Middlesbrough 1-1 Blackburn Rovers
by James Nalton
at the Riverside Stadium

MIDDLESBROUGH and Blackburn played out a 1-1 draw yesterday afternoon in a game from which both sides will take positives as well as more clarity on areas for improvement.

Each team had a man sent off in the second half, with Rovers defender Hayden Carter given a second yellow card before a questionable straight red was shown to Boro’s Sam Morsy.

Both teams looked like works in progress as they plan for a playoff finish this season.

The Blackburn side featured two players on loan from Premier League clubs: Liverpool’s Leighton Clarkson and Ian Poveda of Leeds.

Clarkson struggled to get into the game but Poveda was involved in the opening goal, winning the ball in midfield before it fell to Sam Gallagher, who fired a long-range effort in off the post.

“It wasn’t a great football match,” admitted Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray.

“It was a game where we had to dig in. I thought Middlesbrough were good. They were at it, on the front foot and really aggressive.

“We put a few young boys in who have come from Premier League clubs to try and get our foot on the ball, but I think it was a real eye-opener for them.”

Boro equalised when Anfernee Dijksteel played Jonny Howson through into an empty Blackburn half on the break. Howson finished well, dinking the ball over Thomas Kaminski.

Both sides will be looking to add players in the coming days, with Blackburn yet to replace striker Adam Armstrong who recently moved to Premier League side Southampton.

Cuba international Onel Hernandez watched the game from the stands, and Middlesbrough finalised a season-long loan for the Norwich City winger today.

“I’m hoping to have a chat with him now. He’s the type of lad we need,” Boro boss Neil Warnock had said after the game.

“I bet he enjoyed watching that today. He’ll be thinking: ‘Wow, I can’t wait to come here’, all those balls he’ll get down that wing.”