ROVERS 1

(Graham, 74)

NORTHAMPTON 1

(O’Toole, 12)

ROVERS had to be content once again with a point against Northampton Town as they slipped out of the automatic promotion places following a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

Danny Graham scored his 10th goal of the season 16 minutes from time to draw Rovers level after they trailed to John-Joe O’Toole’s 12th minute header.

The hosts found it tough going for the first half but piled on the pressure after the break but weren’t able to find that winning goal as they slipped to third in the table.

Rovers had looked the brighter in the opening stages but were to fall behind in the 12th minute. The visitors countered a Rovers corner which allowed Joe Bunney to pick out O’Toole with his cross and the midfielder couldn’t miss with his header from inside the six yard box.

That came immediately after Craig Conway had seen a shot blocked as Rovers tried to apply some early pressure.

There were then concerns moments later as after falling awkwardly, Charlie Mulgrew was forced to hobble off with what appeared to be an ankle injury. Amari’i Bell was quickly sent on for his Rovers debut, with Derrick Williams moving to centre half.

The home crowd were trying to get behind their side as they struggled to come up with a response to falling behind as the 20 minute mark was reached.

Northampton were staying rigid in their shape and defending well, with a number of Rovers balls in to the box coming to nothing.

One of the first times Rovers managed to break in behind the Cobblers came in the 28th minute, Richie Smallwood finding Danny Graham with an excellent ball over the top. The striker teed up Conway, but after cutting inside, his shot was once again well blocked.

The theme of the match continued, Rovers trying to find the code to unlock the door, but still no answer. Conway again was again to go close, this time 10 minutes before the break, collecting a loose ball on the edge of the area before firing narrowly over the bar.

Crosses kept coming in to the Cobblers box but they were winning the main share of headers, while their time-wasting tactics were doing little to appease the frustrated home support.

Rovers needed to try and stretch the game much more in the second period and they began to increase the pressure after the re-start.

But resilient Northampton defending continued to deny them. Graham and Dack linked up to good effect in the 54th minute, only for his shot to be blocked by Ash Taylor while Jordan Turnbull had thrown himself in the way of an Elliott Bennett strike moments before.

Rovers were really starting to crank the pressure up though. Good work from Bell down the left allowed him to fire in a cross which Samuel couldn’t turn goalwards from inside the six yard box.

Tony Mowbray turned his bench before the hour, sending on both Adam Armstrong and Jack Payne. The referee continued to frustrate the home faithful with some lenient refereeing, as after waving away Armstrong’s penalty appeals he failed to book two Cobblers players for bad tackles.

The visitors had a chance however to make it 2-0 in the 61st minute in a rare foray forward. Raya dropped a ball in to the box which O’Toole retrieved, and after ghosting in unmarked, Regan Poole should have done better with his volley when meeting the following cross from eight yards out.

Rovers continued to probe, Samuel heading a Dack cross straight at O’Donnell as the game ticked in to the final quarter. Balls kept flying across the Cobblers box without a Rovers shirt getting a meaningful touch.

Payne had shown some neat touches after coming on, none moreso than his drag with 17 minutes to go which freed him off his marker. His cross was met by Graham in to the path of Samuel but his shot was wayward.

Samuel and Graham would combine to great effect though seconds later, this time Samuel the provider as he stood up a cross which Graham met, powering a header beyond O’Donnell as the pressure finally paid.

Within three minutes Rovers almost got themselves in front. Downing got across his man to meet a Payne corner, his flicked header just missing the far post and evaded Graham who was sliding in at the far post.

The pressure was constant, with O’Donnell then forced to deny Dack’s effort from the edge of the box before the rebound just wouldn’t fall for Payne.

Six minutes of added time were indicated, but they weren't enough for Rovers to find a winner.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe, Downing, Mulgrew (Bell, 15), Williams, Smallwood (Payne, 58), Bennett, Samuel, Dack, Conway (Armstrong, 58), Graham.

Subs not used: Leutwiler, Caddis, Travis, Nuttall.

Northampton: O'Donnell, Taylor, Hoskins (Powell, 67), Long, O'Toole, Crooks (Foley, 72), Facey, Poole, Grimes, Turnbull, Bunney (Ariyibi, 84)

Subs not used: Cornell, Moloney, Revell, Pereira