Championship: Blackburn 0-1 Brentford - Ivan Toney penalty gives Bees victory
- Published
Ivan Toney's penalty earned Brentford victory over Blackburn and took them back up to second in the Championship
Brentford climbed back to second in the Championship as Ivan Toney's first-half penalty was enough for them to beat Blackburn.
Toney scored his 26th goal of the league campaign after Tarique Fosu was fouled by Rovers skipper Darragh Lenihan just nine minutes in.
It proved enough to win the game, although Blackburn themselves had appeals for a penalty turned down in the second half when Ryan Nyambe appeared to be fouled by Mads Sorensen.
Brentford climb to second on goal difference above both Watford and Swansea, but are 10 points behind leaders Norwich.
It was the Bees' first game in nine days after losing at leaders Norwich City as their home fixture last Saturday against Rotherham was postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak among their opponents.
The unexpected break seemed to benefit Thomas Frank's team in terms of freshness even if this was far from one of their more convincing displays this season.
The return of midfielder Christian Norgaard for his first start since October inspired their forward play, while the Championship's leading scorer Toney was always a threat.
It was his through ball to Fosu that drew the foul from Rovers centre-back Lenihan for what proved to be the game's decisive moment.
Toney coolly stepped up to send goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski the wrong way for the only goal of the night.
He almost added to that in the second half with an audacious attempt to lob Kaminski with a quick free-kick from the halfway line, but the ball landed on the roof of the Blackburn goal.
Blackburn were unable to build on recent improved performances against Millwall and Swansea City as their downturn in form extended to just one win in 10 games and no home win in their past five league fixtures.
Their bad luck was seemingly compounded by injuries in the second half to midfielder Lewis Travis only a couple of minutes after he had come on as a substitute and to forward Bradley Dack in stoppage time.
Dack went to ground in a coming together with David Raya as he tried to steal the ball when the Brentford goalkeeper attempted to make a clearance.
He was stretchered off after lengthy treatment, with Rovers boss Tony Mowbray saying after the game that the 27-year-old had suffered suspected cruciate knee ligament damage, having only returned from a similar injury in December.
Earlier, Dack had gone close with Blackburn's best chance to find an equaliser when Raya got fingertips to a low left-foot shot that crept inches wide of the far post.
Mowbray's side stay 14th in the table but may drop further over the course of the weekend with two other sides level on points with them.
'A very beautiful, ugly win' - reaction
Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I didn't recognise our team to start off with. We didn't function really, we were a bit leggy, didn't get the ball moving or move it fast enough.
"It looked like a team who hadn't played for nine days against one playing their fourth game in 10 days.
"Second half we were more of what I'd expect and we tried to get the ball in the box more.
"I have to say how we haven't had two penalties, I don't know. Ryan Nyambe is dragged down in the box and with Bradley at the end, David Raya doesn't see him and then at the last second, lunges out his leg and takes him out.
"I haven't watched it back yet, but their penalty felt pretty soft at the time.
"Maybe it is a case of rose-tinted glasses, but it's not the first time I've sat here this season and felt I need to have a go at the official."
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank told BBC Radio London:
"It's a very beautiful, ugly win in very difficult circumstances with the pouring rain and a difficult pitch to play on.
"I think we were really good in the first half and we decided to go longer in the second half on purpose as Blackburn are a good pressing team.
"It gave us the opportunity to use the ball better and create more risk and I think our pressing was really good.
"We gave one chance away in the whole game, but I would've preferred us to keep the ball a bit more towards the end there.
"It's all about us trying to keep the noise out. It's nice to look at the table, but it doesn't mean anything.
"We need to focus on our togetherness and our ability to come away with scrappy wins like this in tough circumstances."
On Bradley Dack's injury: "It's tragic that he's potentially out with a big injury and it's his second big knee injury.
"All my thoughts are going to him. It's a really horrible situation."
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