MATCH STATS

BLACKBURN recorded their first clean sheet of the season against Ipswich at Ewood Park.

Both of these struggling teams are finding wins and goals hard to come by and it showed in a game that will not live long in the memory.

Mick McCarthy’s men had the best chances through the returning Adam Webster’s first-half header, which Jason Steele brilliantly saved, and he had to be at his best to stop Freddie Sears after the break.

Rovers showed plenty of endeavour, but aside from long-range shots, did little to trouble the opposition and they remain in the bottom three following a third game without a goal.

The Tractor Boys saw their winless and goalless run stretch to five matches.

Rovers started brightly, but were almost caught cold in the 18th minute when Ben Marshall dithered and was dispossessed before Ipswich’s top scorer Grant Ward fired a ferocious 25-yard shot that Steele parried.

Despite doing most of the defending, the Tractor Boys highlighted Blackburn’s set piece weakness when Luke Chambers glanced a 19thminute header wide from close range.

Moments later, Steele produced a wonderful point-blank save as Leon Best headed on a corner for Webster, whose own header was somehow kept out.

Rovers showed signs of life 10 minutes before the break when Derrick Williams hammered over a left wing cross that Sam Gallagher headed over.

Just before the break Danny Guthrie let fly with a powerful drive that whistled over the Ipswich crossbar.

Marshall lashed one wide for Blackburn before Ward’s deep cross was headed over by Best, as both sides toiled for a breakthrough.