A performance to be proud of against Wolves

A result and a performance that Blackburn Rovers can be proud of and look to build on, but in the immediate aftermath it feels like a defeat.

When the Championship fixtures were released in June, this looked a daunting task for a Rovers side who found the going tough last season.

A television graphic captured the Championship in a nutshell. The Wolves starting XI cost £98.3m to assemble, with Rovers' a much more modest £6.9m.

It is a good job money does not always decide the outcome of a football match.

The atmosphere was electric. Both sets of supporters contributed greatly to it. Wolves fans probably expected more of an easy ride, but Tony Mowbray's men gave as good as they got.

They fell behind to a goal that stemmed from a good run by Munetsi, but he was afforded too much time and space as he got in between Ryan Alebiosu and Tom Atcheson.

Credit to Rovers though as they did not let their heads drop. Instead, they levelled matters through Sean McLoughlin's first goal since 2019, a terrific run and header leaving his manager expecting more. He wants his centre-halves to emulate his playing career tally of around half a dozen goals a season.

So, one each at the break, and Rovers were quickly out of the blocks in the second half. Dapo Afolayan, who had his best night so far for the club, stung the fingertips of Daniel Bentley, and then the second goal was a beauty. Morishita was again involved, playing a lovely reverse pass into the path of Afolayan, who found Andri Gudjohnsen to finish from close range.

Gudjohnsen has switched to the number nine shirt this season, and both of his goals so far have been typical of the Rovers strikers of yesteryear who wore that number.

To give an indication of Blackburn's relative comfort in the game, goalkeeper Balazs Toth was forced into only one save all evening, with Bentley in the Wolves goal making three.

When four minutes were added on at the end, it became a case of game management. Could Rovers run down the clock and keep the ball away from their goal? They largely did, apart from one moment. They lost possession in the Wolves half. I felt they could have taken a foul at that point and taken the sting out of the counter-attack, and when they did not, you kind of feared the worst.

A cross struck the hand of the excellent Alebiosu and referee Farai Hallam immediately pointed to the spot. It was such a close, tough call. Even when I see it back, I cannot make a definitive verdict on it. The referee had one look and had to make a snap decision. Wolves benefited from leaving VAR behind. They might still be checking it at Stockley Park now!

Raul Jimenez, the returning hero, shimmied and stuttered up to the ball before placing it firmly past Toth for a stoppage-time leveller.

Even then, Jake Garrett drew a fine save from Bentley before the final whistle.

This was a result that many would not have forecast. Tony Mowbray's team were almost good enough to get the job done, but in his words he will "put the point in the bag and move on to the next one".

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