City boy Tosin has touch of class to make the difference
MAN CITY loanee Tosin Adarabioyo’s stunning finish helped Blackburn leapfrog their fellow promotion hopefuls in the scramble to join the elite.
Tony Mowbray’s team had to come from behind.
But it was defender Adarabioyo who stole the limelight.
A rare goal from Corry Evans had brought Rovers level, after Jamie Paterson gave Lee Johnson’s side the lead.
A slumbering game came to life with two goals in three first-half minutes in this battle of the play-off wannabes.
The Robins – looking to end a run of five matches without a win – struck first with an astute cross from Tommy Rowe being met by a Paterson header which Rovers keeper Christian Walton failed to keep out, despite getting a decent hand on the ball.
Rovers’ response came from an unlikely source, Evans celebrating his first league goal since November 2015.
But the Northern Ireland international had an anxious wait to know that he had ended his personal famine.
His cross from the left saw Sam Gallagher nip in ahead of City keeper Daniel Bentley, the ball squeezing in at the far post.
Gallagher quickly indicated to Evans’ relief that he didn’t manage a touch, so it was a rare goal for the experienced midfielder, who started life at Manchester United.
Rovers should have taken the lead after the break, Ben Brereton slipping after seizing on a slack backpass from
Tomas Kalas and rounding Bentley.
And then Joe Rankin-Costello was unfortunate to have his effort disallowed after the visiting keeper was wrongly adjudged to have been fouled.
It was left to Adarabioyo to provide some justice with a top-drawer strike.
After a free-kick launched into the box appeared to have broken down, Stewart Downing managed to find the central defender, who did the rest with a curling shot into the corner. Rovers hadn’t finished, with lively sub Adam Armstrong cutting in from the left and leaving Bentley well beaten with a cultured finish.
Cue a huge smile from Ewood boss Mowbray, whose well-drilled side hadn’t won in four games before lockdown.
Mowbray said: “I am trying to make them believe they are good enough to get into the top six.”
City boss Lee Johnson said: “There are no excuses.
“The players have got to have a think about it.
“We have got to go out with a real football arrogance.
“Apart from Korey Smith we didn’t have enough of that.”
NEAL MAUPAY added insult to injury as he piled more misery on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
First the Frenchman gave Bernd Leno a naughty nudge late in the first half that led to the keeper suffering a nasty-looking knee injury.
The German was furious with the Brighton striker and jabbed an angry finger at him, accompanied by some industrial language, as he left the field on a stretcher.
Maupay then rocked up in the fifth minute of time added on to settle the match in the Seagulls’ favour and give Graham Potter’s side a huge boost in their battle against relegation.
But his celebrations were deemed over the top by Leno’s pals with Sead Kolasinac and Matteo Guendouzi in particular having to be restrained as they made their feelings known to him at the final whistle.
Arsenal had taken a 68th-minute lead through Nicolas Pepe – a lovely curling effort beating Maty Ryan.
It was the first and last contribution of any note from the Frenchman in an otherwise anonymous display and looked like it might lift Arsenal after their convincing defeat by Manchester City on Wednesday to send a message to their Europa League rivals.
But Brighton weren’t done, with Ryan keeping them in the game with a string of saves, and when Lewis Dunk stabbed home from close range 15 minutes from time they suddenly scented Gunners blood.
Even so, as the clock ticked into the fourth minute of stoppage time with only three given, Potter’s side seemed to have left it too late.
Maupay had other ideas, however, and when Solly March fed fellow sub Aaron Connolly, his little flick round the corner freed the striker and he rammed his shot home. W result for Brighton and how chief executive Paul Barber Tony Bloom must now feel for neutral venues to be given the importance of b play top teams, and even used to be top teams, on ho
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