Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City

Blackburn Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson. ... Blackburn's first fixture of the new year takes place this afternoon when Rovers host Cardiff City. Blackburn ...

His clearance is met by a Cardiff man on the edge, but he fires wide. Cardiff have looked a threat at times but look better on the counter Having seen the tackle again, it's a red for me. Diaz gets the ball on the left around 25 yards out and finds Dack on the edge of the area. A much needed goal for Rovers! Jon Dahl Tomasson's side will be heading into the game with confidence and will be hoping to take home all three points when the two sides meet at Ewood Park later. Some excellent work from Hedges sees him skip past two before laying the ball back to Morton. Blackburn's first fixture of the new year takes place this afternoon when Rovers host Cardiff City. Welsh outfit Cardiff have experienced an equally troubled run of form recently with four draws and a loss in their last few fixtures. Rovers back on the pitch and ready JRC is making his way around the pitch as Rovers play on with ten for now. For all the latest updates on Blackburn Rovers,

The Bluebirds' first game of 2023 saw them take on Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Morton with a stunning cross to the back post. Colwill does well to thread the needle and send a pass into Harris' feet. Gallagher goes to head home, but it flicks off the top of his head. All questions which are very much coming to a head at the minute. It prompted wholesale changes for Cardiff, who threw on Rubin Colwill, Sheyi Ojo and Andy Rinomhota in one go before the hour mark in a desperate attempt to spark their attack into life. Another long ball forward, something which had been a key feature for the hosts in the first half, found Brereton Diaz and he laid it into Dack's path. If anything, Cardiff looked less threatening as Rovers threw bodies behind the ball and the substitutions failed to make any sort of meaningful impact. Rinomhota then does well to win a corner. The first game of the year almost started in truly horrendous fashion for Cedric Kipre, who completely miscued a backpass to allow Sam Gallagher through on goal. The Rovers man hit it sweetly from 20 yards and it bounced off Simpson's arm before trickling into the bottom corner, with Allsop having been wrong-footed. Cardiff did have their fair share of chances in the first half, though. If he had squared it to Mark Harris, it would likely have been an easy tap-in.

Mark Hudson made four changes to his team for the first fixture of 2023. Jack Simpson, Tom Sang, Gavin Whyte and Callum Robinson came into the starting XI.

A late chance fell the way of the Bluebirds. Goalkeeper Allsop came up for a corner deep into the five minutes of added time. The Bluebirds fell behind early in the second half in unfortunate circumstances. It was the same combination that found the winner against Rovers at CCS earlier this season. It was an end-to-end first half, with both sides trying to battle their way into the lead. Harris did superbly to find Whyte on the overlap, but a last second challenge by Rovers midfielder Jake Garrett stopped the winger from pulling the trigger at close range.

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff City at Ewood Park as Bradley Dacks goal sealed ...

We didn't start the second half as we wanted and then we are chasing the game and it is difficult to break down a good side. I thought by changing shape we'd get more attacking threat in the game but that didn't seem to be the case. It was a difficult game against a Cardiff team who came with a game-plan, 5-4-1, a bit of a wall to play through. We had a couple of moments but didn't have cutting edge or belief around the box. I think it was a well deserved victory." Brereton-Diaz was played in well by Harry Pickering, but needed better composure to beat Allsop from wide.

The most recent, meanwhile, came this past Thursday. A showdown with in-form Middlesbrough at Ewood Park saw the hosts surrender an early advantage courtesy of ...

Matt Taylor’s men, as a result, have been dragged firmly into the relegation scrap, sitting just two points clear of the drop zone as things stand. The most recent, meanwhile, came this past Thursday. Blackburn have slipped into an altogether untimely dip in form over the course of recent weeks.

Bradley Dack produces the match-winning moment as Rovers start 2023 with a win!