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Championship | Gameweek 35
Feb 26, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
 
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0-0

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Tony Mowbray frustrated by Blackburn goalless draw at home to Stoke

The hosts could have moved to within two points of the top six.

Tony Mowbray bemoaned an "awkward night" after Blackburn endured a frustrating 0-0 draw with relegation-threatened Stoke.

The hosts could have moved to within two points of the top six after winning two of the three matches previous to this encounter, but playing against a visiting side sitting deep they lacked the guile to find a way through.

On the occasions they did, Jack Butland was in the way, saving impressively from Sam Gallagher and Adam Armstrong.

Rovers remain eighth, and Mowbray admitted that the visitors made life difficult for his side.

He said: "Ultimately we're left frustrated. I think they came with a pretty decent defensive gameplan.

"Michael (O'Neill) has been around, has managed his country against top, top teams and knows how to set up teams to defend.

"They played deep to nullify our speed over the top. They narrowed their midfield to stop our 10s getting on the ball. It was difficult for us to get through them.

"Obviously they have a bit of speed and knowhow at the top end and it was an awkward night for us.

"Did we do enough to sneak it 1-0? It would have been nice if we'd scored from a set play, or a ricocheted shot, or something had flown in, a free-kick or something.

"We'd have taken 1-0 but Stoke have got some experienced players, they have a very experienced manager and they made life very difficult for us, so we're left a bit frustrated."

Stoke remain 20th, only one point from the relegation zone after Wigan's win at Reading. But, after claiming their third clean sheet on the road this season, Michael O'Neill declared it a "great point" and highlighted his goalkeeper's contribution.

He said: "It's a great point for us, it was hard-earned. We had to defend, particularly in the second half, for long periods against a very good team, a team pushing for a top six position.

"A clean sheet away from home, the first draw I've had away from home since I've come in. We've either lost or won in the game, so possibly that's what we need more of.

"We've tried to win every game since we've come in but as I say we are happy with the point. A little bit disappointed with how we played in terms of possession at times and we had opportunities we could have done a little bit better with on the counter-attack, but overall as I say, it's a good point.

"It wasn't a game with many clear-cut chances. I think we limited Blackburn to very few chances, although they had a lot of possession, but I thought we defended the box very well and obviously Jack had a good night as well."

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd20135228111742
2Leeds UnitedLeeds20125336142241
3Burnley2010822471738
4Sunderland20107329151437
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn1910452317634
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2071122314932
7Middlesbrough209473425931
8Watford199462725231
9Swansea CitySwansea207672119227
10Norwich CityNorwich206863530526
11Bristol City206862525026
12Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds207582329-626
13Millwall196762017325
14Derby CountyDerby216692626024
15Preston North EndPreston2041062026-622
16Luton TownLuton2064102335-1222
17Coventry CityCoventry205692529-421
18Stoke CityStoke205692126-521
19Queens Park RangersQPR204972026-621
20Oxford UnitedOxford Utd194692030-1018
21Portsmouth193882134-1317
22Cardiff CityCardiff1945101730-1317
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth1945101940-2117
24Hull City2037101828-1016


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