Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Middlesbrough 0.
BlackburnBlackburn Rovers0MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough0
Middlesbrough were held to a goalless draw by play-off hopefuls Blackburn.
Boro looked the most likely to open the scoring in a scrappy first half and home keeper Simon Eastwood made good saves from Jelle Vossen and Adam Reach.
Eastwood saved well from Kike after the break before the Spanish striker hit the post from outside the area with Patrick Bamford firing the rebound on to the top of the bar.
Rovers striker Rudy Gestede almost scored a late winner for the hosts.
He powerfully met Craig Conway's corner in stoppage time only for Boro skipper Grant Leadbitter to clear his effort off the line.
With Ipswich not playing until Tuesday, the visitors knew that a win would have taken them into the second automatic promotion place but they struggled to build any real momentum in a fiercely competitive game.
Middlesbrough came close to taking an early lead but Eastwood did well to come off his line and smother Adam Reach's effort.
Rovers, looking for just a second win in six matches, improved as the half progressed and midfielder Ben Marshall went close with a free-kick before Jordan Rhodes saw a looping header graze the crossbar.
However, they were indebted to two fine saves from Eastwood to keep the scores level at the break.
The 25-year-old kept out Vossen's powerful shot before stopping a header from the same player on the goal-line, with Boro boss Aitor Karanka appealing the ball had crossed the line.
Boro introduced Chelsea loanee Bamford as a second-half substitute and he missed his side's best chance when he fired just over after Kike's shot came back to him off the post.
A number of injury stoppages meant that nearly eight minutes of additional time were played at the end of the game with Gestede's header the closest anyone came to winning it.
Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer: "Mr Karanka's just offered me £200m for Eastwood!
"He's done brilliantly for us. He's played two games and we haven't lost so that's something for me to look at.
"I don't think we're getting enough credit for what we're trying to do here. It's a long season and this club has got to get through January, which is a big month for us."
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka: "It should be three points. Again, it's the same story when we play against Blackburn. I've been here for one year and we have played against them three times and three times the man of the match was the keeper. I don't know if it's a coincidence.
"We've not had a lot of chances and haven't played much better than them but we've had three or four clear chances to score today."
Line-ups
Blackburn
Formation 4-4-2
- 13Eastwood
- 15Baptiste
- 22Duffy
- 5Hanley
- 14OlssonSubstituted forCairneyat 33'minutes
- 32Conway
- 17WilliamsonSubstituted forTaylorat 83'minutes
- 25TunnicliffeBooked at 90mins
- 12Marshall
- 11Rhodes
- 39GestedeBooked at 51mins
Substitutes
- 4Kilgallon
- 8Dunn
- 9Brown
- 10Cairney
- 16Varney
- 19Taylor
- 34Kean
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 13Konstantopoulos
- 18WhiteheadBooked at 45mins
- 4AyalaBooked at 90mins
- 6GibsonBooked at 21mins
- 3Friend
- 33WildschutSubstituted forBamfordat 59'minutes
- 7Leadbitter
- 29VeljkovicSubstituted forClaytonat 90+1'minutes
- 20Reach
- 21VossenSubstituted forTomlinat 63'minutes
- 9Kike
Substitutes
- 8Clayton
- 10Tomlin
- 22Omeruo
- 23Bamford
- 24Nsue
- 27Adomah
- 40Mejias
- Referee:
- Carl Boyeson
- Attendance:
- 22,340
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamMiddlesbrough
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 0, Middlesbrough 0.
Post update
Foul by Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Tom Cairney (Blackburn Rovers) because of an injury.
Booking
Ryan Tunnicliffe (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Tunnicliffe (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Craig Conway with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Dean Whitehead.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rudy Gestede (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Tom Cairney with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Adam Clayton replaces Milos Veljkovic.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ben Marshall (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Booking
Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ryan Tunnicliffe (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Foul by Chris Taylor (Blackburn Rovers).
Post update
Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
