Match Report: Boro 1 Blackburn Rovers 2

Two early goals sent Boro back into the Championship relegation zone as Blackburn Rovers stole the points at the Riverside.

Boro were made to pay for a disappointing first half display, and after Duncan Watmore reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time Boro threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Blackburn in search of a deserved equaliser.

Just as at Millwall last weekend, Boro were behind inside the opening five minutes. A free-kick routine was headed back across goal by an unmarked Tyler Morton, and a combination of Sam Gallagher and Darragh Lenihan bundled the ball over the line from close range to give Blackburn the lead.

Boro almost snatched an immediate equaliser, Watmore’s deflected effort forcing Thomas Kaminski into making a full-stretch save.

It was a wide open contest and Ben Brereton Diaz found space behind the Boro defence, but his shot was off target.

Boro had a couple of early penalty appeals waved away. The first was for a handball, the second for an apparent foul on Rodrigo Muniz.

It was 2-0 before the 20-minute mark when Gallagher again found space before turning and delivering an unstoppable strike past Zack Steffen.

It was almost three moments later when Gallagher found Diaz, but Steffen did enough to prevent the goal.

Steffen also made a great save when he reacted quickly to deny Gallagher when he found space again in the Boro box.

And the Boro goalkeeper denied the Blackburn marksman again with a great save from a header.

Boro did fashion out a chance when Muniz fed Watmore, but his angled shot was wide of the mark.

The arrears were reduced before half-time, though, when Jonny Howson released Watmore with a great pass and the striker made no mistake in applying the finishing touch.

Boro made a change at half-time with Isaiah Jones replacing Anfernee Dijksteel in the right wing-back role, and Lenihan forced Kaminski into making an early save with a header from a corner.

There was a greater intensity about Boro’s play after the break and the visitors no longer looked as comfortable as they had during the opening period.

A triple change was made midway through the half with Marcus Forss, Marc Bola and Chuba Akpom all joining the fray.

There was almost an immediate impact when Kaminski made a terrific save to deny Matt Crooks an equaliser.

And Boro went even closer when a Bola cross came back off the post and Akpom was denied from point blank range by the hand of Kaminski.

The home side were applying all the pressure and after Crooks was denied again Lenihan sent a header wide of the upright.

Boro also had an effort blocked on the line in stoppage time as they threw the kitchen sink at the visitors in search of an equaliser.