SAM KIND OF WONDERFUL
Gallagher steps up in absence of Brereton to be Rovers hero
BY NEIL GOULDING
SAM GALLAGHER’S first goal for three months fired Blackburn one step closer to the Premier League promised land.
The Rovers striker stepped up to the plate in the absence of top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz, who is on international duty with Chile, to sink Middlesbrough.
Gallagher (right) pounced with a second-half winner as Tony Mowbray’s men leapfrogged Bournemouth into second spot after squandering the same chance when they lost to Hull last week.
That disappointing defeat on Humberside ended Rovers’ impressive 10-game unbeaten run.
But they returned to winning ways, as they made it seven home games without a loss since being hammered 7-0 by leaders Fulham, and halted Boro’s play-off charge with a first defeat in eight.
This year presents the best chance for 1995 Premier League champions Blackburn to end their decade-long spell in the Championship doldrums.
Boro, relegated in 2017 themselves, blew a shot at going into the top six as they squandered a trio of brilliant late chances to steal a point.
Keeper Joe Lumley twice kept the hosts from getting in behind.
Gallagher’s acrobatic overhead kick was beaten away by Lumley as the visitors soaked up the pressure then Reda Khadra went close to giving Rovers a deserved lead as his free-kick went just over.
But Chris Wilder’s fiery half-time team talk sprung the visitors into life. Rovers skipper Darragh Lenihan had a face full of blood after a collision with Aaron Connolly.
Then Isaiah Jones missed a great chance as he blasted wide, before Matt Crooks saw his header cleared off the line by Lewis Travis.
Play was suspended for seven minutes as a fan was taken ill in the stands.
But just after the restart, Gallagher grabbed the winner, taking advantage of Paddy McNair’s miskick to swivel and fire low into the corner.
Spirited Boro chased a leveller, but Connolly blazed over then Crooks headed over when should have scored in the 12th minute of stoppage time.