BLACKBURN Rovers claimed a vital three points in their quest to beat the drop courtesy of Sam Gallagher’s last minute winner, but they remain three points from safety in the Championship.

Rovers looked to be heading for a disappointing home draw until the Southampton loanee came up with his 11th of the season, turning home a Marvin Emnes left wing cross.

It what had been billed as a  must-win game, Rovers looked to be limping towards a 0-0 draw in what had been a game of few chances.

Prior to Gallagher’s winner, Darragh Lenihan had arguably Rovers’ best chance, as he saw a second half effort saved, while QPR thought they had taken the lead moments before only for the linesman to have adjudged Connor Washington’s effort to have not crossed the line after bouncing down off the bar.

Rovers made one change from the side which lost to Leeds United in midweek, as Craig Conway replaced the injured Derrick Williams.  That saw Jason Lowe move to left-back, with Sam Gallagher partnering Danny Graham in attack as Owen Coyle reverted to 4-4-2.

The visitors flew out of the traps, and had a number of good chances to go in front inside the opening three minutes.

Connor Washington twice broke the offside flag, with one pull-back finding strike partner Jamie Mackie who was denied by a good Jason Steele save.  The second just evaded the striker, but when the ball was kept alive, Massimo Luongo saw an effort blocked behind.

From the resulting corner, Joel Lynch rose highest, with his header needing to be tipped over by Jason Steele.

Under pressure from the outset, Rovers tried to muster a response of their own.   Their first effort on goal came in the eighth minute, only for Liam Feeney to see his arrowed effort flash just wide of the post after good work down the left by Lowe and then Conway.

Rovers started to grow in to the game, and were unlucky not to see a good move in the 21st minute rewarded as Mulgrew’s cross just evaded  Gallagher.

They had seemingly recovered from their poor start, and the game had become very even, as the half hour mark approached.

Neither goalkeeper had really been forced in to a save, with Ryan Manning likely to be disappointed not to have tested Steele with his 20-yard effort which sailed wide after Mulgrew was caught in possession.

Sam Gallagher headed over a Craig Conway corner under pressured 10 minutes before the break, before Liam Feeney’s enterprising run moments later saw a left-foot shot blocked.

Charlie Mulgrew did finally test Smithies before the break, but his speculative 30-yard free-kick was easily dealt with by the Rs keeper who didn’t have to move.

QPR started the brighter of the two teams after the break, but without the level of chances their early ascendancy in the first-half brought about.  Connor Washington flashed an effort wide of Steele’s near-post, but with the home fans getting frustrated by Rovers’ inability to keep hold of the ball.

A huge turning point came on the hour mark when QPR thought they had taken the lead.  Rovers failed to deal with a long throw, with Connor Washington heading goalwards from six yards out.  It looped over Jason Steele before hitting the crossbar and bouncing down, with the linesman adjudging it to have not crossed the line.  The QPR players, and management staff, were furious by the call, having started to celebrate.

Rovers made a double change just before the midway point of the second half as Connor Mahoney and Marvin Emnes were sent on for Graham and Conway.

Mahoney almost had an instant impact as his excellent free-kick was turned goalwards by Lenihan, only to be turned away on the line by Smithies.  The rebound fell to Feeney, but he could only scuff his effort wide.

As the game started to open up in the final quarter, Washington fired just wide, while Rovers started to commit bodies forward at the other end.

Hope Akpan fired and Sam Gallagher both fired over the bar as the game moved in to the final 15 minutes, but Rovers needed more quality in the final third.
Mahoney was next to try his luck, but it again failed to test Smithies as Rovers went in search of a winner.

But they had to be wary of conceding late once again, with Jason Steele equal to a Jason Perch drive late on.

However, there was to be one last forray for Rovers, who scored in injury time as Gallagher turned in Emnes’ cross.