Blackburn 3 Walsall 1 - Report and pictures

A brace from Danny Graham put promotion favourites Rovers into the ascendancy in Lancashire before Joe Edwards netted to give the Saddlers hope.

But a Bradley Dack strike just 60 seconds after the interval saw Tony Mowbray’s side run out comfortable winners – with only a number of excellent stops from Liam Roberts preventing the Saddlers from falling to an even heavier defeat.

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney made one change from the team that slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Charlton last time out.

With Tyler Roberts’ loan from Albion having expired, Kieron Morris was restored to the right of midfield as the Saddlers continued in a 4-5-1 system.

New signing Justin Shaibu was named amongst the substitutes having joined on a temporary basis from Brentford just 24 hours earlier. He was joined on the bench by 18-year-old defender Dan Vann with Nicky Devlin ruled out through injury.

Blackburn, who included ex-Saddler Paul Downing at centre-back, lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation that saw Graham operate as the lone frontman.

Tony Mowbary’s side entered the game having avoided defeat in their last 17 outings in League One.

And it was the hosts who made a flying start to the match with Graham opening the scoring after just five minutes.

The in-form striker was played in by Armstrong and from close range he emphatically found the bottom corner for his third goal in four outings.

Incredibly, just 60 seconds later, Mowbary’s side came a whisker away from doubling their lead with Armstrong seeing a strike from inside the box beaten away by Liam Roberts.

Walsall responded with Edwards hitting a curling low effort from 20-yards which David Raya got down to claim.

But the opening stages had been dominated by Rovers and they created two good chances to extend their lead before the half-hour mark.

First, Armstrong blazed a strike wide of goal from just 10-yards after he collected a cushioned Graham header in the box.

Liam Roberts then produced a spectacular one-handed stop to push away Downing’s header following an excellent Armstrong cross.

It seemed only a matter of time before Mowbray’s men would double their lead.

And it duly arrived with Graham nodding in from close range following a pin-point Richie Smallwood delivery.

Out of nowhere though, Walsall were then given a lifeline when a long Kory Roberts ball seemed to catch out the home defence.

With Blackburn’s defenders standing still as they appealed for offside, Edwards collected the ball in the box before cutting inside Downing and emphatically firing into the top roof of the net.

The goal visibly lifted the Saddlers who began passing the ball more crisply and at a better intensity.

But it was Mowbray’s side who created the final chance of the half with Armstrong flashing a volley wide following an Amari’I Bell cross.

Whitney made a double change at the break with debutant Shaibu replacing Morris and Reece Flanagan introduced for Kory Roberts.

The move saw Adam Chambers move to centre-back. Nevertheless, Rovers grabbed a third just a minute after the re-start.

Some wonderful play saw Graham find Dack in the box with a wonderful, intricate pass. And from close range the former Gillingham man placed the ball past Liam Roberts and into the corner.

Now back in control, Rovers almost extended their lead further when a deflected Armstrong strike from 20-yards was well tipped over by Liam Roberts.

Walsall hit-back with Ama Bakayoko sending in a cross which Luke Leahy headed straight to Raya.

Bakayoko then broke the offside trap to collect a George Dobson ball forward. But under pressure, the striker fired over from just inside the box.

With a two goal lead, Blackburn had somewhat taken their foot off the gas. But they threatened again in the 72nd minute when Dack slipped in Armstrong.

The former Coventry loanee looked to lift the ball over Liam Roberts. But the keeper produced yet another brilliant stop to push the ball over the bar.

From that point on, Rovers allowed the tempo of the game to drop even further as they saw out the clash in relative comfort.

But they almost grabbed a fourth in stoppage time – with Armstrong sending a free-kick against the bar from 25-yards.

Walsall: L. Roberts, Leahy, Guthrie, K. Roberts (Flanagan 46), Kinsella, Chambers, Morris (Shaibu 46), Dobson, Edwards, Oztumer (Kouhyar 77), Bakayoko.

Subs not used: Gillespie, Vann, Cuvelier, Candlin.

Blackburn: Raya, Bell, Williams, Downing, Nyambe, Smallwood (Travis 85), Bennett, Armstrong, Dack, Payne (Conway 64), Graham (Samuel 79).

Subs not used: Leutwiler, Caddis, Evans, Nuttall.