Blackburn Rovers saw their unbeaten run end with a 2-1 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on Saturday. Tony Mowbray's side took the lead early in the second half but conceded twice in quick succession to fall to a damaging loss at Ewood Park.
How did the match unfold?
Blackburn started the brighter of the two sides but found clear chances hard to come by against a well-organised QPR. The visitors created the better openings before the break. Ilias Chair was denied by a sharp save from goalkeeper Balazs Toth, and Ronnie Edwards forced another stop with a curling effort from distance. The first half ended goalless, setting the stage for a frantic second period.
The deadlock was broken four minutes after the restart. Andri Gudjohnsen flicked a ball into the path of Ryoya Morishita, who struck a superb left-footed volley from 20 yards that flew into the net. The lead lasted just two minutes. QPR hit back immediately, with Rumarn Burrell driving a low cross into the box for Paul Smyth to finish and level the scores. The winner came in the 74th minute. Tariq Lamptey delivered a cross from the right and Jimmy Dunne powered a close-range header past Toth to complete the turnaround.
What did the managers say after the game?
Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray pointed to the impact of the opposition substitutes. "I think there's lots of positives. We played against a good team. I thought we managed them pretty well to be honest," he told Sky Sports. He also confirmed the planned substitution of Adam Forshaw after an hour was pre-arranged. QPR manager Julien Stephan was pleased with his team's reaction. "I enjoyed a lot the reaction of the players after. Not only because we scored quickly but the way we played this second half," he said, adding his side could have scored three or four times.
Where does this leave Blackburn Rovers?
The defeat is a setback for Rovers, who had started the season without a loss. It leaves them reflecting on a game they led but could not control. The club finished 20th in the Championship last season with 52 points from 46 games, a record of 13 wins, 13 draws and 20 losses. Their recent form at the end of the 2025 campaign was mixed, as shown by a LWDLD sequence. They scored 42 goals but conceded 56, finishing with a -14 goal difference and 43 points behind champions Coventry. You can view the full historical standings for context.
What comes next for Tony Mowbray's side?
Attention now turns quickly to the next fixture. Blackburn travel to face Lincoln City on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. It's a swift opportunity to respond and get back to winning ways. The squad will need to show resilience after letting a lead slip at home. Fans can check the details for all upcoming matches on the club's fixtures page. The performance of new signings and the team's ability to manage games in the final half-hour will be under scrutiny as they look to build a more consistent campaign than last term.
