Tony Mowbray hails Blackburn’s intensity

Posted Sunday, May 05, 2019 by PA

Boss Tony Mowbray praised Blackburn’s intensity in the 2-2 draw with Swansea.

In a keenly-contested clash, Rovers went ahead when Darragh Lenihan forced the ball over the line in the 21st minute.

Swansea turned the game on its head in the space of 10 minutes through Courtney Baker-Richardson’s glancing header in the 25th minute and Oli McBurnie’s 22nd league goal of the season.

But Bradley Dack’s composed equaliser just after the restart secured a point.

Blackburn end the season 15th after just one defeat in their final six matches.

Mowbray said intensity was key to the point, and said: “I thought first 20 minutes we were really good.

“To play against Swansea, there’s got to be real intensity. After the initial 20 minutes of nicking it off them in their half, they got on top by picking the right pass.

“We knew how they were going to play and what to do against them, but they got into their rhythm.

“We talked at half-time about getting back to what we were doing in the first 20 minutes, taking them out of their rhythm. I thought we did that in the second half.

“I thought there was a greater intensity, I thought we were on the front foot, we asked questions.

“The fact we could play two v two at the back, with the mobility of (Derrick) Williams and Lenihan, helped us push extra men in. We could have nicked it at the end and won the game but I thought we deserved the equaliser.”

Swansea’s first season outside the top flight ends with a 10th-place finish and manager Graham Potter admits his side lacked the quality to make the play-offs.

He said: “In the end it’s a good point for us because we had to battle in the second half. I thought we had some good play in the first half then got control of the game, got into the lead and had a really good chance for 3-1 which would have made the second half easier.

“But credit to Blackburn, they came back into it and that gave them a lift. In the end it’s a point away from home and that’s not a bad result.

“We have to have a rest now, recharge and then go again. At the end, that’s where we are – we weren’t good enough to get into the play-offs. It is what it is after 46 games. Over the course of the season we still have a bit to do to prove we’re contenders.

“Our style of how we want to play has improved as we’ve gone on.”