Blackburn break form guide with impressive Middlesbrough win

The visitors had to soak up the pressure in the second half but always carried a threat and took their opportunity when it came. Dom Hyam steered in from Todd Cantwell's cross to send the 600 away fans who had made the trip barmy.

Rovers more than matched Middlesbrough in the first half and created the better opportunities. Ryan Hedges had already been denied when Tyrhys Dolan headed wide after being picked out unmarked at the back post. He mistimed his jump and nodded wide of the post when he might have hit the target.

Boro created very little in the way of clear-cut chances. Aynsley Pears didn't have a save of note to make which was a testament to how well Rovers defended the centre of the pitch. 

Cantwell saw a goal disallowed for offside but there was no flag when Hyam got ahead of his marker to score. Replays showed that the defender may have strayed offside but the goal stood.

Middlesbrough responded and applied pressure but created very little. Ben Doak came closest to scoring but hit the outside of the post from the edge of the box.

Changes were not anticipated at The Riverside Stadium after an impressive win at Cardiff City last time out. But John Eustace was enforced into one, with Andi Weimann missing out with a knee injury.

Balazs Toth (ankle) was also a new absentee after withdrawing from international duty early. But there were more reinforcements on the bench after the return of Amario Cozier-Duberry and Owen Beck.

Blackburn's arrived at The Riverside unbeaten in nine visits, though. Even if their midweek away record in the Championship had seen them win just twice in more than two years (Blackpool August 2022, Millwall October 2023).

Rovers were aiming for back-to-back away wins in the Championship for the first time since May, toppling Leeds United and Leicester City on that occasion. Whilst Boro couldn't quite be classed in that same category at this stage, it was an awkward time to face them after three successive wins which saw them score 15 times.

The likelihood of the hosts adding to their sequence of four, five and six was slim, particularly based on the opening half where Rovers more than held their own.

Eustace's side set-up in a mid-block, allowing Boro to have the ball with their centre-backs before pressing when it moved into midfield. They repeatedly won the ball back in dangerous areas but were unable to capitalise.

Riley McGree was arguably fortunate to stay on the pitch for an early challenge on Yuki Ohashi. He was then substituted shortly after having hurt himself in the process.

Rovers created the best openings of the openings but didn't work the goalkeeper enough. Hedges went close early on after beating Sol Brynn to the ball but the Boro goalkeeper was out to make the save.

But the most gilt-edged chance was Dolan's. The forward, recalled to the side after suspension, met Sondre Tronstad's header but could only head wide when unmarked. The 23-year-old mistimed his header and let Boro off after leaving him free at the back post.

Callum Brittain and Hedges would then make a mess of shooting chances after Brynn failed to deal with a cross. Rovers ended the half on top with a wide header from Emmanuel Latte Lath the only real chance Boro had to show for their efforts. So far, so good, with the game plan working to a tee. 

Middlesbrough came out with renewed vigour after the break and began to sustain pressure. Neto Borges headed wide from Ben Doak's cross. The Liverpool loanee was the clear dangerman but Rovers had kept him quiet by doubling up.

Rovers struggled to impose themselves in the same way after the break and began to sink deeper into their own half. They defended their 18-yard box well with Aynsley Pears untested past the 70th minute.

Under Eustace, Rovers are equally equipped at defending their own third as attacking the opposition's. Dom Hyam was in the right place at the right time to clear away Tommy Conway's dangerous cross.

Rovers were waiting for a lapse in concentration and almost got the perfect breakaway goal. Dolan latched on to a loose pass, fed it to Cantwell and he smashed in past Brynn for his first Rovers goal...until the offside flag went up. 

That was a reminder of the threat Rovers still posed on the counter-attack, even if they hadn't shown it nearly enough in the second 45 as the first.

Boro immediately responded as substitute Micah Hamilton shot over from the edge of the box. It was a decent, and rare, sight of the Rovers' goal and he should have hit the target.

Rovers' diligent defending was then rewarded as they found the opening goal. It was another brilliant move, finished off by Hyam.

Todd Cantwell and Owen Beck exchanged passes after a corner, with the latter then crossing for Hyam to prod home. That was his first goal of the season and the perfect tonic for Rovers with fewer than 15 minutes left on the clock.

Replays suggested Hyam might have been offside, with a tight call as to whether he was behind Cantwell when the cross was made. Either way, some deserved fortune.

Boro responded and came the closest they'd been to scoring all night. Doak smashed the ball off the outside of the post from range though Pears was behind the strike.

That proved to be the best they could muster as Blackburn continued their fantastic record at The Riverside Stadium. A real coupon-buster given Boro's form going into the contest but a result few could argue was unfair.

It lifts Blackburn up to eighth in the table, with a game in hand, as they prepare for Leeds United coming to Ewood Park on Saturday.