ROVERS kept their first clean sheet of the campaign but there was precious little to cheer as they remained second-from-bottom in the Championship after a third game without a win and a goal.

Man-of-the-match Jason Steele made a series of saves as Owen Coyle’s struggling side recorded a shutout at the 15th attempt.

But, much to the vast disappointment of another low Ewood Park crowd, Rovers failed to trouble Steele’s woefully under-worked opposite number Bartosz Bialkowski.

Boss Coyle handed a first League start to on-loan winger Martin Samuelsen, recalled Danny Guthrie and Sam Gallagher, and moved Ben Marshall back to right-back with captain Jason Lowe suspended.

And he would have been encouraged by the start Rovers made as they penned Ipswich back in the early stages.

But Rovers faded badly thereafter and there was a spell in a forgettable first half when their misfiring opponents could and should have ended their long wait for a goal which now stands at five games and 487 minutes of football.

With 10 minutes on the clock Marshall lost possession on the edge of his own box and saw the ball break to Grant Ward whose stinging shot cannoned off Steele’s body.

Luke Chambers then whistled a deflected drive inches past the post after Samuelsen misjudged the bounce of the ball. From the resultant corner the Tractor Boys captain glanced wide.

Another corner moments later caused further consternation as boo boy Leon Best flicked the ball on for Adam Webster whose goal-bound header was pushed over by Steele from point-blank range. It was a stunning stop.

Ipswich were now doing all the running and they were given a helping hand in the 28th minute when Webster was allowed to march forward and play in Tom Lawrence who steered the ball wide.

Rovers supporters grew accustomed to such wasteful finishing from the Leicester City loanee last season.

And he passed up another opportunity in the 32nd minute when he curled the ball straight into Steele’s arms.

Lawrence had been teed up by fellow former Rovers forward Best, who was jeered every time he touched the ball after a disastrously expensive three-year stint at the club.

But otherwise the atmosphere was dire. Understandably so, too, as apart from an all-too-brief spell toward the end of the opening period, Rovers simply did not get going.

Lancashire Telegraph:

They had looked like building up a head of steam going into the break with Marshall unable to get a proper shot off at the end of a rare move of quality and Guthrie rifling just over from distance.

But after a slow start to the second half it was the Tractor Boys who continued to look the likelier with Best seeing a deflected effort pushed past the post by Steele.

Rovers were not helped by the loss of centre-back Gordon Greer and midfielder Corry Evans to injury.

Samuelsen, meanwhile, was withdrawn after an underwhelming display. He was not alone.

But there was no excuse for Rovers’ complete lack of threat and intervention.

Little wonder, then, there was a growing sense of frustration among the fed-up home faithful, who were on their feet to applaud Steele after he spared stand-in skipper Craig Conway’s blushes by making a double save from Freddie Sears and Lawrence.

Pulses were briefly raised when Marshall created space for himself 20 yards out and fired over the bar.

But the fact that the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for Best blazing horribly over late on said it all.

Boos followed at the final whistle.

MATCH FACTS

Rovers: Steele, Marshall, Greer (Lenihan 46), Hoban, Williams, Conway, Guthrie, Evans (Akpan 72), Samuelsen (Bennett 62), Gallagher, Emnes. Subs not used: Raya, Feeney, Stokes, Mulgrew.

Booked: Gallagher.

Ipswich: Bart, Chambers, Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Lawrence (Williams 85), Ward (Bishop 75), Sears, Best. Subs not used: Gerken, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Grant, Bru.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham.

Attendance: 10,820 (564 away).