Rovers huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow down the Mill-wall as they were made to settle for a goalless draw at Ewood Park.

A season-defining week was how it was billed, three successive home games in the space of seven days, as Rovers look to make sure of a top six spot.

Despite going another game without a goal, they stay fourth, but it is bunching up behind them in the race for a play-off spot.

There was again no shortage of effort and endeavour, but when asked to try and break down a resilient backline, they couldn’t come up with the necessary answers.

From the off Rovers were seeing more of the ball than we had become accustomed to, Jan Paul van Hecke regularly striding out from the back to make an extra man in midfield as the hosts enjoyed no shortage of possession.

Rarely have they had teams come and sit back quite so much at Ewood, but Millwall were clearly respectful of their Ewood record and happy to sit in with a back five and two holding midfielders infront of them.

Equally, there was a good energy about Rovers which meant they weren’t really giving the Lions and out-ball.

Tony Mowbray had talked up Joe Rankin-Costello’s attacking instincts ahead of the game, the wing-back coming into the side as one of four changes, with Deyovaisio Zeefuik and Reda Khadra missing out with injury, while Bradley Johnson and Tyrhys Dolan dropped to the bench.

Rankin-Costello had the game’s first big chance, good play on the right involving Ryan Giles and Lewis Travis worked the opening for the advanced wing-back to get clear of the last defender, but he dragged his shot wide of the far post from six yards.

The recalled Joe Rothwell and John Buckley looked re-energised after their time out of the side, offering some forward thrust from the centre of the park.

Drifting around the pitch, Buckley picked the ball up in the 26th minute to drive past his marker, his shot from the right edge of the box clipped the post as it went behind.

As Rovers needed more from their wide attackers, Sam Gallagher trying to change that as he had an ambitious effort from 30 yards, though it lacked the power to trouble Bartosz Bialkowski.

Then, six minutes before the break, Gallagher was within inches of getting a touch to an inswinging Buckley cross, any touch likely to have brought with it a goal.

The momentum was all with Rovers, but they were finding it difficult to get on the end of any crosses up against a giant Millwall back three.

The frustration was in that final third, having done much right up to that point, with Millwall having offered very little at the other end, going through the first half without a shot or a corner.

They made a change in both personnel, and formation, for the second half as they switched to a back four.

It was Rovers who continued to knock on the door, however.

Another Rothwell break saw Giles take up the attack, his cross deflecting into the path of Buckley whose hooked effort was brilliantly kept out by Bialkowski.

Darragh Lenihan attacked the ensuing Rothwell corner, but couldn’t get his header on target, as the frustration infront of goal went on.

The intensity was high, the ideas not always matching that, even if it remained one-way traffic heading into the final half an hour.

Rothwell was the player everyone looked at to make something happen, a break in the 64th minute saw him go to ground in the box as an outstretched leg was dangled, referee Dean Whitestone quick to wave away his appeals.

The referee then opted for a yellow, rather than the red Rovers were calling for, as George Saville wiped out Lewis Travis with a late challenge.

Mowbray had waited until there were 13 minutes left to turn to his bench, Dolan and Ryan Hedges on in place of Giles and Buckley.  

Jack Vale was then handed his first appearance since July 2020 as Rovers’ search for a goal went into the final five minutes.

Scott Wharton’s looping header which clipped the top of the crossbar was as close as they came in a closing stages which never promised a grandstand finish.