to profit. His shot was deflected over David Raya and in to the path of the unmarked Assombalonga who had the easy task of heading in from three yards.

Lewis Wing curled just over after more indecision at the back before Mowbray ripped up his plans, matching up the visitors by going three at the back.

That did little to limit the Boro ascendancy with Dack forced into operating just in front of his own back four.

More good Boro interplay just after the half hour mark saw the lively Fletcher fire wide of the near post.

Rovers’ struggles weren’t consigned just to the defence as they failed to mount an effort on target, despite the best efforts of Graham to get on the end of a teasing Elliott Bennett cross.

The task became that much more difficult in first half injury time, when Mulgrew was caught out again, allowing Fletcher to break in on goal, only for Derrick Williams to halt his run forward. The defender was shown his second red card of the season as the problems mounted for Mowbray.

The boss responded with a triple half time switch, two in the backline, as Ryan Nyambe, Amari’i Bell and Lewis Travis were sent on.

But the game could have been all over within 90 seconds of the re-start, with Wing rattling the crossbar from 25 yards.

There was spirit in Rovers’ attempted fightback though, Bell adding some pace down the left as his cross was diverted just wide of his own post by Ryan Shotton. And then from a Mulgrew free kick, Dack’s flicked header was just over the top.

Rovers were holding their own defensively though you felt the visitors were always comfortable in their lead, one they almost doubled in fortuitous fashion when Jonny Howson’s cross came close to catching out Raya.

At the other end Graham had battled away for 78 minutes without a sight of goal, but was then presented with the chance Rovers had been waiting for. It was Boro’s turn not to deal with a bouncing ball as Graham got away from Shotton but, off balance, fired over from 10 yards.

While their remained one goal in it Rovers remained alive.

And the Blackburn End thought they were about to celebrate an equaliser when Graham headed a Mulgrew free kick in to the path of Dack who couldn’t have caught it better, only to be denied by a fine Darren Randolph save.

At the other end Raya made an even better stop, with the Spaniard flying to his right to keep out an Assombalonga effort.

The Spaniard then went up for a corner in the last of three added minutes, but there was no late show from Rovers.