Blackburn Rovers vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Ewood ParkAttendance12,762.
Paul Lambert's side now seven points adrift at bottom of Sky Bet Championship table
Saturday 19 January 2019 20:31, UK
Joe Nuttall scored with his first touch as Blackburn cruised to a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
Rovers looked set to be frustrated through a mixture of wasteful finishing and bad luck, as they dominated the Championship's basement boys.
But they got the breakthrough in the second half when Danny Graham converted a 65th-minute penalty to give Rovers the lead their performance merited.
They made it comfortable 15 minutes from time when Nuttall put the finishing touches to a well-worked team move - his first touch after coming on for his fellow goalscorer.
The result gave Blackburn their second straight league Ewood win, and it meant victory in three consecutive Championship games for the first time since March 2015.
It was a miserable return to Ewood for former boss Paul Lambert, whose Ipswich side remain seven points from safety after a fifth away game in which they've lost, failed to score and conceded at least twice.
Jack Rodwell and Corry Evans returned to the starting XI after missing the Emirates FA Cup defeat to Newcastle, and Bradley Dack was also recalled; Rovers' academy graduate, Alan Judge, made his first start for Ipswich.
Rovers were utterly dominant and, midway through the half, they turned up the heat, as Dack's pass sliced open the Ipswich defence but Elliott Bennett blazed over from 12 yards.
Rodwell diverted a ball into the box goalwards which struck a post but agonisingly rolled towards Dean Gerken, who smothered the ball.
Dack was sent through soon after but James Collins hacked clear after the midfielder had lobbed Gerken, and the stopper parried Adam Armstrong's shot behind as Ipswich looked set to be overrun.
Will Keane sprung the offside trap towards the end of the half but David Raya forced him wide and then saved the shot.
The second half was quieter but Blackburn were handed a golden chance to take the lead midway through the half after Armstrong was pulled back in the area by Callum Elder.
Graham stepped up to take the penalty and slammed it into the bottom left corner for his 10th goal this season.
It was almost two in the 67th minute when Joe Rothwell drove in from the left and unleashed a rasping drive that thumped the post but fell safe.
But they put the game to bed in the 74th minute when Bennett's sumptuous ball set Armstrong through on the right. His cross was perfect for substitute Nuttall to slam home his third this term from close range.
A mix-up between Raya and Bennett gave Teddy Bishop the chance to make Blackburn nervy, but Bennett heroically blocked, while Dack curled inches wide late on, as Rovers ran out easy winners.
Tony Mowbray: "I think our intensity levels were down. I wasn't very happy at half-time. That said, in the first 10 minutes, we could have been two up.
"I'm sure Tuesday night had something to do with that. Danny Graham at 33 was asked to go again, as were quite a few of the others. I think that's a lot to do with the under-par first half. Pleased that the substitutes came on and made a difference, affected the game in a positive way.
"We're happy with the points. These are potential banana skins for us. We had to match Ipswich's desire today. We managed to do that."
Paul Lambert: "I thought they started better than us. Then we started to come into the game and looked pretty lively.
"Will was through and I think there's a clip on him but he tried to stay on his feet and score. Would I have done it (gone down)? Yes. A lot of players would. He tried to stay on his feet, and that's the decision he made.
"I can't ask any more effort and commitment. There's nothing really in the game. We look a decent side and we just need that little run of momentum. You've got to keep bouncing on. We're disappointed because I just don't think we did enough."
