Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Bristol City: Corry Evans nets to spark Rovers fightback against Robins
- Published
Bristol City keeper Daniel Bentley had no chance with Tosun Adarabioyo's superb curling effort, the on-loan defender's third goal this season
Blackburn Rovers boosted their top-six hopes as they came from behind to deservedly beat play-off rivals Bristol City on the first day of the Championship's return.
Tony Mowbray's hosts had fallen behind against the run of play to Jamie Paterson's free header in the first half, but Bristol City were then second best.
Rovers hit back quickly to level when Corry Evans' cross was not dealt with and made its way straight through to the City net.
After the break, Tosin Adarabioyo and Adam Armstrong both finished smartly across goal from the left to give the home side a two-goal cushion that the Robins rarely looked likely to overturn.
The result lifts Blackburn, the only team to win at home from the 11 Championship games on Saturday, above Lee Johnson's side in the table and up to seventh, just one point off the play-off places with eight games remaining.
Bristol City slip a point further back, in a very tight-looking race for the top six, and will be frustrated by the comparative lack of threat they posed to Christian Walton's goal.
Joy for Evans on return from injury
Corry Evans' fortunate equaliser sparked a fine Rovers fightback
Blackburn could have scored more in the second half, but with the score 1-1, Ben Brereton slipped when the goal was gaping, having rounded keeper Daniel Bentley after a mix-up in the City defence.
Moments later, Joe Rankin-Costello had the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for a foul on Bentley in the build-up.
Fine finishes from on-loan Manchester City defender Adarabioyo and substitute Armstrong secured the win, but that all came after a moment to savour for Evans.
Having suffered a fractured skull and a shattered eye socket on his last appearance in January against Preston, Evans marked his own return to the side with his first league goal since 2015.
There was a stroke of fortune about his equaliser as his right-footed cross from the left bounced all the way in to the far corner of the net.
Afobe return boosts Robins for run-in
Both sides had endured relatively disappointing runs of form immediately before the season was halted in March, with Rovers going four games without a victory and the Robins winless in their past five, including three defeats.
Blackburn, who lost 3-0 at Derby in the Championship's final game before the coronavirus pandemic saw play suspended in March, did not appear to be adversely impacted on the pitch by the absence of supporters at Ewood Park.
They now face consecutive away games against Wigan at Barnsley, while Bristol City host Sheffield Wednesday next Saturday before a trip to Nottingham Forest on 1 July.
There was a positive for the Robins in the form of a return for on-loan Stoke City striker Benik Afobe, who had been expected to miss the entire season after suffering a serious knee injury in training in September, but was fit enough to make an appearance as a second-half substitute.
Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray said: "[Once we led] It felt reasonably comfortable. It felt as if anyone was going to score, we were going to score another one. Adam Armstrong had a great chance.
"We have total respect for them but ultimately it turned out to be a reasonably comfortable day for us.
"It was great to have the bench we had today. We did pick up a few niggles, which I think every team will, having not really had a pre-season - if we call it a pre-season - for these nine games.
On Evans' goal, Mowbray added: "To be fair, it was a cross in to the box. We talk a lot about inswingers - make sure they're on target.
"With people running across the face of goal…it was a great ball in to the box and just rewards for the way we played from then start."
Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson said: "There weren't really any excuses today. It's disappointing to see.
"I do feel sorry for the people watching it because I know they've been waiting for a long time.
"And I think the players have got to really have a deep think because we're fantastic in training. We played really well against Southampton [in a friendly] last week, but we've got to go out on the pitch with that football arrogance to go and be the best player on the pitch on the day.
"Maybe barring Korey Smith, I didn't see enough of that attitude."