Jon Dahl Tomasson was delighted with Blackburn Rovers' victory over Middlesbrough but felt the visitor's goal should have been ruled out for offside.

In a frantic game at Ewood Park, both sides totalled a combined 35 efforts on goal. Roevrs took two of their opportunities, with Sam Szmodics' brace securing a 2-1 victory.

Rovers were in control with a two-goal margin and had missed big chances to put the game beyond doubt. Boro halved the arrears through Matt Crooks in a goal that looked offside to the naked eye and swung the momentum in Boro's favour.

Tomasson was pleased to hold on for the win but felt what could've been a match-defining moment went against his side. He admitted Rovers should have been out of sight before that, though.

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"It is a fantastic result, when we analyse Middlesbrough, we knew it would be a very difficult game," he said. "It was great to see the amount of chances we created.

"We should have been 3-0 up at half-time. The frustrating part is we didn't score those goals. Then we scored very difficult goals, great goals.

"They got a goal back and it can be difficult in those moments. Our fans helped us in those moments. By the way, when the linesman and referee watch this back, they will be disappointed with big moments in the game.

"It was great to see us win in our 5,000th league game and see the legends in the stadium. It was an excellent performance."

"It was offside," he added. "We all make mistakes and I think when the referee and the linesman look back, they will be disappointed.

"That is part of football. Mistakes happen but he was totally alone, three metres from goal."

Szmodics scored his third and fourth goal of the season to win the game for team that will need players to step up after the summer exits of Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack. Tomasson is hopeful he can continue his impressive goal-scoring form to help fill that void.

"We all know we lost proven goal-scorers with Dack and Diaz," Tomasson said. "When Sammie got used to everything, I think he played an excellent part last season.

"He has started on fire, scoring four goals, extremely good. We need to spread those goals around with more players. We need to be honest, we don't have proven goal-scorers in the squad at this level.

"We have great players, young hungry players who want to become better but they are unproven. If you look last season, the way we finished, we'd have finished in the play-offs with a real goal-scorer."