Middlesbrough 1-1 Blackburn: Coulson earns late point for Boro
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at the Riverside Stadium
Saturday 1 February 2020 20:01, UK
Tony Mowbray's Blackburn took a point against former club Middlesbrough as they drew 1-1 at the Riverside Stadium.
Boro were incredibly unlucky not to have taken the lead in the first 45 minutes on Teesside. Lewis Wing sent a low free-kick inches past the right-hand post early on, before Marvin Johnson cut in off the left flank and forced an acrobatic save from Christian Walton.
Marcus Tavernier went even closer from a similar position soon after, but his shot flew onto the top of the crossbar and bounced to safety, while skipper Jonny Howson was almost rewarded for an enterprising run shortly after the break.
Yet it was the visitors who took the lead after 57 minutes, when Lewis Travis played a smart one-two with Tavernier and clipped a clinical effort beyond Aynsley Pears.
But Hayden Coulson rescued a point for Jonathan Woodgate's men with 15 minutes to play, when he turned the ball home after Walton could only parry a zipping strike from Wing.
The result means 10th-placed Blackburn are now six points outside the play-off places, while Boro are seven points above the drop zone in 18th after a fourth match without a win.
What the managers said...
Middlesbrough's Jonathan Woodgate: "I just think he's [Ravel Morrison] an absolutely outstanding player, and I think we can get the best out of him. People say he's had issues, but who hasn't had issues? I've had a few myself. It doesn't concern me one little bit.
"Go and meet him. I'll bring him in here, see what you think of him. He's a top lad, a really nice kid. Sometimes the press portray you in the wrong way, and I think that's happened with Ravel. Listen, we all mistakes, I've done that myself, but he's a good kid, a good lad. He'll fit right into the dressing room and I'm really pleased to have him."
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "I thought there were spells in the game where we were really good. I thought Boro started really well, but we created some chances in a half-hour spell in the first half. I think they grew into the game, and I think their substitutions made a big difference.
"We probably allowed too many balls in the box late on. Our goalkeeper made a great save [from Rudy Gestede], but Middlesbrough are a good team and I think Jonathan deserves huge credit. He's found a way that suits this group of players, with their athleticism in wide areas and experience through the middle."
