Hayday for Boro rookie
time. And Woodgate was delighted at Downing’s reception.
He said: “I was clapping myself when Tony brought him off.
“When Stewy retires, we should bring him back to the academy.’’
Blackburn had Joe Rankin-Costello, 20, making his first senior start, and the midfielder wore a head bandage after a lengthy spell of first-half treatment.
Rovers then lost Lewis Holtby with a knee ligament injury on 37 minutes before Paddy McNair’s dangerous cross clipped the visitors’ bar.
Boro skipper Jonny Howson was a whisker away after the break with a diagonal shot and on-loan Manchester City striker Lukas Nmecha blazed wide.
Blackburn struck when Travis took a return from Adam Armstrong and slipped the ball into the far corner.
But after keeper Christian Walton could only get a hand to Lewis Wing’s effort,
Coulson tapped in at the far post to level.
Former Rovers striker Rudy Gestede was denied late in the game, his header from Marvin Johnson’s free-kick saved, and he glanced another opportunity wide.
Blackburn Rovers boss Mowbray said of Travis:
“He’s an amazing kid, a boy really, and a Scouser with fire burning in him.
“Trav’s set on playing at the top of this game.”
MIDDLESBROUGH BLACKBURN 6 ........ Shots on Target ......... 2 8 ........ Shots off Target ......... 3 6 ................ Corners ................. 2 12 ................. Fouls .................. 12 3 ............... Offsides .................. 1 77.6 ...Passing Success % ...68.4 447 ...... Total Passes ........ 326 57.6 ..... Possession % ..... 42.4 46.6 .Territorial Adv % .. 53.4