Rovers undid so much of their good work with a nightmare start to the second half as they suffered defeat for a second successive home match and are now on a run of only three points from the last 15 available.

Ryan Hedges handed them an early lead and there was positivity around Ewood Park at the break after a free-flowing display.

Yet little could have prepared the home fans for what was to come, Boro equalising 30 seconds after the restart through Marcus Forss and by the 57th minute the turnaround was complete as Riley McGree volleyed home a second.

Inbetween both goals came a moment of madness from John Buckley, shown a straight red card for throwing the ball at the back of McGree’s head. It wasn’t seen by referee Leigh Doughty who was alerted to it by the fourth official.

While harsh, it was an unneeded moment of petulance at a time when Rovers were already reeling from giving up their lead.

As Boro held on, it means Rovers have now lost each of their festive fixtures to date, despite leading both.

With no players returning from injury, Jon Dahl Tomasson opted to name an unchanged team for only the second time this season.

Yet there was an extra energy to their play as they got their noses infront early with Ryan Hedges netting only his second goal in Rovers colours with just six minutes on the watch.

As the Boro defence appealed for offside, Hedges ran clear from a lofted John Buckley throughball before firing low across Zak Steffen and into the corner.

Thomas Kaminski had moments before saved well at his near post to deny Matt Crooks, one of two players brought in by the visitors.

Crooks was part of a four-man attacking line for Boro as Michael Carrick signalled his intentions, and with good reason given their excellent recent form.

However, they were giving up lots of space in behind their high line which Rovers were looking to exploit at every opportunity.

Chuba Akpom moved to the top of the Championship goalscoring charts with his Boxing Day hat-trick and had a glorious chance to add to that 16 minutes in, but as he met a Marcus Forss cross inside the six-yard box, he couldn’t guide his header inside the post.

With both sides almost going 4-2-4, there was oceans of space for both to operate in.

Rovers’ willingness to run in behind was troubling Boro, whose rotation in attack was equally giving Tomasson’s side plenty to think about.

Sam Gallagher had four in his last three games against Boro and had a chance to add to that streak on the half hour as he became the latest player to run clear of the visitors defence, but when opting for power with his shot, he sliced wide of the near post.

There were so many positives for Rovers to take though, with both full-backs looking strong in their defensive work, while Bradley Dack and Ben Brereton were heavily involved as they interchanged positions with regularity.

In an extremely watchable game, both sides went close before the break.

For Boro, Hayden Hackey, booked early on for a foul on Buckley, had a shot from distance that flicked the crossbar on the way over, albeit via a deflection.

Rovers then almost scored from the Boro corner, counter-attacking from their own box as Brereton crossed for Gallagher whose header was claimed by the well-positioned Steffen.

Boro were very much in the game despite Rovers’ half time advantage, and they needed only 30 seconds after the restart to find a leveller. Crooks sent the ball on for Forss who got on the wrong side of Harry Pickering before firing a shot that beat Kaminski for pace.

To compound the equalising goal, a moment of madness for John Buckley saw him shown a straight red card, for bouncing the ball off the head of Riley McGree as Rovers prepared to take a free kick.

A nightmare start to the second half was complete when McGree of all players volleyed home from just inside the box as Forss nodded a Crossfield ball into his path.

Dack was one of the players sacrificed as a result of the red card, while Tyler Morton was also replaced, with Lewis Travis and Jake Garrett turned to off the bench.

Rovers were still trying to make a fist of it though, substitute Travis having a shot blocked before Brereton saw a low free kick saved by Steffen diving away to his left.

Boro were looking to manage the game well, a series of tactical fouls stopping Rovers gaining any momentum, as the game ticked into the final 10 minutes with only one goal in it.

There was just about enough energy in the Rovers legs to press for an equaliser, but equally had to hurry back in added time to deny Crooks and Duncan Watmore adding a third.

Rovers: Thomas Kaminski, Joe Rankin-Costello, Dom Hyam, Daniel Ayala, Harry Pickering, Tyler Morton (Lewis Travis, 66), John Buckley, Ryan Hedges, Bradley Dack (Jake Garrett, 66), Ben Brereton, Sam Gallagher

Subs: Aynsley Pears, Scott Wharton, Adam Wharton, Dilan Markanday, George Hirst

Boro: Steffen, Giles, Fry, McGree (Watmore, 90), Smith, Howson, Forss (Jones, 71), Crooks, Lenihan, Akpom, Hackney (Mowatt, 68)

Subs: Roberts, Muniz, McNair, Bola