Bradley Dack injury overshadows Blackburn’s goalless draw with Wigan

Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2019 by PA

Blackburn missed the chance to close the gap on the play-offs after a 0-0 draw with Wigan that was marred by a serious-looking injury to Bradley Dack.

Rovers’ top scorer this season returned from suspension to make his 250th club career appearance but it ended in the 65th minute when he was left clutching his knee in agony after landing awkwardly and he was stretchered off after several minutes of treatment.

A win would have put Tony Mowbray’s team level on points with sixth-place Brentford but they could not force a way through despite a late rally.

Danny Graham’s header rattled the woodwork in the second half and Lewis Holtby was denied in stoppage time, whilst former Wigan stopper Christian Walton made two notable saves to deny the Latics a first away win this season.

Rovers are well placed halfway through the season after extending their unbeaten run to seven. Wigan, meanwhile, climbed off the foot of the table, despite their winless run stretching to 11.

Mowbray made seven changes from victory at Bristol City, including a return for Derrick Williams in place of the injured Tosin Adarabioyo, while Wigan were unchanged.

No team had been in better form in the six previous games than Blackburn but it was the visitors who made the early running, with Jamal Lowe’s clever pass setting Michael Jacobs free to charge into the area in the 21st minute, only for the midfielder to fire straight at Walton.

Jones made his first telling contribution on the half-hour, parrying Darragh Lenihan’s powerful header to safety, but that was it for a first half of frustration.

The second half did not start much better but Lowe whistled a rasping effort just wide of the top left-hand corner midway through the half.

What happened next could be a huge blow to Blackburn’s season. Dack landed awkwardly and appeared to do some damage to his knee, with the 25-year-old looking distraught as he was stretchered off.

They regrouped and went agonisingly close to taking a 74th-minute lead when Adam Armstrong fired a right-wing cross onto the head of Graham, whose near-post header cannoned off the crossbar.

The game sprang into life thereafter, with Walton required to tip Sam Morsy’s curling effort around the post. From the resulting corner, he produced a sensational reflex save to parry Cedric Kipre’s bullet header over.

At the other end, Jones again won the battle with Lenihan, diverting his header behind.

Wigan’s Lowe sent a glancing header agonisingly wide of the far post late on but the best was saved for last, as Holtby rifled an effort through a flurry of bodies, only for Jones’ save to preserve a valuable point.