Full-time: Blackburn 1 Brighton 1

David Lopez's penalty deep into stoppage time extended Brighton's unbeaten run to five matches and denied Michael Appleton a first win as Blackburn manager.

Albion had nothing to show for extended periods of possession in the first half and, after their goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak denied Jason Lowe and Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jordan Rhodes fired Rovers ahead from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time.

A magnificent late Kuszczak save prevented the in-form Scotland international striker from adding to his tally and it would prove a vital intervention in the npower Championship tussle.

In the last of five additional minutes, Blackburn substitute David Goodwillie untidily sent Lopez tumbling in the box, leaving referee Robert Madley with little option but to award a spot-kick.

Lopez picked himself up to coolly convert and move Brighton to within four points of the play-off places in seventh.

Comments(27)

Manuel Hung says...
10:35pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Well done Agent Goodwille. Report to Agent Applecart for further instruction on how to implement his action plan.

BeardwoodB says...
10:41pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Despite the draw, much better performance.
Urgency, organisation, defending in numbers, support going forward, support in possession and hunger for the first and second ball.
If we play like that for the remainder of the season and put a few more chances away the play offs are doable.
Well done Rovers.

Andrewandrew says...
10:41pm Tue 22 Jan 13

For all the media comments about the atmosphere at Ewood being part of the problem, a view seemingly shared by our new leader, 1 point out of 6 at home in his first 2 games is frankly not good enough and since moving north in November he has gained 15 points out of 42.....if my maths are right that is relegation form, not someone who can lift us into the play-offs. Yes we need to rally round and support.....but please Michael, give us something back.

BeardwoodB says...
10:43pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Andrewandrew wrote:
For all the media comments about the atmosphere at Ewood being part of the problem, a view seemingly shared by our new leader, 1 point out of 6 at home in his first 2 games is frankly not good enough and since moving north in November he has gained 15 points out of 42.....if my maths are right that is relegation form, not someone who can lift us into the play-offs. Yes we need to rally round and support.....but please Michael, give us something back.
Oh bore off you negative mess

Trueblue12 says...
10:45pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Give it a rest Andrew he only been here 2 mins .........

Andrewandrew says...
10:49pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Trueblue12 wrote:
Give it a rest Andrew he only been here 2 mins .........
I'm not saying he needs to go or anything daft like that...just that if he finds the atmosphere strange...his words, then it will be until things start to turn a bit....any ground would be like this after 2 years we've had

Properfan23 says...
10:52pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Much much better. We completely controlled the second half and spurned several chances to kill the game. Stupid decision by Goodwillie cost us 3 points. Kaz, Murphy and Lowe were excellent against a team willing to feign injury, pull shirts and and commit sneaky fouls all over the pitch. What MA will hopefully have learnt is:
MGP is way too slow, gives the ball away 50% of the time, and chips/drifts free kicks into the box instead of what he used to be good at;
Dunny was quite right to raise an eyebrow when MA called "Goody" (the irony) over instead of him or Ruben, Fabio or me (row 2 upper tier)
We are much better with Kaz playing much closer to Jordan so he's less isolated and with King back and a big tasty midfielder we might get somewhere...

Forever Blue & White says...
10:55pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Now I`m no football genius but correct me if I`m wrong - We`re defending a 1-0 lead with 5 mins to go so you make a sustitute. Yes I hear you cry, you close the game down keep it tight and bring on someone who can do just that - enter stage left Goodwille! What the f***! Since when has he been defensive minded! Wouldn`t it have made sense to have brought on someone like Dunn who even though overweight and not fit would have run around like a demon in those dying mins and prevented them getting what turned out to be a silly needless penalty! It really isn`t rocket science and I wish MA all the best but why do we keep shooting ourselves in the foot when "keep it simple stupid" would have given us all 3 points!

Bluegoose says...
10:56pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Stop moaning and get behind the team
Rovers cant be that bad if the dingles cant beat them! I think rovers are good enoug to stay up and they should take the money offered fpo Olson.

Tom F. says...
11:00pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Steve Kean IN

upholland rover says...
11:02pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Andrewandrew obviously wasn't there. That display was really encouraging and actually better than under any of the previous managers. Also liked his frankness after the game. There's still loads to put right but there are some green shoots for the first time in 3 seasons.

Phoenix From The Ashes says...
11:15pm Tue 22 Jan 13

A lot better display, comfortable and professional is what I would call it against a highly fancied Brighton side who have been picking up good results in the last month. Then a moment of madness from Goodwillie, you can moan at Appleton for not bringing on someone different but who can predict that DG would do that. It cost us and Im gutted - totally gutted for the players, manager and fans too. It wasn't rip-roaring stuff but nobody will convince me that Brighton deserved anything from this game. We had a game plan and it was working.
Goddammit I hate us losing but this feels worse ffs. Encouraging but ultimately for me simply annoying to not get those 3pts.
Goodwillie, you should not sleep well tonight, what were you thinking!?

FCBurnley says...
11:37pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Mmmm. Still 5 points behind the Mighty Clarets, game in hand gone and 2 vital home games wasted. Not a lot to sing about have you boys ?

What made it even better was BBC were showing you had won. Imagine my joy when I saw the real score.

Dukes says...
11:38pm Tue 22 Jan 13

should have been 3 points but for someone to mess it up.

Appleton i am not fan of you but what have you gain nothing in football a silly signing by Shaw and venkys.

Gary Bowyer did a great job and these same players were not making mistake under him.

Thats my thoughts

burnleyglentoran says...
12:25am Wed 23 Jan 13

Gutted.

Pre-match it was tricky. If Brighton win they go 2 points clear of us. But we can never want a victory for B*******ds can we!

So a draw would've been ideal.

Hang on. Whats that you say!?

Sorry you must be mistaken. Last time i looked B******ds were 1 - 0 up deep into injury time!

It ended 1 - 1?! your joking!

Happy days!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

I hope the deluded horse/snowman botherers were still in Bol-Ewood to see it!!!

Stirling work Agent Slappleton and a warm welcome from East Lancashire's top dogs

sean_brfc says...
1:01am Wed 23 Jan 13

Miles better. Good to see the team playing with some passion for the first time in yonks. It was good to be able to support the team for a change and focus negativity towards the opposition (and the ref!). More of the same please Appleton.

Rovers 1495 says...
8:29am Wed 23 Jan 13

Bluegoose wrote:
Stop moaning and get behind the team
Rovers cant be that bad if the dingles cant beat them! I think rovers are good enoug to stay up and they should take the money offered fpo Olson.
Good enough to stay up ? I didn't realise that was the game plan.

Harwoodstblue says...
8:43am Wed 23 Jan 13

BeardwoodB wrote:
Andrewandrew wrote:
For all the media comments about the atmosphere at Ewood being part of the problem, a view seemingly shared by our new leader, 1 point out of 6 at home in his first 2 games is frankly not good enough and since moving north in November he has gained 15 points out of 42.....if my maths are right that is relegation form, not someone who can lift us into the play-offs. Yes we need to rally round and support.....but please Michael, give us something back.
Oh bore off you negative mess
15 points from 42....He's right, no matter how you dress it up.

drunken donut says...
9:14am Wed 23 Jan 13

12,230 crowd according to the LET, do me a favour if there was 8,000 on that would be tops, i usually estimate the crowd and I'm not usually more than a couple of hundred out. Come on Andy Crier why are the Rovers telling blatant lies.

BR4LiFe says...
10:31am Wed 23 Jan 13

Attendance is calculated based upon total number of season tickets sold + Matchday tickets sold, so even if a season ticket holder doesnt attend (like myself last night due to work) your still counted.

sean_brfc says...
10:53am Wed 23 Jan 13

A great performance by Markus Olsson as well. Full of pace and endeavour. My only wish is that his brother would have the same ambition and learn to overlap. With their pace they could cause real problems to the opposition down the left.

As said above, please investigate the lies being told about the attendance Cryer.

thommovat says...
11:11am Wed 23 Jan 13

drunken donut wrote:
12,230 crowd according to the LET, do me a favour if there was 8,000 on that would be tops, i usually estimate the crowd and I'm not usually more than a couple of hundred out. Come on Andy Crier why are the Rovers telling blatant lies.
But the Venkys regard Season Ticket holders as attending (and thus part of the gate) even if they do not attend. Simples!

moh says...
11:48am Wed 23 Jan 13

Forever Blue & White wrote:
Now I`m no football genius but correct me if I`m wrong - We`re defending a 1-0 lead with 5 mins to go so you make a sustitute. Yes I hear you cry, you close the game down keep it tight and bring on someone who can do just that - enter stage left Goodwille! What the f***! Since when has he been defensive minded! Wouldn`t it have made sense to have brought on someone like Dunn who even though overweight and not fit would have run around like a demon in those dying mins and prevented them getting what turned out to be a silly needless penalty! It really isn`t rocket science and I wish MA all the best but why do we keep shooting ourselves in the foot when "keep it simple stupid" would have given us all 3 points!
Agree, bizarre substitution lost us two points, Dunny and Givet on bench to close the game and Goodwillie is brought on although we had kazim and rhodes up front.

Roverthere says...
12:07pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Manuel Hung wrote:
Well done Agent Goodwille. Report to Agent Applecart for further instruction on how to implement his action plan.
Braindead says

rover-till-dudp says...
12:32pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Other commitments prevented me attending last nights game, general opinion appears to be that Rovers played reasonably well. However, I think the probability that Rovers may not qualify for the play- offs will be weighing heavily on the thoughts of many long suffering loyal fans. Why should we be surprised if it happens? Considering the utter chaos and turmoil at the club some fans might feel we are lucky not to be in the relegation zone - I hope I am not tempting fate by saying that. I for one will be more than happy if we get to the play-offs but, realistically I don’t think it will happen this season. I hope I am wrong.

noddy57 says...
8:44pm Wed 23 Jan 13

how many more times are we going 1 up and hoping we dont concede ?,wake up we are not good enough to see out the game,,we need 2 minimum and if we cant get 2 goals then we are not a threat in this division,,and the signs are ominous,,dont you think ?,

mike55 says...
8:48pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Much improved performance last night. But would shudder at thought of getting into PL with current set up through play offs. Would find it totally acceptable if we assemble a more committed squad over the next two transfer windows and make a concerted effort next season.
A good run in this years FA cup would more than compensate after the shambles of the last two years. Trouble is we are not as good or committed yet as Bradford City.

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