Goals: 1-0: Graham (25, sent Randolph the wrong way from the spot after Dijksteel’s stupid foul)

Referee: Jarred Gillett (Liverpool) – annoyed the fans with some decisions and also got the card out too frequently on a pretty routine afternoon. 5

Bookings: Dijksteel (24, foul); Ayala (25, dissent); Cunningham (25, foul); Bennett (31, foul); Johnson (50, foul); Travis (69, foul); Wing (83, foul)

Attendance: 14,012

Entertainment: **

Black Boro

Shots on 3 2

Shots off 11 7

Corners 9 2

Offsides 3 3

Fouls 16 11

BLACKBURN (4-2-3-1): Walton 6; Bennett 6, Williams 6, Lenihan 7, Cunningham 6; Travis 7, Johnson 6; Downing 6 (Rothwell 77), Dack 7 (Buckley 76), Gallagher 7; Graham 7 (Armstrong 70, 5). Subs (not used): Leutwiler (gk), Nyambe, Bell, Evans.

MIDDLESBROUGH (4-3-2-1):

7 Randolph: Made a couple of decent stops including one from Rothwell late in the second half;

4 Dijksteel: Looked disappointed to trudge off the pitch and should still be wondering why he tugged Graham’s shirt

7 Ayala: Had a couple of late headers go close and defended reasonably well when things dropped his way

6 Shotton: The pick of the defenders and made a number of telling blocks and challenges to prevent more Blackburn goals

5 Friend: Had a strong first half but his second half suggested his long lay-off caught up with him;

5 Howson: Didn’t influence things in the final third after being given the chance in the No 10 role he used to love playing

5 Wing: Seen plenty of the ball but was often in the wrong area and the nearest he came was from distance free-kicks

6 McNair: An up and down sort of afternoon but his delivery did create the best chance for Browne to go close late on

4 Johnson: Didn’t do enough to threaten the Rovers defence and made way to accommodate Browne for the final stages

5 Fletcher: Brighter in the first half than he was in the second but unable to threaten Walton in the Rovers goal

4 Assombalonga: Far too isolated in the first half and even in the second half when there was greater support he didn’t look like scoring

Subs: Tavernier (for Dijksteel 62): A few touches here and there without creating a real spark. 5

Browne (for Johnson 70): Hit the post with one of his early touches. 6

Walker (for Friend 83)

(not used): Pears (gk), Bola, Clayton, Saville

MAN OF THE MATCH: Lewis Travis – was a real danger for Blackburn when he went on the attack but he also stopped Boro players in their tracks too.