Lewis Miller’s first Ewood Park goal for Blackburn secured a battling 1-1 draw with Watford which moved them out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.
The clash against the Hornets marked the start of a “phased strategic boycott of home fixtures” organised by the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition aimed at forcing Venky’s to sell the club.
It made for a subdued atmosphere that Javi Gracia’s men looked set to take advantage of when Edo Kayembe hammered home his third goal this season to give Watford a deserved 26th-minute lead.
However, Miller’s smart finish two minutes later levelled matters with Rovers’ first effort of the day.
Todd Cantwell celebrates with Lewis Miller after Blackburn take the lead against Watford
Both sides missed glorious second-half chances to snatch the win, with Watford’s Giorgi Chakvetadze blazed over with the goal at his mercy, before Egil Selvik produced a brilliant reflex stop to deny Yuki Ohashi late on.
Blackburn are out of the bottom three despite their winless run stretching to seven matches. Watford are outside the play-offs on goal difference despite a third game without victory.
The hosts were very much second best as Watford took control of the early exchanges.
Luca Kjerrumgaard found a pocket of space on the right of the area in the fourth minute and was able to turn onto his left foot before curling a low shot that Balazs Toth had to parry at full stretch.
A defence-splitting pass from Kjerrumgaard gave Marc Bola a golden opportunity to open the scoring five minutes later but Mathias Jorgensen got back to make a goal-saving block.
It was only a temporary stay of execution as Watford deservedly scored in the 26th minute when a corner was cleared only as far as Kayembe on the right of the area, who switched the ball onto his left foot and rifled into the right corner from 15 yards.
Rovers had offered no threat but were level two minutes later with their first effort when Todd Cantwell’s corner was met at the near post by Miller, whose deft volley snuck in at the near post.
The equaliser unsettled a previously dominant Watford, who lost their composure, yet Bola had a presentable opportunity in first-half stoppage time but fired straight at Toth on the left.
The Hornets ought to have reasserted their dominance in the 48th minute when Kayembe fed Kjerrumgaard but he lashed his first-time strike high and wide in the area.
Chakvetadze spurned the visitors’ best opportunity minutes later when Othmae Maamma’s right-wing cross set up a great opening for the Georgian, but he blazed well over.
Blackburn’s endeavour and attitude was nearly rewarded six minutes from time when Sondre Tronstad’s strike fell to Ohashi eight yards out but Selvik superbly saved his snapshot to secure a point for Watford.
The managers
Blackburn’s Valerien Ismael:
“We are pleased with the performance, not with the result. We had the big chance in the second half to win it with Yuki.
“But this is a step in the right direction just to show you have to compete with your best players, at least half of the injured players to come back, and it’s helped us massively now to compete.
“You got that feeling that we were on the front foot. We were close to winning the game. I think the final pass, the shot, we had two or three situations we should have played better.
“But we feel completely another energy now on the pitch. When we are able to keep our players together and keep that momentum, we will be much better.”
Watford’s Javi Gracia:
“It was a shame because after scoring one goal and, in my opinion, dominating the first 25-26 minutes, it was a shame conceding so early and the goal coming from a corner kick.
“We conceded because, in my opinion, we relaxed in some moments. It is something we have to learn about because if they don’t score in that moment, I think we can manage the game better.
“Today, in my opinion, was something we must do better. We are marking soft. It’s something we knew, their three centre-backs attacking the near post, Ohashi going to the far post, being ready if they touch the ball at the near post. We worked on that, we prepare (for) these situations. It’s something we need to insist and try to do better next time.
“In the second half, we competed well, the game was a little bit more open but, in my opinion, we had the clearest chance with Giorgi (Chakvetadze). But we take one point.”
