At Ewood Park on January 24, 2026, Blackburn Rovers and Watford played out a tense 1-1 draw in a match that left both sides with plenty to ponder and neither with the three points they so desperately craved. The encounter, marked by tactical tweaks, missed opportunities, and a strikingly subdued atmosphere, offered a snapshot of two clubs wrestling with their own narratives as the season edges toward its climax.
With a turnout of 11,640 spectators—1,017 of them traveling Watford supporters—the stands looked noticeably bare, a consequence of a growing boycott among Blackburn fans protesting the club’s ownership by Venky’s. The Rovers hierarchy had earlier called for unity, urging supporters to rally around the team despite their frustrations. Yet, the empty seats spoke volumes about the ongoing rift. For those who did brave the cold and the controversy, the match delivered moments of drama, if not the attacking fireworks some might have hoped for.
Blackburn’s manager, Valerien Ismael, rang the changes after a bruising midweek defeat to Swansea, a match in which Rovers were missing no fewer than 13 players. Into the starting lineup came Todd Cantwell, Lewis Miller, and Ryoya Morishita, all returning from injury, while Eiran Cashin and Adam Forshaw also earned recalls. Notably, Ismael handed first senior starts to young prospects Brandon Powell, Aodhan Doherty, and Connor O’Riordan, signaling both necessity and a willingness to trust in youth as the club navigates a challenging spell.
Watford, by contrast, arrived at Ewood Park hovering just outside the play-off spots in eighth place, their position made all the more precarious by Wrexham’s comeback win at Queens Park Rangers earlier in the day. The visitors wasted little time asserting themselves, dominating the opening exchanges and probing Blackburn’s defensive shape with pace and purpose. It was no surprise when, after a flurry of corners, Watford finally broke the deadlock. Kayembe, lurking at the edge of the box, latched onto a loose ball from the Hornets’ seventh corner and rifled a left-footed strike into the net, leaving Blackburn’s keeper Toth with no chance. The goal, coming around the 26th minute, was a fair reward for Watford’s early endeavor.
Yet, as has so often been the case this season, Blackburn found a way to respond. The equalizer arrived just minutes later, and it was a textbook set-piece routine. Todd Cantwell, back in the side and eager to make an impression, whipped in a corner that was met at the near post by the onrushing Lewis Miller. Miller’s smart flick beat Watford’s Egil Selvik, sending the home fans—those present, at least—into a brief eruption of celebration. “That goal has been coming and it’s another set-piece concession,” one observer noted, underscoring both Blackburn’s persistence and Watford’s vulnerability from dead-ball situations.
The remainder of the first half saw both sides threaten in flashes, but the quality was patchy. Watford’s Rocco Vata, who had only recently returned from a hamstring injury, was forced off before the interval, prompting a brief stoppage and further reshuffling for the visitors. Blackburn, meanwhile, began to grow into the game. The likes of Alebiosu and De Neve, introduced as substitutes, injected some much-needed energy, but clear-cut chances remained at a premium.
As the second half unfolded, the match settled into a pattern of cautious probing and sporadic bursts of attacking intent. Both teams made tactical adjustments—Jorgensen was replaced by Doherty for the final ten minutes—but the breakthrough proved elusive. The Rovers, sticking to their system with like-for-like changes, struggled to create much in open play, managing just two shots on target all afternoon and recording a modest 0.36 expected goals (xG).
Still, the contest was not without its moments of drama. With time ticking away, Blackburn fashioned what would prove to be the game’s defining chance. Ohashi, finding himself in a promising position late on, had a golden opportunity to snatch all three points for the hosts. Yet, with the goal at his mercy and Selvik scrambling, Ohashi’s finish lacked conviction. Selvik made the save, but truth be told, he shouldn’t have had a chance. “Ohashi has to score at the end to potentially win them the game,” lamented one report. It was a moment that encapsulated Blackburn’s afternoon: so close, yet not quite enough.
Watford, sensing a late opening, pressed forward in the dying minutes. Pinball in the Rovers’ box led to some nervy clearances, with Irankunda lurking on the edge and Maamma seeing an effort blocked. But the hosts held firm, smuggling the ball away and ensuring the spoils would be shared. Both teams, in truth, had periods where they looked capable of snatching victory, but neither could muster the clinical edge required.
In the aftermath, the draw did little to significantly alter either side’s fortunes. Blackburn Rovers, now level on points with 22nd-placed Portsmouth but having played two more games, remain mired in the lower reaches of the table. The sense of a missed opportunity was palpable, particularly given the home side’s improved performance after a sluggish start and the late chance spurned by Ohashi. “A decent point for Rovers but also feels a missed opportunity,” summed up the prevailing mood among the faithful.
Watford, for their part, continue to lurk just outside the play-off places, their ambitions checked by an inability to turn dominance into decisive results. The injury to Vata adds to their concerns, while the concession from yet another set-piece will surely be a talking point for their coaching staff in the days ahead.
For Blackburn, the afternoon was about more than just football. The ongoing supporter boycott, the calls for unity from the club’s hierarchy, and the sight of young players stepping into the breach all contributed to a sense of a club at a crossroads. Whether this result represents a step in the right direction or simply another missed chance remains to be seen. But as the season continues, both Rovers and Watford know that draws like this—hard-fought but ultimately unsatisfying—will not be enough if they are to achieve their respective goals.
As the final whistle sounded at Ewood Park, both teams trudged off knowing they had left something on the table. The action may be over for now, but the storylines—on and off the pitch—are sure to rumble on.