BLACKBURN ROVERS PREVIEW

28 December 2021

Everything you need to know ahead of our trip to Ewood Park!

The Reds are in action for the final time in 2021, this Wednesday night as we head across the pennines to take on high-flying Blackburn Rovers.

Following the postponement of our scheduled Boxing Day clash with Stoke City, owing to their issues with COVID-19 cases and injuries in their squad, it means the Reds will have gone 12 days without football.

Our hosts also saw their trip to Hull City cancelled on Boxing Day, but right at the last minute which might well have hampered their planning. So they too will be well rested heading into Wednesday evening's Roses clash.

Barnsley have lost just one of their last four fixtures, but are still yet to register three points under Poya Asbaghi. The Swede is set to be without captain, Cauley Woodrow for a second consecutive fixture, as he's still out with a knee injury, whilst the game will also come too soon for defender Aapo Halme.

Belgian forward Obbi Oularé is the other definite absentee, as he recovers from his latest injury setback.

If we don't take into account the potential likelihood of any further COVID cases, the head coach does have a fairly strong squad to select from, in terms of numbers. And with extra time on the training ground these last couple of weeks, the boss might well look to change things in search of that elusive first victory.

WOODROW 2.jpg

But he will have to do so against the form team in the Sky Bet Championship.

If the Reds were last season's surprise package, then it's probably fair to say similar about Tony Mowbray's boys in blue and white.

Rovers have won eight of their last 10 fixtures. They've won five of them in a row now, without conceding a goal.

It's been some turnaround, considering their terrible run in October, shortly after drawing 0-0 against the Reds at Oakwell.

They've lost just two games on home soil. November's 7-0 hammering by league leaders, Fulham and a 2-1 loss to West Brom in August, who also topped the division at the time of that particular fixture.

One of the league's longest-serving managers, Mowbray is entering his fifth year in charge of the former Premier League title winners.

Usually operating within a 3-5-2 system, Rovers have a decent blend of youth and experience, and have a couple of stars on-loan from Brighton, in forward Reda Khadra and centre half Jan Paul van Hecke.

Academy products litter their first team also, with the likes of Ryan Nyambe, Scott Wharton, Lewis Travis and Joe Buckley all regular starters in a vibrant, attacking Rovers outfit.

And up front they've managed to forget all about Adam Armstrong, sold for big money to the Premier League, by seeing Ben Brereton-Diaz finally delivering the performances his talent always suggested was likely, at a young age.

The Chilean international has 19 goals to his name this season, having previously struggled for the club since arriving nearly three years ago now in a big money move from Nottingham Forest.

We last travelled to Ewood Park in November of last year, and despite dominating the game almost entirely, the Reds suffered a 2-1 defeat, with Romal Palmer's consolation his first goal for the club.

Our last three points at the same venue in April of 2017, as goals from Marc Roberts and Marley Watkins saw us to a 2-0 win, a result that went some way to seeing Rovers relegated at the end of that campaign.

The man in the middle on Wednesday evening will be Dean Whitestone. This will be the Northamptonshire referee's first time taking charge of a game this season for either club.

He last took control of a Reds fixture almost a year ago now, a 2-1 Barnsley victory over Preston North End at Oakwell.

Reds supporters are able to buy audio match passes via iFollow Barnsley.

Fans can enjoy live commentary, with a match pass priced at £2.50.

For further information on iFollow for this season, and how to activate seasonal subscriptions, please click the link below.

iFollow

Match Reports

REDS BEATEN BY BLACKBURN

29 December 2021

Barnsley fell to a 2-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday evening.

Goals from Joe Rothwell and Ben Brereton Diaz either side of Carlton Morris’ equaliser were enough to settle the encounter at Ewood Park.

It took a while for the game to spark into life, with the first real shot in anger coming from Callum Styles, who tested Thomas Kaminski with a long-range drive that the Rovers stopper parried to safety.

Shortly after, the hosts nearly made the breakthrough themselves as former Reds loanee Rothwell skipped beyond a couple of challenges before cracking the woodwork with a low strike.

Chances were starting to fall for Blackburn and midway through the first half, John Buckley drove forward and fired an effort narrowly wide of the post.

However, when the Reds squandered possession deep in their own half, the division’s form side punished us to devastating effect as Rothwell was able to slot home from inside the area.

Rovers continued to create openings, the next falling to Ryan Nyambe, who cut in on his left foot and curled a shot wide of the upright.

Only a magnificent piece of defending from Styles prevented Blackburn from extending their lead 10 minutes before the interval as he made a last-ditch challenge to thwart Brereton Diaz, who had the goal at his mercy six yards out.

With the final attack of the half, though, Barnsley pulled level as Carlton Morris’ attempt ricocheted off a defender, off the post and rolled across the line before sneaking into the net. So bizarre was the goal that the travelling Reds supporters at the other end didn’t realise it had gone in for a good five seconds prior to celebrating.

HALF-TIME: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Barnsley

In a frantic opening to the second half, Michał Helik was next to deny Brereton Diaz with an outstretched leg before Buckley hammered a strike from distance straight down the throat of Brad Collins.

Just after the hour mark, our Polish centre-back was forced off through injury and Jasper Moon entered the fray for his first appearance since 24 November.

As the Reds looked to break away, Rovers stole possession in the centre circle and surged forward, with Brereton Diaz driving into the area and drilling into the bottom corner to restore their lead.

With 20 minutes or so remaining, Victor Adeboyejo and Devante Cole were introduced to add more firepower to our attack as we looked to salvage something from the encounter.

However, it was the hosts who looked more likely to find the next goal as Brereton Diaz tested Collins with a thunderous drive in injury time.

The Chilean forward had another gaping opportunity moments later but could only blaze high and wide when it appeared easier to score.

There was one last chance for Barnsley as the ever-dangerous Styles raced clear and found Morris; his shot was blocked by a Blackburn defender and the rebound fell to Styles, who curled narrowly over as we slumped to defeat in our final outing of 2021.

FULL-TIME: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Barnsley

REDS XI: Collins (GK), Brittain, Helik (Moon, 61), Andersen (C), Kitching, Oduor (Adeboyejo, 71), Benson, Palmer, Morris, Styles, Leya Iseka (Cole, 71).

Not used: Walton, J Williams, Vita, Gomes.

ROVERS XI: Kaminski (GK), Nyambe, Pickering, Khadra (Gallagher, 64), Rothwell (Dolan, 85), Wharton, Buckley (Edun, 85), Brereton Diaz, Van Hecke, Lenihan (C), Travis.

Not used: Pears (GK), Johnson, Ayala, Clarkson.

Ticket News

TICKETS | BLACKBURN ROVERS (A)

8 December 2021

The Reds take on Blackburn Rovers in our final match of 2021 at Ewood Park.

We have received an initial allocation of 1,980 tickets in the Bryan Douglas Darwen End Lower Tier for our upcoming fixture at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday 29 December, kick off 7:45pm.

Further allocations are available upon request.

Tickets are available to purchase on general sale from Thursday 9 December.

Prices
Adult: £20
Senior Over 65: £17
Young Adult (18-23 years): £12
Juvenile Under 18: £7
Juvenile Under 12: £5

Ambulant disabled supporters and wheelchair users will pay their relevant age-related category with an assistant’s ticket being free of charge if required.

Official Club Coach Travel departs at 4:15pm priced at £20 per seat. Strictly no alcohol is permitted. Juveniles Under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult aged 18+.

*Please read the additional information from Wilfreda Beehive below.

The postage deadline for this game is 3pm Monday 20 December. Tickets will remain on sale from the Box Office until 12 noon on Wednesday 29 December, subject to availability.

If you are purchasing away game and cup tickets for other people, we strongly advise you to correctly assign the ticket to each individual for every game. This will enable us to offer the correct privileges to supporters on occasions when tickets are on restricted sales in a category system.

WE WILL NOT ACCEPT TICKET STUBS WHEN TICKETS ARE ON RESTRICTED SALE. ONLY TICKETS PURCHASED IN ADVANCE AND CORRECTLY ASSIGNED WILL COUNT TOWARDS ANY REQUESTED QUALIFYING CRITERIA.

ONLINE BOX OFFICE

*Coach Regulations

All travellers will be temperature checked before entering the vehicle. Anyone with a temperature higher than 37.5 will not be allowed to travel
The hand sanitiser provided must be used on entering the vehicle
Face masks will need to be worn while travelling unless medically exempt
The seat directly behind the driver must not be used
Anyone feeling unwell should not travel
Passengers must remove their own rubbish
Passengers should not eat on the vehicle unless they have to for medical reasons
The toilet should only be used in an emergency
Passengers should load from the back to the front and disembark from the front to the rear