Blackburn hold on for narrow win at Hull

Posted Sunday, August 19, 2018 by PA

Blackburn secured their first win since returning to the Sky Bet Championship with a slender 1-0 victory at Hull.

Bradley Dack’s solo strike ensured a memorable occasion for Rovers boss Tony Mowbray, who was celebrating his 600th game in the dugout.

The only concern for Mowbray would have been when Dack went down injured before hobbling off just before the hour mark.

The result extends Rovers’ fine form, and following promotion from League One last term they have now lost just once in 19 league outings.

As for City, they have just one point from their opening three matches and drop into the bottom three.

Rovers came out the blocks with gusto and Dack made his intentions clear early on but sent a header over the crossbar.

Adam Armstrong, fresh from a brace in the midweek 5-1 EFL Cup win over Carlisle, also looked a danger but fluffed his lines and poked the ball wide when one-on-one with home goalkeeper David Marshall.

At the other end, Jarrod Bowen came close for Hull but his goal-bound effort was headed away from danger by back-tracking Blackburn skipper Charlie Mulgrew.

Armstrong then unleashed his first shot on target with a routine effort for Marshall before live-wire Dack waltzed through the Hull penalty area only to see his delicate shot kept at bay by the alert stopper.

Midway through the half there was a nasty clash of heads between Hull’s Stephen Kingsley and Blackburn’s Kasey Palmer which led to the City defender being substituted.

The stoppage did not deter Rovers, however, and they duly went in front after 43 minutes.

A pinpoint centre from Elliott Bennett laid the ball on a plate for Dack, who side-footed a shot past Marshall for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Hull put together some encouraging passages of play following the restart but Jackson Irvine’s shot was straight at David Raya after neat build-up.

Just before the hour mark Dack took a knock and was replaced by Danny Graham.

It was testament to Rovers that they continued to create chances minus Dack’s creative spark.

They should have doubled the lead in the 70th minute when Marshall tipped Armstrong’s shot into Bennett’s path only for the winger to inexplicably tap wide with the goal at his mercy.

Sub Graham was proving a handful for the hosts and he saw a header well kept out by the busy Marshall.

Hull rallied late on and sub Nouha Dicko flashed a shot wide before Raya superbly kept out Jordy de Wijs’ late header but Blackburn’s defence remained resolute as they maintained their unbeaten start to life back in the second tier.