Blackburn Rovers ended their goal drought and secured a first away win of the Championship season, beating Cardiff City 3-1.
Having not scored for over 400 Championship minutes, it was only fitting that when they ended that run, it was a goal of real quality.
A 42-pass sequence saw Lewis Travis cross for Andi Weimann to tap in. A back-to-front attack that consisted of nearly every player, slicing Cardiff open in the process.
The second goal was a brilliant move too, though it owed more the creativity of one man. That was Travis, who split the Bluebirds defence to find Harry Pickering who had the easy job of giving Weimann a tap-in.
Rovers needed their goalkeeper though to repell Cardiff’s pressure. Aynsley Pears made two fantastic stops, pushing Chris Willock’s curling shot around the post. He then denied Ruben Colwill’s header with another important stop.
He was desperately unlucky after saving David Turnbull’s penalty, only for the ball to pop back to him. Joe Rankin-Costello had been judged to have caught Callum O’Dowda late and Cardiff reduced the deficit.
They piled on the pressure but Rovers stood firm. They then wrapped the points up on the counter-attack as Lewis Baker scored his first of the season, curling into the corner.
Rovers came into the game having only scored twice in their last seven games from an expected goal tally of 7.6. In their first seven, they scored 14 from eight xG, underlying the drop in their finishing rather than creation in the final third.
Still looking for their first away win of the season, a fast start with vital against a Cardiff side that had won their last four at home. They almost led in the opening minutes when Weimann won the ball high but the goalkeeper denied Cantwell as he tried to latch onto the pass.
It was a cagey first 10 minutes but Rovers then produced a move of sublime quality. A 42-pass sequence, lasting over three minutes, saw them work the ball up the pitch and score.
The crucial passes were a one-two between Travis and Cantwell, with the former crossing for Andi Weimann to tap in. A phenomenal, slick attack which had shades of Rovers’ famous goal at Derby County in 2016.
It felt a fitting way to end a four-game goal drought and reward the travelling fans who’d made the 400 round-trip to South Wales in spite of that.
Rovers continued to carry an attacking threat and put the ball in the net for a second time but Cantwell was flagged offside. It was Travis again getting forward but his shot was parried away before the rebound was tucked in.
Cardiff had spells of possession but barely tested Pears. He made one good stop at the feet of Anwar El Ghazi before saving from Ruben Colwill.
The only complaint you could perhaps level at Rovers was not getting a second. But it took them only 10 minutes of the second half to change that.
It was another quality goal, with Travis’ splitting the Cardiff defence with an inch-perfect pass to Pickering. He then had the simple task of squaring to Weimann for a tap in.
Pears then delivered when called upon as he fingertipped Willock’s shot from outside the box around the post. He then had to be at his best again to deny Colwill’s header which was goal-bound.
There was nothing he could do about the goal which got Cardiff back in the game though. Substitute Rankin-Costello was judged to have fouled O’Dowda in the box and despite saving the penalty, Turnbull turned in the rebound.
The home side launched a tirade of crosses into the Rovers box but they defended them stoically. They then finished off the game on the break with Baker curling into the bottom corner to win the match.
That marks a first league win on the road for Rovers and helps lift the frustration that had crept in after recent results.
