A strike from Australian midfielder Massimo Luongo 11 minutes from time helped seal their seventh win in eight Championship games this season.
Goals from Harry Clarke, Nathan Broadhead and George Hirst put Town in control in the first half after Arnor Sigurdsson equalised.
An own goal from Clarke cut the deficit before Sammie Szmodics levelled but Luongo’s effort fired Town into second place.
McKenna said: “It was obviously a thrilling game. I don’t think many of us will have seen or have been involved in too many open games.
“It was really open at times and we scored four but we could have scored many more goals, they scored three and could have added another one.
“A thrilling game, I think one we need to really enjoy and enjoy in the moment.
“Lots of good things in the performance, lots of things to learn, things to improve but the quality of the players, the spirit, the effort was there for all to see and I think we deserved the three points.
“We have got a real belief in how we play and how we work and our fitness levels and there’s a real belief around to just keep just doing the right things irrespective of the scoreline or the setbacks.
“We have shown a real good capacity to move onto the next moment to try and get back on the ball and try and create chances.”
Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson admitted the first half cost his side dearly but they had chances to score further goals in the second period.
He said: “We knew it was going to be tough coming to Ipswich who have an excellent home record and have started extremely well in the Championship.
“Probably our first half cost us the game, we were not quick enough on the ball, not playing quick enough, not moving quick enough.
“I think coming into the second half the guys showed a great mentality, resilience and had a good performance.
“It’s tough scoring three goals away and you don’t get a result but all credit for the boys for the second half and all those traveling fans who were behind the team.
“We probably could have scored six or seven goals as well if you look at the chances. It was an open game for each team but coming here and creating that amount of chances was really positive.
“But I knew it was going to be a tough game and we saw that.”
The Championship’s bottom club went into the game with two draws and six goals on the road all season and Arnor Sigurdsson’s stabbed finish in the eighth minute put them on the back foot.
Sean Morrison’s close-range effort restored parity before the break, only for Sammie Szmodics to roll in his 16th of the season less than 40 seconds after the restart.
But Tom Eaves powered in a low header late on to secure a resilient point.
Rotherham have picked up points in three of Richardson’s six games in charge and he saluted his team’s effort.
He said: “I thought we started both halves unlike ourselves and were punished. Very respectful of Blackburn. They’ve got some good players, been together for a while and quite fluent in what they’re doing.
“But for the level of effort and endeavour in what we are trying to do with the bodies – I don’t think there will be another team in the country who’ve used less bodies than us over the Christmas period – it’s commendable to the players so they take the credit for this period. Take the point and move on.
“They didn’t give up. The game got stretched, possibly doing the wrong thing for the right reasons at times, but we tried to take control of the game. The subs helped us. To go behind at any stage is difficult so to have the mindset to come back into the game and possibly go and get more from it is pleasing.”
Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson admitted his team needed a two-goal lead after watching his side drift from the play-offs with a run of one point over the festive period.
He said: “With the performance we probably deserved more. We knew we were playing a team fighting against relegation.
“We knew what they were good at, second balls, chaos moments, set plays, crosses into the box and defending in a low block which they did really well so I was impressed with the amount of chances we were able to create.
“This team probably needs a 2-0 lead when you’re playing against teams good at set plays. The goals we gave away on set plays, we should have done better.
“The second goal, we should also have done better. First of all preventing the cross where we had two against one at the side and two against one in the box where we are losing that dual.
“But I think the amount of chances was a lot. I think the goalkeeper of the opponent was probably the best player. He was excellent.”
An enthralling encounter looked destined to end all square after Alan Browne’s sumptuous first-half finish was cancelled out by Sammie Szmodics’ 10th of the campaign minutes after the restart.
After soaking up Blackburn’s pressure, the Lilywhites grabbed a late winner when Lindsay stooped to head home his third of the season and send Ryan Lowe’s men up to fourth in the Championship, ending a run of three consecutive away defeats.
The goals barely tell the story of a pulsating Lancashire derby which saw Blackburn rattle the woodwork twice in the first half, through Arnor Sigurdsson and Andrew Moran, while Duane Holmes did the same for Preston in the second half.
Blackburn did not work Freddie Woodman enough despite their dominance, and are four points outside the play-offs.
Preston missed a superb early chance when Milutin Osmajic’s cross found Holmes at the far post but he shot tamely and Callum Brittain blocked.
The hosts were on top though and were agonisingly close to taking a 20th-minute lead when Tyrhys Dolan clipped a cross that found Sigurdsson, whose volley crashed off the crossbar before Preston cleared.
Will Keane sent a free header over the bar soon after but the visitors did take the lead in the 35th minute after a moment of real class. Brad Potts’ crossfield ball found Browne who controlled exquisitely before rifling a left-foot shot into the roof of the net.
Blackburn fought back though and twice went close before the break through Moran, who saw a 44th-minute shot superbly blocked by Potts before going even closer a minute later when Dolan’s cushioned pass found him on the edge of the area but the Irishman hammered against the crossbar.
They were deservedly level in the 49th minute though and Moran was the architect, chipping a delightful ball for the onrushing Szmodics who controlled with his chest and calmly slotted beyond Woodman.
Blackburn maintained the pressure and with vociferous support behind them, went close again in the 55th minute when Szmodics was sent clear down the left but this time Woodman spread himself and made the save.
The game was inches from swinging back Preston’s way just after the hour when Potts’ deflected cross fell for Holmes, whose first-time shot clattered the near post and rolled along the goal before being cleared.
Woodman had to be alert four minutes from time to repel Brittain’s near-post shot and it proved crucial as Preston struck right at the death. Ben Whiteman curled in a perfect cross and Lindsay stole in ahead of his marker to bullet a header beyond Leo Wahlstedt and send the 6,000 visiting fans wild.
Hull were in control from the outset and tightened their grip when Harry Pickering received a 17th-minute red card for bringing Liam Delap down when clean through.
But the resilient Blackburn team took the lead through Sam Gallagher’s emphatic finish in the 74th minute, setting up a frantic ending to the game, which saw substitute Connolly give the Tigers a taste of the clinical finishing they can expect more of after signing the striker on a permenant basis this summer.
He equalised with a first-time volley in the 81st minute before again timing his run to perfection with two minutes remaining to stroke home a winner and give Hull a first league win at Ewood Park since February 2016.
Rosenior was delighted with all his attackers, and how Connolly stretched a tiring Blackburn defence.
The Hull boss said: “Aaron’s finish, he’s got that ability in training. He just takes things really early. He took both goals so early so the goalkeeper couldn’t get set and now he’s got three in two.
“We wore them down. If you watch the game back, we made, I don’t know how many, 600 passes. It’s hard with 10 men to defend against 600 passes. It’s no coincidence we score the two goals in the last 10 minutes, because the players stuck to the plan.
“Aaron gets the plaudits, two fantastic finishes. I’ve got Liam Delap who I thought played really well, he can hold the ball up, he can twist, turn and combine. I’ve got Oscar (Estupinan) who is your typical target man, good technically, can hold the ball up.
“Why I really like Aaron in this group is because he stretches teams, runs in behind. That’s what the two goals come from and all of a sudden, Blackburn were used to having Liam stuck in front of them and then you’ve got Aaron on running in behind them and it took them by surprise. Fortunately for us, it worked.”
Jon Dahl Tomasson was pleased with Blackburn’s effort, despite seeing their unbeaten start to the season end.
They could have been celebrating a famous victory only for Niall Ennis to strike a post and see a header cleared off the line by Lewie Coyle, in between Matt Ingram saving from Gallagher, all whilst the score was 1-1.
He said: “Extremely disappointed to lose the game. I don’t think we deserved it actually. We can’t ask more from our players, playing with 10 men for more than 80 minutes. Incredible effort.
“We scored a great goal, but conceded two unnecessary goals, straight passes. But just before they scored the second, we had one, two, three chances. The ball was dancing on the line of the opponent.
“It’s always good to see when you lose the game – I hate losing – but when you lose a game and you go off the pitch, and you hear the fans cheering, then you have done something really, really good as a team.
“We can’t expect more playing 80 minutes with 10 men but we created chances even with 10 men, so I think actually we deserved more.
“I think today was a brilliant effort. You can see a team who’s fighting for each other. Great spirit, playing good football, and creating big chances.”
Pep Guardiola's top-flight champions eased past Bristol City 3-0 on Tuesday, while United backed up their EFL Cup success with a 3-1 comeback victory over West Ham.
City will face former defender Kompany, who lifted four Premier League titles at Etihad Stadium, after being drawn at home to runaway Championship leaders Burnley following their late 1-0 win against Fleetwood Town on Wednesday.
United ended a six-year trophy drought on Sunday by defeating Newcastle United and will continue their quest for further silverware when they host Fulham at Old Trafford.
Fourth-tier Grimsby Town remain the shock package in this season's FA Cup after Premier League Southampton fell to a 2-1 home loss and became the Mariners' fifth victim from a higher division in the 2022-23 campaign.
The League Two side's reward will be a trip to in-form Brighton and Hove Albion, who edged past Stoke City 1-0 in the fifth round on Tuesday.
Sheffield United were another surprise winner in the last 16 of the competition, defeating Tottenham 1-0, and will host Blackburn Rovers, which ensures at least one Championship side will reach the semi-finals.
All ties are set to be played between March 17 and 19 with the quarter-final contestants one win from a trip to Wembley.
FA Cup quarter-final draw in full:
Manchester City v Burnley
Manchester United v Fulham
Brighton and Hove Albion v Grimsby Town
Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers
Rangers came into this game with only one away win since September but deservedly put that statistic to bed with a two-goal haul in the space of three second-half minutes.
The 61st-minute opener came when Ilias Chair’s shot hit the woodwork and went in off Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears for an own goal, but it was luck their performance merited and substitute Joe Hodge slotted a debut goal that doubled the advantage.
Sam Gallagher fired beyond Asmir Begovic to set up a grandstand finish but the Rs held on to stretch their unbeaten run to three.
They remain three points from safety but more teams – including Blackburn – will now be nervously looking over their shoulders and Cifuentes hopes this is a ‘turning point’.
He said: “Important win for us, definitely because we knew we were playing against a team that offensively they are one of the best teams.
“When they are in possession, they can create a lot of chances and I think we contained them well for first 70-75 minutes.
“In addition, a difficult place for QPR historically, it’s been a lot of years since the last victory. In this situation, where we are, every victory is so, so important with the results that happened today.
“It was not easy. I think small margins today, the goal of Ilias (Chair), a very brilliant action but today the ball rebounded and went in. Other days, unfortunately it’s been post and out.
“I’m a big believer that the small margins when you work hard, when you work in a humble way, starts to pay off. Hopefully this will be what this team will start to achieve because since my arrival, the team has been competing very well in all the games. Hopefully this can be a turning point.”
The Ewood Park atmosphere was mutinous towards the club’s owners and CEO after a sixth defeat in eight which leaves them five points off the bottom three.
Manager Jon Dahl Tomasson described the goals as ‘unnecessary’ and praised the fans for rallying behind his team.
He said: “We are disappointed to lose the game. I think actually we started really well. It was a good chance for Ben (Chrisene). Brilliant play, he should have scored that.
“I don’t think the level is the same as Monday when we really played well and in the end of the game, we scored a good goal but we created plenty of chances to score goals.
“We conceded two unnecessary goals of course where we should have done better. We knew they could be dangerous in transition where we lost balls where normally we shouldn’t lose balls.
“I think the lads and our fans showed great character. We almost got the draw. I think we had two or three good opportunities. Big chances to get the second.
“So all the credit to the players and actually also for the fans to stay behind the team but of course disappointed. We want to win games.”
It was the least that Darren Moore’s side deserved after creating the better chances in this encounter between two of the Sky Bet Championship’s most out-of-form sides.
The Terriers gifted Blackburn the opener after Adam Wharton profited from a poor pass, but Helik’s towering header midway through the first half restored parity.
Huddersfield, who are now just three points clear of the drop zone, were guilty of missing opportunities to snatch victory through Jack Rudoni and David Kasumu.
Aynsley Pears returned in goal for Rovers, who have won just once in 10 league games, after a three-month layoff while Rhys Healey made his Huddersfield debut.
Blackburn took a seventh-minute lead when Wharton intercepted a terrible Jonathan Hogg pass to go clean through on goal and he confidently stroked into the right corner for his second goal this season.
Dominic Hyam directed a free header straight at Lee Nicholls soon after but the Terriers grew into the game and Healey forced a sharp low save from Pears in the 22nd minute.
But, from the resulting corner, the Terriers equalised through Helik who got up highest at the near post before glancing Sorba Thomas’ corner into the far corner from six yards.
Blackburn thought they should have had a penalty in the 37th minute when Sam Gallagher seemed to have his heels clipped by Brodie Spencer when chasing a Sammie Szmodics through ball but the referee waved away the protests.
It should have got worse for the hosts moments later when Josh Koroma seized on a poor pass to race clean through before squaring for Rudoni but he somehow slotted wide with the goal at his mercy.
Blackburn came out with renewed purpose but it was Huddersfield who created the better opportunities after soaking up the pressure and substitute Bojan Radulovic went close after cutting inside from the right but Pears smothered his shot.
They went even closer in the 76th minute, hitting Blackburn on the counter to release Kasumu clean through but the substitute dragged his shot wide of the left post with just Pears to beat.
Helik almost scored a spectacular second moments later when he met Kasumu’s cross on the volley from a tight angle but directed agonisingly wide.
Blackburn substitute Joe Rankin-Costello volleyed over in injury time but a point is the most they deserved after a lacklustre display.
The Canaries started well and their early possession was rewarded in superb style when Marcelino Nunez curled his first goal of the season into the top corner midway through the first half.
Both sides had chances, though, with Sam Gallagher denied three times in the first half by Angus Gunn, and they were eventually rewarded through Dominic Hyam’s towering header after the break.
A point was a fair outcome for both sides as neither managed to create a clear-cut chance after the equaliser which means Norwich remain three points outside the play-offs after extending their unbeaten run to five.
Blackburn are still looking for their first win under John Eustace but even though they are winless in four, they have not lost in their last three.
The Canaries certainly enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the early exchanges, but it was Blackburn who had the first real opening when Harry Pickering’s 19th-minute corner found Gallagher, whose downward header was parried away brilliantly by Gunn.
That save proved crucial as Norwich hit the front in spectacular fashion three minutes later when Nunez bent a 20-yard free-kick into the top-left corner.
David Wagner’s men almost doubled their lead two minutes later when Gabriel Sara slipped Josh Sargent in on goal but goalkeeper Aynsley Pears was out quickly to smother his low effort.
Gallagher had another chance on the half hour when he latched onto a ball down the left but he took one touch too many and Gunn was able to spread himself to block from a tight angle.
Gunn made it a hat-trick of saves from Gallagher when he palmed his far-post header away after the striker met John Buckley’s searching cross.
The interval came at a good time for the visitors and they almost regrouped to devastating effect when Christian Fassnacht sprung Blackburn’s offside trap but Pears’ outstretched leg diverted the ball to safety just as the Swiss winger was set to take the ball around him.
For the second time in the game, superb goalkeeping proved crucial as Rovers levelled in the 56th minute. Pickering’s deep corner was met by Hyam who rose above three Norwich players to head home from six yards.
At that stage a grandstand finish felt like it was on the cards but surprisingly it failed to materialise.
Canaries substitute Onel Hernandez looked the most likely provider as he first sent in a cross that Ashley Barnes directed well wide, before more trickery saw him centre for Sargent who was just ahead of the pass.
Despite Rovers sitting relatively comfortably in 13th place in the Premier League table, the Indian owners made the decision to sack Allardyce on December 13, 2010, a month after taking over.
“We have taken this decision as part of our wider plans and ambitions for the club,” they said in a statement.
Allardyce, who had been in charge for two years and guided the team to a 10th-placed finish in the 2009-10 season, was as surprised as anyone, saying: “I am very shocked and disappointed to be leaving Blackburn.
“I am extremely proud to have managed this club and I enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the players, my staff and the supporters during my time in charge.”
Club captain Ryan Nelsen also reacted with shock and praised the job done by Allardyce, who made his name in management at nearby Bolton.
“We were in massive trouble with no money,” said Nelsen. “He solidified us and put us into a top-10 position, and again he did it on a shoestring.
“We’ve got to get over it but at the moment I want to say, and I can speak for nearly all the players I’m sure, that they will be devastated. He was a very likeable character.”
It was the beginning of a tumultuous period at Ewood Park, with Steve Kean initially placed in temporary charge but then given a permanent contract.
Kean stayed in his post despite Rovers slipping down the table and there were repeated protests by fans against Venky’s, including a chicken clad in a Blackburn flag being released onto the pitch as they were relegated in May 2012.
The club slipped down to Sky Bet League One in 2017, but immediately rebounded and have remained in the second tier since, still under the ownership of Venky’s, with Jon Dahl Tomasson the current boss.
Allardyce returned to management with West Ham the following summer, went on to subsequent jobs that included briefly being England boss and most recently had a short stint in charge of Leeds at the end of last season.
There may be some movement of free agents still, while clubs who missed out on targets will be weighing up their chances in January with contractual situations evolving.
Inter defender Milan Skriniar is one player who was heavily pursued without success and who will have only six months left on his contract at the turn of the year.
TOP STORY – PSG TO PERSIST IN SKRINIAR PURSUIT IN JANUARY
Paris Saint-Germain will revive their failed pursuit of Milan Skriniar in January, according to L'Equipe.
PSG made three offers for the Slovakian defender which were rebuffed by the Italian giants, including one worth €50million.
Skriniar is into the final year of his Inter deal and PSG boss Christophe Galtier had been eager to bring him to the French capital.
ROUND-UP
– Napoli will try to sign PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas again in January after missing out on him, reports L'Equipe. The report claims the Costa Rica international and PSG may opt to terminate his contract by mutual consent before January.
– Marco Asensio had been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks but he has committed to seeing out his Real Madrid contract which expires in mid-2023, according to Mundo Deportivo.
– The Telegraph reports Blackburn Rovers will be open to pre-contract offers to their hot property forward Ben Brereton Diaz in January after rejecting bids from Fulham and Everton. The Chile international has less than 12 months remaining on his deal at Ewood Park.
Promoted Argyle’s top-scorer took his tally to four goals in five Sky Bet Championship games in the 77th minute when Rovers goalkeeper Aynsley Pears failed to hold Callum Wright’s shot to let Hardie sweep home from close range.
In the 80th minute Scottish striker Hardie was instrumental in Argyle’s third goal, winning an aerial ball as Pears headed out Argyle keeper Conor Hazard’s clearance.
The ball fell to on-loan Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle, on as a second-half substitute, and he deftly lobbed the ball over Pears.
The game turned on its head in the 27th minute when Finn Azaz’s deflected shot from outside the penalty area wrongfooted Pears.
Midfielder Azaz, on loan from Aston Villa, latched on to a pass by playmaker Morgan Whittaker 20 yards out and his first-time effort appeared to spin off Adam Wharton and go past helpless Pears.
Rovers will have rued missing opportunities after dominating until that point.
Ryan Hedges had the best opportunity to open the scoring for Rovers in the sixth minute after latching on to an incisive pass from striker Sam Gallagher.
Hedges was one-on-one with Hazard but sidefooted wide of the Argyle keeper and the goal from 12 yards out.
In a rare counter-attack, Hardie fired over from range after being teed up by midfielder Adam Randell in the 11th minute.
A minute later Gallagher – who hails from Crediton in Devon – looked set to score with a thumping header from a Hedges cross but Hazard acrobatically turned the ball over his bar.
Argyle finally got a foothold in the match in the 22nd minute with another effective break.
Whittaker put Hardie away down the right and his far-post cross was brilliantly headed downwards and goalwards by incoming winger Bali Mumba.
Pears was equal to the effort at the foot of the post, just managing to turn the ball around for a corner.
Azaz’s goal gave Argyle confidence and Pears had to again turn the ball around his post in the 34th minute following a mazy run and shot by Whittaker down the right and along the byline.
Impressive livewire Rovers forward Sammie Szmodics caught hold of a loose ball yards out and brought a smart save from Hazard.
Again Argyle countered, with Whittaker’s deft strike again turned around his post by a diving Pears at full stretch.
Randell’s measured curling shot in the 54th minute went just over before skipper Joe Edwards went close with a similar effort on the hour, ahead of a spate of substitutions.
Hedges was unlucky not to get on the end of a cross in the 63rd minute.
Rovers went in search of a leveller with Hayden Carter coming the closest to scoring as his deflected shot spun up on to the top of the bar in the 70th minute.
The visitors, who won at Coventry and drew with Sheffield United in last season’s competition, were on for an upset when Andy Cannon put them in front in the 19th minute, bringing a huge roar from the 7,000-plus away fans who had made the trip.
But Blackburn responded in ruthless fashion with goals in quick succession from Szmodics and Sam Gallagher just past the half-hour mark to turn things around.
Szmodics, the Championship’s leading scorer this term with 16 goals who had bagged a hat-trick in the 5-2 third-round victory over Cambridge, then scored his second of the night just prior to the interval before Sondre Tronstad wrapped things up in the second half.
Securing cup progress was a welcome boost for former Newcastle forward Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men, who are currently 18th in the second tier and winless in their last seven league games.
Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, second in League Two, return to their quest to make it back-to-back promotions in their high-profile resurgence under the ownership of actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Szmodics had a good chance to put Blackburn ahead in the third minute but put his shot wide and moments later sent the ball past goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo from the right side of the box, but Wrexham skipper Ben Tozer was on hand to clear.
A couple of further efforts for the hosts from Jake Garrett followed before Wrexham began to exert some pressure, with Aynsley Pears gathering a Sam Dalby header and a Paul Mullin free-kick.
Soon after, there was jubilation in the vociferous away section as Red Dragons grabbed the lead when Cannon collected the ball from Dalby and fired past Pears.
And they went close to swiftly adding another as Pears parried Cannon’s drive, then did superbly to tip over James McClean’s follow-up attempt.
Having been rocked, Blackburn hit back with an equaliser in the 32nd minute, Szmodics slotting in from Gallagher’s cutback.
And two minutes after that they were in front as a miscalculation by Okonkwo was punished, the goalkeeper opting to race out of his area as Tozer was beaten by Gallagher, who was left with a simple task to slot into the net.
The hosts then extended their advantage in first-half stoppage time as Szmodics controlled Tronstad’s pass and stroked home, putting a finger to his lips as he celebrated in front of the away fans.
Tronstad added a goal of his own just before the hour mark when Gallagher attempted to shoot, the ball came to the Norwegian and his shot went in via a deflection off Elliot Lee.
With the game looking very much up for Wrexham, Lee subsequently tried his luck with a attempt from inside his own half that dropped wide, and substitute James Jones had a low shot saved.
Szmodics had a chance to complete another treble in the closing stages, but saw his strike saved by Okonkwo.
Matt Crooks gave bottom-of-the-table Boro hope with a 55th-minute reply but, including last season’s two-legged play-off final defeat to Coventry, the Teessiders have now gone 11 games without a league win, equalling the club’s longest sequence outside the top flight since January 1925.
The game kicked off amid a mood of celebration as the hosts commemorated the landmark occasion by welcoming a series of club legends onto the pitch.
Among them were Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry, former PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played for England at the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals.
Rovers appeared buoyed by that reception and Tyrhys Dolan should have opened the scoring less than two minutes in, but he headed over an empty goal after Callum Brittain’s pinpoint right-wing cross had taken Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng out of the equation.
The Senegal international was in the right position to parry away from Lewis Travis shortly afterwards.
Jonny Howson went on to fire too high with the visitors’ first attempt of the afternoon at the midway point of the half, before Szmodics fittingly grabbed the game’s opener just after fans had begun clapping on the half-hour mark in memory of PA announcer Matt Sillitoe, who tragically passed away last month at the age of 30.
After Sam Gallagher stepped over a forward pass by Hayden Carter, the ex-Peterborough midfielder swept a strike inside Dieng’s right-hand post from the edge of the box.
Boro rallied, with Marcus Forss forcing a smart near-post save from Aynsley Pears, while Emmanuel Latte Lath should have done better with two great headed chances from Howson dead-ball deliveries, directing the first wastefully wide and the second tamely at the home keeper.
An unchallenged Gallagher also missed the target for Rovers with another aerial opportunity from six yards on the stroke of half-time.
Dieng then had to be alert to deny Dolan just 25 seconds after the restart following a Szmodics right-wing raid, but the latter extended the lead in the 49th minute.
Receiving the ball from Ryan Hedges, Szmodics drilled a 20-yard effort that Dieng could only help into the top corner.
Boro refused to surrender, though, with Crooks cleverly flicking in from six yards from Forss’ cross to reduce the deficit.
After Dieng made a double save to deny Adam Wharton and Dolan, Boro then missed three great chances to level, with Latte Lath ballooning over, Forss prodding wide and Darragh Lenihan heading too high.
As the match continued to swing from end to end, Dieng displayed more sharp reflexes to deny Hedges twice and make a one-on-one stop to prevent Szmodics from claiming the match ball.
The profligate Latte Lath, meanwhile, burst clear on goal at the death, only for his heavy touch to gift Pears the chance to snatch the ball off his feet.
Winger Edozie poked in a corner before Stuart Armstrong’s third goal of the season, Sekou Mara’s tap-in and Carlos Alcaraz’s finish punished Rovers, who had Callum Brittain sent off after two yellow cards.
Alcaraz also missed a penalty for the hosts but they secured a fifth straight home win for the first time since 2014 and continued their best streak for 39 years.
Southampton boasted 73 per cent of possession in a first half in which Blackburn sat back and tried not to concede. But Saints had little to show for their domination until the 44th-minute goal.
Stuart Armstrong showed nifty footwork before whipping a shot past the post, while Edozie and Will Smallbone caused panic in the box with their quick feet and Sondre Tronstad was forced to head onto the roof of his own goal.
James Bree ran onto a volley, Adam Armstrong charged down goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt and Smallbone’s controlled finish from Stuart Armstrong’s cross continued the largely one-way traffic.
The only time that flow changed was in the 24th minute when the visitors won a free-kick on the edge of the Saints box.
Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics smashed through the wall before Brittain followed up – with both kept out by Gavin Bazunu’s strong wrists.
Edozie had returned to the starting XI for the first time since October after scoring against Coventry in the week.
He rewarded Russell Martin, and capped the authoritative first half, by prodding in a Bree corner on the cusp of half-time.
After Wahlstedt had brilliantly denied Stuart Armstrong, Blackburn showed off their attacking pedigree for the first time as Bazunu had to be cute to save from Andrew Moran and Harry Leonard.
But that momentum was squashed in the 55th minute when Brittain needlessly received his second booking for kicking the ball away, having got his first for a shirt pull on Kyle Walker-Peters.
That only made Southampton’s task easier and nine minutes later, Stuart Armstrong stroked in after Flynn Downes had broken through and been chopped down.
Self-preservation was the name of the last half an hour for Rovers but they could not prevent Southampton’s fresh legs.
Alcaraz’s ‘Panenka’ penalty went over the bar, after Hayden Carter had downed Mara, and Wahlstedt stunningly denied Ryan Fraser.
Saints added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time as Mara turned in Fraser’s cross and Alcaraz thumped in a rebound after Smallbone had been thwarted.
Saints went level on points with third-placed Leeds and closed the gap to the runaway top two to 10 points.
Bailey Cadamarteri’s opener was cancelled out by Sammie Szmodics, but Marvin Johnson and Josh Windass struck in the last 12 minutes to earn the division’s bottom club only their second win of the campaign.
Wednesday had scored in stoppage time in midweek to hold leaders Leicester and their latest late show left Rohl delighted with his side’s progress.
Rohl said: “My team fight until the end and they believe in what we are doing. I’m so happy to take the points today.
“We spoke in the past about what happens if we concede a goal. When you look back to the Millwall game, we conceded a goal and then it was maybe not much energy in the group, but now you see we improve this mentally.
“After the defeat in Birmingham, now we took four points and I think this is a huge step forward.
“I try to show my players every day that we have to believe and that I’m convinced in my players.
“Maybe it’s sometimes helpful to come from some big clubs because then you have a little bit of the winning DNA in yourself and you always believe in the special things you can do.”
To compound Blackburn’s misery, manager Jon Dahl Tomasson was shown a red card following protests to the match officials over an incident involving James Hill and Callum Paterson in the build-up to Wednesday’s second goal.
Blackburn skipper Szmodics faced the post-match interviews in the manager’s absence but could not shed further light on the incident.
“I’ve not seen it,” he said.
“There’s a ref, two linesmen and a fourth official. It’s hard to speak this early after a game. I don’t want to get in any more trouble. The gaffer has got into trouble with it.
“It’s tough at the minute. You don’t know if you can go and speak to referees or not. I’ll let people look back at the goal and make their decision.”
Szmodics, who scored his seventh goal in five games, felt the scoreline was harsh on the visitors.
He said: “I don’t think it should have been a 3-1. We‘ve got back into the game with a goal and it just wasn’t to be today.
“The gaffer said at half time that we created chances. We just needed to take one and in the first half we didn’t. In the second half we got back into it, but it wasn’t our day.
“It was one of the few headers I’ve ever scored. I should have volleyed it but I went down early and managed to get enough power into it.”
“We’ll recover and get to go again.”
Scottish striker Ryan Hardie took his tally to four goals in five league games with an opportunist 77th-minute close-range goal then won the aerial duel to tee up Luke Cundle’s sublime chip over goalkeeper Aynsley Pears as promoted Argyle climbed to 10th. Finn Azaz’s deflected 27th-minute strike had opened the scoring.
Schumacher said: “It’s a huge three points for us. It gives us seven points from our first five games in the Championship, we can all be quite pleased with that.
“We go into the international break having got maximum points today, which is important.
“We have won the game probably without playing our best. We played better in our last two league games and on Tuesday night in the cup and haven’t got anything from those games.
“It’s a funny old game football. Blackburn were a really tough opponent and for us to get three points from it? It’s a huge win.
“I really like them. They are a good, well-organised, fit, young squad and have caused everyone they have played so far this season problems and they caused us problems today.
“In the first half they had more energy than us and played with a better tempo. We were half a yard off them and they were the better team and we scored against the run of play.
“At half-time we spoke about being a little more aggressive, we changed our press slightly and with the chances we created in the second half we were clinical, which – as everyone has seen so far – hugely important in the Championship.”
Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson said: “We all know how important the first goal is.
“We had the chances to score the first goal, they scored the first goal from a deflection.
“I don’t think it is a fair scoreline if you look at the game, not at all. If you look up until the 75th minute, I was thinking, ‘how is it possible we are not leading this game?’.
“We played some great football but at the end of the day, it is about putting the ball in the goal. We had the opportunities.
“The first goal they scored was a deflection and we all know how difficult it is to come here. I think they won 20 out of 23 home games last season. So it’s a good record.
“To create that many opportunities in the final third was good, but of course we are extremely disappointed with the result.
“I am disappointed we couldn’t give the fans one or three points.
“The first goal was extremely unlucky, it was a deflection and our deflected shot hit the bar. But if you make mistakes when you are a striker it is different than if you make mistakes at the back.”
The Black Cats rode their luck early on and needed two brilliant heroic blocks from Dan Ballard to save certain goals.
It gave Sunderland and Clarke the platform to flourish. He won and converted the opener – a calm finish from the penalty spot – and although Harry Leonard’s header pegged them back, Dan Neil restored the lead before half-time.
Dilan Markanday hit the woodwork in the second half, but a composed Sunderland looked increasingly dangerous. It was typified by the imperious Clarke, who rounded off the scoring by nonchalantly rolling in from close range.
After their third successive win, Mowbray challenged “amazing” Clarke to keep working hard. He said: “I was extremely unhappy with him for half an hour. He was right in front of me and he wasn’t listening!
“He was amazing tonight. Scored two great goals, earned the penalty, he stuck it away, which shows the confidence level he’s got to stand up and take the penalty, and the composure for his second goal.
“But not just the goal. The more the game went on, the more this team knows to give it to Clarke who can run it 40 yards up the pitch, he can cut inside, pass it to people in the box, he can shoot.
“He’s a super talent, he’s a great kid and I don’t apologise for shouting at him and telling him he has to work hard because all the best players work harder than anybody else and their talent shines through.
“That’s what he has to do, to learn to work really hard out of possession for the team.”
Jon Dahl Tomasson felt Blackburn should have been “out of sight” in the first half.
He said: “We are very disappointed with the result. If you look at those chances we created, we should at least have scored three or four goals in the first half.
“Also, the way we created it and the amount of big chances, we should have been out of sight in that way. We saw some excellent football.
“I think we gave three unnecessary goals away. Of course, sometimes when you chase the game in the second half, it was a little bit more open. But we conceded a penalty and I think that’s the first time they were in our box. Then a corner just before half-time.
“Second half, I think we started well. Dominant again, created chances again. When you look at those amount of moments, it is crazy that we didn’t get a result.
“The team have done a lot of things right. Of course, we need to be more clinical.”
The Welshman’s second of the season – a sumptuous curling strike in the 28th minute – was the perfect response to a fast Rovers start that saw Callum Brittain and Sammie Szmodics both spurn chances to put the hosts ahead.
Swansea’s Jamie Paterson should have profited from a defensive lapse early in the second half but was denied by Leo Wahlstedt and they had to show their character to weather a late Rovers storm that saw substitute Harry Leonard twice miss glorious chances.
The visitors held on to win their third consecutive game on the road and climb up to 13th, a place and a point behind Blackburn who will rue the chances missed at either end of this encounter.
Rovers missed a gilt-edged opportunity in the first minute when Tyrhys Dolan’s left-wing cross fell perfectly to Brittain six yards out but he steered the ball beyond the post.
Their dominance continued and Szmodics almost finished off a well-worked corner but though his shot beat Carl Rushworth, Jamal Lowe brilliantly cleared off the line.
Swansea looked in danger of being overrun but Cullen flashed one wide from the right soon after, before Lowe twice had the ball in the net only to be denied both times by the offside flag.
There was no reprieve in the 28th minute though as Swansea moved the ball brilliantly to Cullen on the right who cut back on to his left foot before whipping a superb strike into the far corner from 20 yards.
The visitors had a further sight of goal just before the break when they worked the ball to Jerry Yates just outside the area but his shot did not have the power to trouble Wahlstedt.
Rovers made alterations at half-time and one of the substitutes, Andrew Moran, set Szmodics up in the 54th minute but he blazed over.
Swansea should have made doubled their advantage two minutes later when Scott Wharton gifted the ball to Paterson on the edge of his own area but Wahlstedt produced a stunning save with his outstretched leg to divert behind.
The hosts looked the more dangerous as the game wore on and Leonard’s run and cross found Szmodics whose first-time strike was well held by Rushworth.
Leonard missed an even better chance in the 75th minute when Adam Wharton’s pass set him clear but he hammered wide of the left post.
A frantic finish saw Harry Darling’s 82nd-minute header cleared by Harry Pickering, before Blackburn passed up another great opportunity when Leonard met James Hill’s 90th-minute cross perfectly only to power his header straight at the grateful Rushworth.
After a turbulent week that saw John Eustace replace Jon Dahl Tomasson as head coach, Blackburn put in an encouraging display, epitomised by scoring three goals in the first 37 minutes.
Dolan converted a seventh-minute opener from close range before Sammie Szmodics headed in his 22nd of the campaign 13 minutes later.
Dolan’s composed finish seemingly put the game beyond Stoke, but Niall Ennis marked his full debut after his deadline-day move from Blackburn by scoring his first for the club before half-time.
Daniel Johnson spurned a glorious chance early in the second half as his poor penalty was saved and, despite Stoke’s possession, Rovers’ defence deprived the visitors of any real opportunities to win their first league game since mid-December.
Steven Schumacher made eight changes for this clash but it made no difference in a woeful first half where the game was lost and Stoke are two places and three points above the drop zone after a fourth straight defeat.
Dolan gave the new era lift off in the seventh minute, but the architect was Callum Brittain whose sumptuous first-time cross put the chance on a plate for him to slot home from six yards at the far post, and Sam Gallagher went close to doubling the advantage in the 14th minute but slotted just wide.
Stoke failed to learn their lesson and were further behind in the 20th minute after Brittain was again given time to superbly cross and Ryan Hedges nodded across goal for Szmodics to thump his header into the roof of the net.
The away supporters were irate after Rovers scored a simple third in the 37th minute when a long ball was flicked on by Gallagher, sending Dolan racing clear on the right with just Daniel Iversen to beat and he made no mistake, burying his shot into the left corner.
Stoke had hope two minutes later when Bae Jun-ho’s flick-on found Ennis in the area and he showed excellent composure to step inside his man and find the left corner.
It gave the visitors some impetus and they carved out a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit further just after the break when Brittain hauled down Andre Vidigal in the area.
Johnson stepped up to take the penalty but Aynsley Pears guessed the right way and saved before Rovers cleared.
The visitors were in the ascendency and Ben Wilmot shot straight at Pears, but Blackburn displayed defensive solidity that has been missing to expertly see the game out.
The Hornets trailed for much of the game after Adam Wharton’s first goal this season – struck from a tight angle – put Blackburn ahead in the third minute.
In an increasingly open game, both sides had chances but both goalkeepers excelled, making important second-half saves.
The visitors finished strongly and clinically, as substitutes Mileta Rajovic and Rhys Healey both pounced on rebounds in the final 10 minutes to turn the game on its head and send the 1,183 travelling fans into delirium.
It’s three successive victories on the road for seventh-placed Watford, who are in striking distance of the play-offs and Ismael praised his substitutes and his side’s “ruthless” second-half showing but warned against a repeat of the “complacent” first half.
He said: “I think that the first half, we were too complacent, I think that this is what we have to learn.
“I said at half-time, I was loud with the players. If we think that 80 per cent will be enough to win a game in the Championship, we make a big mistake and we will have a lot of regrets.
“I said two things are positive from the first half. The first thing is we are not playing our level and the second thing is it’s only 1-0 so now we have enough time and the bench to have an impact, so the second half we show another mentality and desire to make sure we do the right thing.
“It was a positive sign that it wasn’t our best game but we win those games now. Ruthless.
“It’s a good feeling that the boys again showed a big mentality. But the win is with a big warning to make sure we are always 100 per cent to get our rewards.
“When you know you have the strength, the physicality to go through the 90 minutes, and when you know you have the bench, it gives us the strength to stay calm.”
Blackburn head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson was aggrieved that Arnor Sigurdsson had a goal disallowed midway through the second half after Harry Leonard was penalised for fouling Ben Hamer in the build-up, and said the result was “cruel”.
He said: “It’s a hard result to take of course. It’s unbelievable that we are standing here with nothing actually.
“I think we dominated the game for the first 70 minutes, played some excellent football.
“The only criticism which we can have is of course we didn’t kill of the game with the chances we had in both halves.
“And of course, probably the biggest moment of the game is where the goalie for the opponent dropped the ball and (the referee) disallowed the goal.
“That’s a big moment isn’t it? 2-0 up after 70 minutes, I think, then normally you win it. He dropped the ball. The keeper never had control over the ball.
“But disappointed to stand here without the win for sure. I think it was an excellent performance from our players.
“But football can be cruel. It can be extremely cruel.”
