Finally… an end to Rovers ongoing win, loss, win, loss run…back to back wins and back to back home clean sheets to boot !

Another assured display from stand-in skipper Dom Hyam, a great Championship debut from yet another academy graduate, a delightful Diaz strike and another top class performance from Rovers Welsh versatile maestro. With (controversially) no place for Dack in the squad, as the former gaffer comes back to town.
 

There have been so many conversations and opinions on Rovers consistency this season, and it's no secret that it's something needing improvement. But back to back wins finally puts to bed a bizarre run. Sunderland came to town to be greeted with a near perfect display from Rovers that was rewarded with three points and two fantastic finishes. Back to back home clean sheets, and four wins in the last five games at Ewood show that home consistency isn't really an issue. Illustrating that Rovers issues this season, on the whole, lie on the road.

Dominic Hyam is proving to be a stupendous piece of business. The former Coventry defender has been nothing short of spectacular since joining Tomasson’s side. The Scotsman took the armband against the Black Cats in the absence of suspended skipper Lewis Travis, who watched the games from the stands, accompanied by former Rovers loanee and now Liverpool star Harvey Elliott. There was a full championship debut for Jake Garrett who proved an excellent understudy for Trav, filling in superbly, putting in several outstanding crunching challenges throughout the game to the delight of the home crowd.
 

Ben Brereton Diaz opened the scoring with a peach of a strike, curling the ball beautifully into the top left corner of the net, silencing the well-populated away end. The goal came on the break, following a suspect challenge from Ryan Hedges inside the box. However it was deemed not to be a penalty by the referee, providing JDTs side with a great chance on the break. The Chilean forward made no mistake when firing the ball into the back of the net. 
 

The second and final goal of the game came following an impressive piece of skill from Hedges who won his side a free kick out on the right hand flank. The Welshman whipped in a sublime ball that was met by Scotty Wharton at the near post. Although the dubious goal panel will likely be contacted to determine whether the centre half did actually get a touch on the ball. Hedges was deployed at right wing back for the majority of the game, with Callum Brittain playing on the opposite side, also putting in a positive performance, proving himself to be another excellent summer addition. Meanwhile, Bradley Dack was left out of the squad completely, enlarging the question marks over his future at the club.

It wasn't the Ewood return that Tony Mowbray would've been looking for, but it was certainly a result and performance that Rovers fans would have wanted from their side in front of their former manager.