Copa loada THAT!
ROVERS’ CHILE HERO BEN TURNS UP HEAT
NO Adam Armstrong, no problem as Blackburn made it an agonising take-off for new Swansea boss Russell Martin.
Last season’s 28-goal leading scorer is off to pastures new and wasn’t involved at Ewood Park.
Rovers boss Tony Mowbray said: “He’s a fantastic kid and I’m sure he would have scored a hat-trick out there today.
“This can’t be allowed to go on for three or four weeks. There has to be a cut-off point.
“He won’t be playing against Morecambe on Tuesday night but if nothing is resolved there is every chance he’ll be coming to Millwall next weekend.”
Rovers rose to the occasion against a side going in a new direction under former MK Dons boss Martin (below).
Martin, 35, is determined to introduce possession-based football. It might have been pleasing on the eye, but it comes without a safety net.
And his brave new world come crashing down as Rovers striking pair Sam Gallagher and
Chile cult hero Ben Brereton Diaz cashed in.
An incisive 35th-minute ball from John Buckley saw Brereton Diaz in on goal. And although keeper Steven Benda saved his effort, Gallagher was on hand to calmly stroke in the rebound.
Any chance of a comeback for the Welsh side appeared to have disappeared in a moment of madness involving Benda within seconds after the break.
As he dallied on the ball in his own area Tyrhys Dolan nipped in and the panicking German brought him down.
Cue Brereton Diaz, fresh from his exploits in the Copa America with Chile, and now adding the name of his South American-born mother to the back of his shirt, to score the spot-kick.
But there was to be no easy ride for Mowbray’s side with Jamie Paterson grabbing a 52nd-minute goal on his debut after joining from Bristol City – his strike from inside the area looping over a surprised Thomas Kaminski.
Martin said: “We have a lot to work on, a lot to improve, but I’m really pleased about the guys’ mentality and courage to keep doing things that we’re asking them to do.
“I think that we were a little bit unfortunate coming away with a defeat.”
BLACKBURN ROVERS: Kaminski 7; Nyambe 6, Ayala 6, Lenihan 6, Pickering 6; Travis 7, Buckley 7 (Butterworth 79), Rothwell 8; Dolan 7 (Carter 83), Brereton Diaz 7, Gallagher 7 (Davenport 72, 6). Unused subs: Eastham, McBride, Garrett, Magloire. SWANSEA CITY: Benda 6; Cabango 7, Bennett 6, Latibeaudiere 6; Naughton 6, Smith 7 (Dhanda 57,6), Grimes 7, Paterson 7, Bidwell 6; Cullen 7 (Whittaker 86), Lowe 6. Unused subs: Defreitas-Hansen, Joseph, Cooper, Cooper, McFayden.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Joe Rothwell. Kept Rovers ticking over with energy and craft in midfield. REFEREE: David Webb 7.