Rovers revive play-off bid
BLACKBURN ROVERS halted a run of five winless games and kept their play-off hopes alive after an impressive victory at local rivals Preston North End. Tony Mowbray’s side went into the game knowing that a win was imperative to their hopes of catching sixth-placed Sheffield United. They move to seventh, three points off the final play-off place. Rovers had failed to score in 11 of their last 17 games but took just nine minutes to take the lead. Ben Brereton Diaz’s flicked header struck the woodwork and rolled along the line until Sam Gallagher nodded into an open net. Soon after, John Buckley found himself in space 25 yards out and tried a hopeful low drive, which snuck past Preston keeper Daniel Iversen. The hosts had a lifeline just before the half-hour through Alan Browne, whose shot cannoned off Scott Wharton’s head and in. Rovers hit back immediately thanks to Joe Rothwell’s free-kick planted on to the head of Darragh Lenihan, who looped it over Iversen. Blackburn were out of sight soon after half-time when Lewis Travis surged into the box and rolled in his first goal in more than two years. ‘It was almost as if the pressure was lifted off them and they could play,’ said Mowbray. ‘They looked like the Blackburn Rovers team that we know we’ve got.