Blackburn Rovers ended 2024 with defeat at Ewood Park as they were left to rue missed chances as Hull City won 1-0.

John Eustace's side spurned multiple good opportunities to open the scoring but didn't take them. The sucker-punch was then provided by the side battling relegation in a game where both sides were untidy in possession.

Makhtar Gueye had already seen a goal-bound effort blocked on its route to goal before Amario Cozier-Duberry cut inside and saw a shot cleared off the line by Alfie Jones. Both teams gave the ball away repeatedly in their own third but neither could take advantage.

Rovers stepped up their intensity after the break and created two massive chances. Todd Cantwell somehow shot wide from 12 yards when the ball broke to him, central to goal.

That felt as good a chance as Blackburn would get but Owen Beck then missed a similarly good opening. Cantwell picked him out but he couldn't sort his feet and blazed over the bar from similar distance.

Whilst this had not been a sparkling performance, Rovers had enough chances to be ahead. So it was written in the script that Hull would nick one with ten to go.

Ryan Longman provided the hammer blow at the back post as he was left unmarked to score. Gustavo Peutra could've then sealed the points but hit the inside of the post.

Rovers' last attempt saw Andi Weimann's shot blocked on its way to goal by Jones, ensuring Blackburn ended 2024 as they did in 2023, with defeat to Hull.
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John Eustace's side were aiming to end 2024 with victory in the same fixture as 12 months ago. Albeit on the road, Rovers ended last year with defeat to Hull City but the fortunes of both clubs have changed since then.

Hull unveiled Ruben Selles before kick-off when Rovers won at the Tigers three weeks ago. In the four games he had taken since, they won once leaving them still hovering in the bottom three before kick-off.

Victory for Rovers would see them beat their points tally at Ewood Park from last season (25) with 12 games to go. After one point from their last two outings and testing games against Leeds United and Burnley next week, three points was the expectation from those around Ewood Park.

With this the first of three games in six days, Eustace recalled Cozier-Duberry and Gueye to the starting XI. Ryan Hedges and Yuki Ohashi were rotated to the bench.

Rovers created the game's first opening through Callum Brittain, who was heavily involved in two on goals on Boxing Day. The right-back this time crossed for Gueye who flicked the ball goalwards but it was blocked with the ball travelling in.

It was a scrappy, sloppy first half with both teams giving the ball away unnecessarily and, often, in their own defensive third. Nobody could really control the match which became back and forth in nature due to the wayward passing.

Despite that, Rovers had the better openings. Lewis Baker's headed goalwards from the back post but it was pushed behind for a corner. Their golden chance would then follow.

Cozier-Duberry scampered away from the Hull defence after being played through by Cantwell. He cut inside on his left foot and placed the ball past the goalkeeper, only to be denied by Jones on the line.

Rovers needed Aynsley Pears to keep the score level though as they again gave it away in their own third. Slater charged into the box and poked the ball goalwards but it was saved and then scrambled away.

Eustace's words of encouragement at half-time seemed to have the desired effect as Rovers came out with more intensity and purpose. Baker was again left free at the back post from a corner but his header back into the middle was somehow not bundled in.

Rovers could not have asked for a better chance to break the deadlock but spurned it, mid-way through the half. The ball fell nicely to Cantwell from 12 yards after several ricochets in the area but he somehow placed the shot wide when he had to score.

The chances were coming and, unfortunately, being spurned. Beck this time guilty of being wasteful after Cantwell picked him out in the middle of the box but he couldn't sort his feet out and fired over the crossbar.

Whilst this hadn't been a vintage display or one of Rovers' best, they'd had enough good opportunities to force the breakthrough. As the minutes ticked by, you wondered whether this would just not be their afternoon.

Lo and behold, the sucker punch that had threatened to rear its ugly head did so. The twist in the script as Rovers were punished for their wasteful finishing.

Longman couldn't help but score after being picked out at the back post by a cross-shot from the edge of the box, giving the Tigers something to hold onto with 10 minutes plus stoppages to play.

The Hull City substitute could've had another goal as he was again left unattended at the back post. This time, he did not get enough on his shot and Pears was able to scuttle across his goal-line to save it.

Peurta then went within inches to securing the points as his shot inside of the post and came out. Kamara scored from the rebound but it was ruled out for offside.

Rovers' final chance came through substitute Weimann. He was picked out by Harry Leonard but his shot was blocked by Jones in front of the goalkeeper.

That meant it was defeat to end 2024 for Rovers, who had only themselves to blame for a frustrating home reverse. Now onto Leeds awa and the big one...