Above: Hosts, Blackburn Rovers moments before kick-off. Photo: roverswfc on Instagram.
By Freya Hiscott (03/03/24)
Blackburn Rovers welcomed Durham to County Ground on a warm Sunday afternoon for a captivating 90 minutes of the Barclays Championship. In a table placement ultimatum, both sides had a plethora of chances with the game ending with four collective goals scored.
Blackburn Rovers face Durham for the third time this season, with the two teams already battling it out in the league and the continental cup. Both sides were desperate to leave with 3 points for their teams as they both sat in the middle of the championship table. Blackburn Rovers sat in 7th place just one point behind Durham who sat 6th.
Blackburn Rovers and Durham last met in October with Durham winning 2-1 seeing goals from Saoirse Noonan (Durham) and Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers).
There were four notable changes to the Blackburn Rovers line-up after their recent 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, in their last Championship fixture. Simon Parker’s side saw the return of the English midfielder Annie Hutchings and Northern Ireland’s midfielder Danielle Maxwell, with captain Jade Richards making the starting eleven alongside Tyler Toland, who had been previously ruled out of Ireland’s two friendlies due to injury. Claire Ditchburn’s Durham lined up as they did last time out, when they drew 2-2 against London City Lionesses.
Durham started and took the advantage, backed by the support of their booming fans. But the early stages of the game were stop-start with a number of players suffering collisions requiring medical treatment from both teams’ physios.
In the opening 20 minutes of the game Blackburn Rovers successfully defended a number of Durham’s corners with the away side threatening to make a break through.
As the match progressed it was the visitors who looked the most likely to open the scoring, as Durham evidently dominated possession, passing the ball cleanly up and down the pitch.
Saoirse Noonan, the Irish striker came close to an opening goal for the wildcats but her volley was just wide of the far post. Moments later, Noonan came close to scoring again but was adjudged offside.
As the first-half was closing in, both teams were battling it out to be the first on the score sheet. Powerful chances were created by the Rovers but were quickly diverted away by the wildcat’s defensive line. Noonan struck another good chance but saw her effort expertly caught by the Rovers goalkeeper, Alex Brooks.
Despite Durham maintaining their ascendancy throughout the majority of the first-half; It was the home side, Blackburn Rovers who took the lead. Danielle Maxwell fired the ball into the back of the net in added time, grabbing her first goal for the Rovers since signing earlier this year.
After the break, Maxwell came close to her second goal before being denied by clipping the crossbar.
Regardless, Durham visibly started the second-half stronger with another dominant display as pressure was enforced. An outstanding save from Naoisha McAloon denied Lucy Shepherd from increasing the score for the Rovers.
Noonan then ably fired a long ball to Hepple who curled a beautiful shot into the top corner of the net just yards away, levelling the score at 1-1. Then just three minutes later Durham were ahead again after Silcock put a goal past her own keeper, following a myriad of attempts to clear the ball in a dangerous area.
Sarah Wilson came close to adding a third goal for Claire Ditchburn’s side, but her strike from a corner went agonisingly just wide of the left hand post.
Not long after, the hosts levelled up through Shepherd, tapping the ball in from close range, to make it 2-2.
As the game came to a close both sides saw chances at either end of the pitch but ultimately the spoils were shared with the match ending an entertaining 2-2 draw.
With the match ending in stalemate, no changes were made regarding their placements in the Championship table. Durham still remaining in 6th place with Blackburn Rovers staying close behind in 7th; with just one point separating the two teams.
Blackburn Rovers are set to face Lewes next at home, currently lying 11th in the Championship. Next up for Durham is a tough match against Charlton, presently 4th, 10 points ahead of Durham.
Blackburn Rovers: Brooks (GK), Coan, Toland, Richards (C), Hornby, Shepherd, Silcock, Hutchings, Bradley, Robertson, Maxwell, (Chandarana 59′), (Walters 71′), (Williams 89′)
Substiutes not used: Salgado, Taylor, Seed, Doyle, Dahou.
Scorers: Maxwell 45+8′, Shepherd 79′
Bookings: Toland 72′
Durham: Mcaloon (GK), Briggs, Wilson (C), Robson, Hepple, Lambert, Andrews, Crosthwaite, Salickl, Ayre, Noonan, (Ryan-Doyle 80′).
Substitutes not used: Bramley, Bradley, Wilson, Nicholson, Saunders
Scorers: Hepple 57′, Silcock 62′ (OG)
Bookings: Briggs 64′
Referee: Megan Wilson
Attendance: TBC
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