Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Swansea City: Visitors miss chance to go second

Andre Ayew's goal was his 16th of the season

Swansea City missed the chance to move into second in the Championship as they were held by Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Bradley Dack beat Freddie Woodman from close-range to put the home side ahead.

But a fourth penalty in as many matches, scored by Andre Ayew before half-time, earned Swansea a point.

The draw sees Swansea move level with second-placed Watford on 66 points, with a game in hand, while Rovers go above Preston into 14th position.

However, the hosts will be left to reflect on a frustrating evening when they produced more than enough chances to earn all three points, even though they maintained an unbeaten run against Swansea at Ewood Park going back 50 years.

Swansea made a slow start and were grateful Dack missed his header on 11 minutes after Ben Brereton's fine cross.

Blackburn were finding space hard to come by, however, as Swansea pressed them all over the field and saw a penalty appeal turned down on 30 minutes for handball after a Connor Roberts long-throw caused panic.

Rovers then took the lead on 38 minutes with their first clear-cut chance after a decisive break as Tom Tryball found Dack who shot straight through Freddie Woodman's legs.

However, the long throw worked for Swansea on 41 minutes as Blackburn failed to clear from a crowded penalty area and Jay Fulton was fouled by Sam Gallagher.

Swans were awarded a penalty for a fourth successive game, having previously not had one in 25 Championship contests.

Ayew's penalty was straight down the middle and somewhat weak but goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski could only push the ball into his own goal.

Blackburn did finish the half on the attack with both Dack and Gallagher testing Woodman with efforts from range.

The goalkeeper was then spared only by good fortune when Brereton raced clear just after the break only to see his lob go just wide of the near post with the Swansea keeper stranded.

Tyrhys Dolan curled just wide and Dack headed over as all the notable chances seemed to fall for the hosts.

Dack and Tryball both saw efforts blocked as it increasingly seemed that the hosts were the only likely winners, but Swansea held firm to secure a valuable point.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray said:

"Swansea are a decent side but I thought we were in the ascendancy for most of the game. I think we deserved better overall.

"We played really well first half and in the second half they changed things a little bit, we tried to counter change with the formation a little bit and there was enough to suggest we could have won it."

Swansea boss Steve Cooper told BBC Sport Wales:

"I didn't love our performance but credit to Blackburn, I thought they played well.

"We will always be disappointed when we don't play well, but we are picking up points and that is not a bad habit.

"I can't question the players for attitude and effort and they have played a lot of games. It's a really tough schedule for us."

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