Booming header from Bradley Johnson soars over the top as Blackburn sweep in a free-kick.

Good connection but not good direction.

Boro get a similar set-piece. It's floated into the box, but Thomas Kaminski gathers confidently at the back-post.

Image source, Getty Images

Tackles flying in. Neil Taylor for Middlesbrough dives in on John Buckley.

Then loses his rag and shoves his opponent.

Taylor is booked. Skippers Darragh Lenihan and Jonny Howson are also spoken to by the ref as he tries to get his message across.

Kevin Gallacher
Former Blackburn striker on BBC Radio Lancashire

It's been a very lively start.

John Buckley is dictating things from a central area and spreading the ball about.

He's come on a lot this season but still he elected for power rather than placement there, even though his technique is phenomenal.

Image source, Rex Features

Bright start from Rovers, who have sought to get down the right and test out Boro's left-side defence.

The midfield battle ground will also be interesting. Bradley Johnson and Jonny Howson - both ex-Leeds - both on opposing sides in the engine room.

First shot of the game meanwhile comes from Rovers' John Buckley, 25 yards out, but it zips well high and wide.

Here we go then. Darren England shrills his peablower and this game is up and running.

Bumper away end in good voice. And the Blackburn fans are coming in great numbers - a nice change from the toxicity and frustration of a few years ago.

Blackburn have possession.

BBC local radio

If you're in the BBC Radio Lancashire or BBC Radio Tees transmission areas, then you can listen to Blackburn or Boro-flavoured commentary respectively from our colleagues in local radio.

If you're not, well, I am sorry to say we don't have rights to stream the audio commentary on our website.

We'll do our best to keep you posted on how things are going at Ewood Park tonight regardless.

I'm really looking forward to seeing two players in particular tonight.

Blackburn's John Buckley is a classy player. Lots of quality and creativity. One of a few talents coming through at Ewood Park.

On the Boro side, Isaiah Jones has so much swagger and skill. He gets you on the edge of the seat whenever he touches the ball.

Not Fred, for those Corrie nostalgists out there, but Harvey Elliott. Though actor John Savident, who played Fred, is no stranger to Lancashire.

Anyway, back to Harvey Elliott. The Liverpool winger was a bright light for Blackburn last season with seven goals in 42 games during an electric loan stint.

He returned to Anfield and was making a real impression at the beginning of the season before a fracture-dislocation of his ankle ended his season back in September.

Like the case of Jarrad Branthwaite at Everton, Blackburn have been a useful proving ground for talented Premier League youngsters to hone their craft in recent seasons.

Paul Addison
BBC Radio Tees sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough fans are in dreamland at the moment.

Their team have won six of their last seven matches and there is a genuine hope that a return to the Premier League is not too far away.

Chris Wilder has breathed new life into the club and that has reinvigorated supporters, who had become a little used to being also-rans in the Championship promotion shake-up in recent seasons.

Boro’s last three matches – two in the league and one in the FA Cup – have all been last-gasp victories to get the adrenaline pumping, with goals coming on 93, 95 and 95 minutes against Blackpool, Mansfield and Reading respectively.

The inventive tactics which Wilder used to such good effect when he was in charge of Sheffield United have transformed a season which was just rumbling along into a rollercoaster of excitement, emotion and, most importantly, victories.

The sky really appears to be the limit.

BBC Radio Tees Sport has every kick of every Middlesbrough FC game.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sports editor

This is Rovers’ second opportunity in five days to claim second spot in the Championship, until at least the weekend.

Despite Wednesday’s setback at Hull they remain very well-placed, as the league's second highest goalscorers and with the joint-best home points tally in the division.

They face two games without Ben Brereton Diaz, so it represents an opportunity for Sam Gallagher to show what he can do. Options are limited with the Chile international away with his country and young forwards Tyrhys Dolan and Dilan Markanday also both missing.

The feel around the club is buoyant, the town's diverse communities are coming together more and more and they’ll view this as a real chance to show that they can go course and distance in one of football's most competitive leagues.

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder will no doubt have seen Blackburn's steady creep up the table as encouragement that his own improving pack can follow suit.

In preparing for tonight's game, Wilder was at the MKM Stadium to see Rovers' 2-0 defeat by Hull on Wednesday, that ended an unbeaten league run stretching back to November.

"They'll see this as an opportunity of bouncing back," Wilder told BBC Radio Tees.

"Tony will understand with his experience, much as I do, that one loss doesn't derail a season.

"They've got some good players and I think it'll be a really good game. It'll be one that's heavily covered on Monday night."

Image source, Rex Features

November's 7-0 home humbling by runaway leaders Fulham turned into something of a catalyst for Blackburn, as they went on to win eight of the next 10 to propel themselves up the Championship table.

However, a 2-0 loss by Hull brought that run to an end last time out, and boss Tony Mowbray - a veteran of mixed promotion campaigns with West Brom and tonight's opponents Boro - wants his side to make sure they keep themselves involved in mix-up.

"Hopefully in the next 10 games we can make the last nine games of the season really exciting and every game will be a cup final," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"But we have to dig in, with adversity around selection issues, we have to dig in and find some results.

"In a period where I see we have some really tough games coming up, we have to play the likes of Forest and Middlesbrough, QPR at home, away to Swansea where it's always a tight game.

"As Bournemouth found this weekend, there are no easy games in this league."

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder can only speak highly of his opposite number in the Blackburn dugout this evening, as he goes up against former Boro favourite Tony Mowbray.

He too, from his time as Sheffield United boss, knows what it is like to be boss of your boyhood team, and is a fan of 'Mogga' the man, not just the manager.

"I've got an awful lot of respect for Tony," Wilder told BBC Radio Tees. "I played against him actually, back in 1987.

"For me Tony is a proper football guy, from a career and coaching point of view, but most importantly from a character and a man.

"There are a lot of bluffers and spin merchants in the game, people who give out an image, but I don't see Tony as one of them. He's a real good guy who says it how it is."

Image source, Rex Features

Few people outside of Teesside will have gained as much pleasure from Middlesbrough's revival than the man who can put a spanner in the works of their upturn tonight - Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray.

Born in Redcar, a centre-half as tough as the steel that was churned out of the foundry there. Ten years service as a player at the old Ayresome Park, 419 games worth, with the club from near-liquidation and the third tier back to the top flight. Then later, 153 from the dugout, guiding them from the mire of relegation to fighting for the play-offs.

Of course, his attentions now lie with Rovers, where he has built a skilful team with youth at its heart, but that bond will always remain in place.

"It's good to see them doing well, it's where I'm from and the team I grew up supporting," he told BBC Radio Lancashire. "As long as they're not too good on Monday night.

"I live on Teesside and I can't fill up with petrol or stop for a bottle of milk without everyone telling me how exciting it is to be back at the Riverside at the moment.

"Everyone is up for it and believes it's their season. Well, that's good for us because we're playing a top team with a top coach and we'll give it our best shot."

Image source, PA Media

Blackburn are without Joe Rothwell, Harry Pickering, Tyrhys Dolan, Dilan Markanday and Ben Brereton Diaz. While Joseph Rankin-Costello drops to the bench.

He's replaced by defender Ryan Nyambe, with Lewis Travis and Bradley Johnson returning and there's a place in the squad for loanee Dayovaisio Zeefuik.

Middlesbrough by contrast are totally unchanged.

Blackburn: Kaminski; Nyambe, Lenihan, Van Hecke, Wharton, Edun, Travis, Johnson, Buckley, Khadra, Gallagher

Subs: Pears, Ayala, Zeefuik, Rankin-Costello, Davenport, Butterworth, Garrett

Middlesbrough: Lumley, Dijksteel, Fry, McNair, Taylor, Tavernier, Howson, Crooks, Jones, Sporar, Connolly

Subs: Daniels, Payero, Peltier, Watmore, Coburn, Bamba, Balogun

Image source, Rex Features

Such is the relentless treadmill of the football season, that tonight's concluding game of the 28th round of Championship fixtures is merely the prelude to six out of seven days of matches.

Like a thick knob of butter spread generously over a freshly-toasted crumpet, we'll be tucking into plenty of English Football League action over the next week.

Starting with the excitement - and I do mean excitement - of Blackburn Rovers versus Middlesbrough. Two very attractive to watch teams, two in-form teams.

What else are you going to do with your Monday night?