ROVERS reporter Rich Sharpe picks out three talking points from the home draw with Bristol City.

LETHARGIC AND LACKLUSTRE

JUST when you thought memories of the defeat to Barnsley had been erased, they came flooding back as Rovers mirrored that performance in the opening 70 minutes against Bristol City.

A system that worked so well at Nottingham Forest looked to cause unnecessary issues in a first half in which Rovers looked lost and lacking confidence.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Passes were sideways and backwards at best, intercepted and misplaced too often, as Bristol City swarmed over the centre of the pitch as Rovers failed to pressurise the ball.

That is how the opening goal came about, with Tammy Abraham’s strike coming at the end of a 31 pass move, with Rovers eventually punished for trying to play an ambitious offside trap.

The half-time changes were essential, but only made the game more open, seemingly playing in to Bristol City’s hands as they countered at will.

Their inability to take their chances gave Rovers hope, and in the end the hosts summoned a late fightback which earned them one point, and may well have brought an unlikely three.

EWOOD EMOTIONS

A HUGE roar greeted the Rovers players ahead of kick-off, but by half-time they were being booed off by the home faithful.

There could be few complaints, as an outpouring of frustration greeted the referee’s whistle to signal the end of what was a disappointing half.

The crowd tried their best to lift Rovers at the start of the second period, and almost lifted the roof off Ewood Park when Sam Gallagher found the net with 19 minutes to go.

Lancashire Telegraph:

There was then the furore dished out to referee Mike Jones as he waved away what looked an excellent penalty shout, one of several questionable calls made by the Premier League official. By the final whistle, there were mixed emotions as the home fans headed for the exits as they pondered their hopes of avoiding the drop with three games to go.

IN WITH A CHANCE

ROVERS have somewhat resurrected their hopes of avoiding the drop after a four point haul over Easter.

The draw with Bristol City, a 14th of the season, was something of a missed opportunity given results elsewhere on Easter Monday, but Rovers go in to their final games one point from safety.

That is three fewer than at the same stage last week, though there are now just three games of the season left to pull off their escape.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The win at Nottingham Forest ended their long run without a win on their travels, and that must give them confidence with two of their remaining three games coming away from Ewood Park.

But it will take a repeat of the discipline they showed at the City Ground if they are to return from Molineux with a positive result.

Rovers have taken just three points from their last four home league games, and have struggled at Ewood of late, having gone in to that run on the back of three consecutive 1-0 wins.

They have infact looked better on their travels of late, and they could well be relying on their form away from Ewood if they're to move clear of the bottom three.