Mowbray hails Mulgrew’s scoring threat

Posted Wednesday, January 02, 2019 by PA

Boss Tony Mowbray revealed Charlie Mulgrew has practised shooting from corners after his goal helped Blackburn defeat West Brom 2-1 at Ewood Park in the Sky Bet Championship.

Blackburn ensured they still haven’t lost consecutive home league games under Mowbray with a performance of quality – a result made possible thanks to Mulgrew’s remarkable 53rd-minute opener.

Bradley Dack doubled the lead five minutes later, before a swift West Brom response via Jay Rodriguez’s penalty – his 13th this season.

Jake Livermore’s late red card made the Baggies’ task harder and after Rovers held on for their first win in exactly a month, Mowbray insisted his captain’s goal was planned – the second time he has scored directly from a corner this season.

He said: “I don’t know if you’ve spoken to him, but we have spoken about Mulgrew shooting from corners to be honest and we’ve done that this week. It’s not an accident that Charlie Mulgrew can bend the ball in the net from the corner flag and we had enough people get in front of the keeper.

“You probably don’t believe that but we did work on Mulgrew (scoring from corners). If you’ve been to our games, you’ll know he’s been playing in the middle trying to head the ball in.

“But I made the decision last week that he’s going to start taking them again from the right side with his left foot, and he has to shoot, and it worked.

“I am delighted for Charlie. It’s another avenue for him to try and continue in his goalscoring vein – 14 last year, eight this year, it is a pretty amazing tool that he’s got.”

Defeat ended West Brom’s four-match away winning run – it was also the first time they’ve lost on the road this season when scoring – but boss Darren Moore said his side will recharge and regroup.

He said: “I’m okay. I’ve not spoken about it. All I’ve said initially is ‘lads, get yourselves gone. Let’s get home, back with your families, let’s have 24 hours away from football’ and we recharge and go again. We came here to win the game, make no mistake about it.

“We went nine games. We wanted to go 10 (unbeaten). We’ve been on an impressive run of games, we were trying to chalk up our fifth away win this season (in succession), but it wasn’t to be.

“I thought Blackburn were dogged with their work. First half, both teams cancelled each other out then the two quick goals for Blackburn allowed them to hold on to something in the second half.

“We responded very quickly and it made it an intense finish, but out of the two teams I thought we were the stronger ones finishing in terms of trying to get the equaliser.”