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Day: 10/30
Season: 2014/15
Fixture: Rovers 4-1 Stoke City (14/2/15)
Highlights
Why Chosen
The cup run provided numerous highlights in a memorable run to a Quarter Final replay at Ewood against Liverpool. The league season itself was frustrating as Rovers flirted with the playoffs all season, without ever really threatening to break in. Rovers were either 9th, 10th or 11th for the entire second half of the campaign. 43 goals from Gestede (22) and Rhodes (21) couldn’t propel Bowyer’s men into the top 6, whilst in the cup unlikely hero Chris Taylor and the much maligned (often injured) Joshua King made names for themselves. A cup match was always going to be the choice. I’d urge you to watch the highlights back. This game was anything but as clear cut as the final scoreline suggests, but King’s rapid pace and composure were the difference in the second half as Rovers exploited the extra man whilst the attacker finally started to show some promise.
Aftermath
Rovers would hold Liverpool to a memorable 0-0 draw away at Anfield in a packed away end with around 6,000 fans in fine voice. 28,415 packed into Ewood for the replay and saw a determined performance from Rovers. It needed a 70th minute winner from Phillippe Coutinho to see of the underdogs. Only a stoppage time save from Mignolet (denying Rovers keeper Simon Eastwood) prevented extra time, as the Wembley arch eluded Rovers once more. This would be the last meeting to date between the two sides. As for Joshua King he’d go onto have a successful career in the Premier League at Bournemouth and latterly Watford. His time in blue n white was largely frustrating and all too often injured! But for one afternoon he was King, in more ways than one.
Honourable Mentions:
Rovers 3-1 Swansea City (24/1/15) the FA Cup 4th Round (that setup the Stoke tie) saw Rovers also enjoy success over Premier League opposition from South Wales. Chris Taylor, Rudy Gestede and Craig Conway the scorers.
Liverpool 0-0 Rovers (8/3/15) see above.
Huddersfield Town 2-2 Rovers (25/4/15) An end of season fixture which highlighted Rovers inconsistency as for the third game in four Rovers threw away the victory to settle for a point. 0-2 up at Huddersfield (2-2), 3-2 up at home to Nottingham Forest (3-3), 0-1 and 1-2 up at St Andrew’s (2-2) all ending in a share of the spoils.