Callum Brittain’s first goal for Blackburn earned his side a third straight win in the Championship as they came from behind to defeat managerless Millwall 2-1 at The Den.

It certainly was not the finish of a man who had not previously struck since signing from Barnsley last year, but it enabled Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team to seal the points.

This was Millwall’s first home game since the departure of Gary Rowett six days ago, and his former charges are now winless in three.

They were, however, ahead in only the third minute when Jake Cooper kept alive Joe Bryan’s free-kick, allowing Wes Harding to get in a fairly tame header on goal.

It was one that Blackburn goalkeeper Leopold Wahlstedt somehow allowed to run in through his legs and give Harding his first Lions goal since his summer move from Rotherham.

Another goalkeeping clanger then gifted the visitors an equaliser after 22 minutes when Joe Rankin-Costello played a one-two with Brittain before his shot squirmed under Bartosz Bialkowski and trickled in.

Rovers almost completed the turnaround just after the half-hour when Dominic Hyam’s ball across was flicked goalwards by Harry Pickering, but Bialkowski this time got down to save.

Blackburn looked the more likely to move ahead in the remainder of the half, but the two teams went into the break level in the score and level when it came to errors by the men between the sticks.

Parity was broken six minutes into the second half when James Hill’s pass put Brittain into space and he was able to advance into the area before bending a superb finish into the top corner to put the visitors ahead.

Millwall responded well, however, and were almost level within three minutes as Tom Bradshaw’s header needed to be pushed over the bar by Wahlstedt.

Blackburn then should have moved further in front in the 59th minute when substitute Andrew Moran was put through by Rankin-Costello, only to be denied by Bialkowski, who then clawed away Sammie Szmodics’ header moments later.

Still in the hunt, the Lions again came close to equalising when Romain Esse’s chipped ball into the box was flicked wide by Cooper’s head.

Then from George Honeyman’s corner, Bradshaw flicked the ball on, but the sliding Harding was unable to turn it home at the back post.

Bialkowski then continued to keep the hosts alive, when he did brilliantly to tip Szmodics’ effort onto the bar after Blackburn’s top scorer had been teed up by Tyrhys Dolan, but Brittain’s super strike was enough to claim the points.

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson lauded keeper Leo Wahlstedt for the “top-class save” that earned his team their first back-to-back Championship wins of the season following a 1-0 home triumph over Cardiff.

The 24-year-old, who won his first senior cap for Sweden earlier this year, got his right glove to a powerful drive from Bluebirds substitute Ollie Tanner in the game’s dying embers.

It was a big moment for the 6ft 3in keeper, who was starting only his fourth EFL fixture following a summer move from Norwegian outfit Odd Grenland, as his heroics ensured Joe Rankin-Costello’s 53rd-minute strike bagged all three points.

An impressed Tomasson said: “Leo made a brilliant save late on to make sure we won the game. It can be quite difficult as a keeper when your team are in control, then suddenly you’re facing a shot, but it was a top-class save and it was a brilliant win against a very good Cardiff side, who are tough to play against.

“It can be difficult after an international break to get started again, but we had an excellent win before it at QPR and backed that up in front of our own fans. The back-to-back wins should give us confidence, as should consecutive clean sheets.

“We have been giving unnecessary chances away before and, if you do that with the opponents you come up against in this league, they can score goals against you. It wasn’t the best game we have played and we were a little bit slow on the ball.

“We needed to go forward with a bit more speed but we spoke at half-time about getting runs in behind them, so it was really pleasing to see how we scored our goal. The boys also had to dig in to win, but we could have scored more goals because I thought we had five good chances and it was a well-deserved win.”

Cardiff had earlier seen Dimitrios Goutas’ first-half header ruled out as Karlan Grant was stood in an offside position and deemed to be obstructing Wahlstedt’s view of the ball.

Whether Wahlstedt would have got anywhere near the powerful effort was highly debatable but away manager Erol Bulut agreed with Tomasson that it was the right decision.

His only argument was why it took the officials so long to chalk it off.

The Cardiff chief said: “I spoke with the referee after the game and all the officials said it was offside, but the linesman did not seem to know that at the time. I think, for him, it was a clear goal because why did it take him 30 seconds to put his flag up?

“But, after the game, I watched it back and he was offside. It was just a bit strange how they got to that decision.”

Bulut was more displeased with the manner in which his side defended for Rankin-Costello’s decisive strike.

“It was a game between two teams that didn’t create many chances and always looked like one in which the first side that scored would go on to win,” he said.

“We had more shots on goal than they did, but they scored from a small mistake by us, which was down to our concentration and communication not being good enough down the middle of the pitch.

“We have to be more focussed, sharp and aggressive in those situations and areas of the pitch. In the last 20 minutes, we tried hard to score, but it wasn’t enough.”

Joe Rankin-Costello’s first goal of the season earned Blackburn a 1-0 home victory over Cardiff.

The midfielder’s second-half strike – Rovers’ only on-target attempt of the afternoon – condemned the Bluebirds to a third straight defeat on the road.

It also meant the Welsh club are now without a win on their last nine trips to Ewood Park, stretching back to December 2012 when Craig Bellamy was on target for the visitors in a 4-1 triumph.

During the early stages, Blackburn dominated possession without penetrating the visitors’ backline while Josh Bowler shot just wide from the edge of the box following Ike Ugbo’s lay-off at the other end.

After Joe Ralls also called home keeper Leo Wahlstedt into action from 20 yards, the Blackburn faithful urged their team to show more forward momentum and, at the first-half’s midway point, Arnor Sigurdsson volleyed wide of the far post after Callum Brittain’s cross from close to the corner flag.

Moments later, Sammie Szmodics lifted a shot over from just outside the penalty area after effective harassing by Sondre Tronstad and Rankin-Costello turned another Brittain centre from the right wide of the near post.

Cardiff thought they had taken the lead in the 35th minute when Dimitrios Goutas met Ralls’ corner with a thumping header but the effort was ruled out due to Karlan Grant standing in an offside position and blocking Wahlstedt’s sight line.

Following that let-off, Szmodics found the side-netting from an acute angle and Tyrhys Dolan prodded wide with the last kick of the half following a rapid counter attack started by Dominic Hyam’s brilliant recovery tackle on Ugbo and built upon by Sigurdsson’s positive raid down the left.

After the break, Goutas again climbed highest to meet another corner – this time delivered by Ryan Wintle – only to clear the crossbar.

Rovers then forged ahead in the 53rd minute after Hayden Carter’s forward pass picked out Dolan.

With the Bluebirds’ defence standing off him, Dolan chested the ball before turning and picking out Rankin-Costello’s run in behind Mark McGuinness.

The Ewood Park Academy graduate went on to keep his composure to find the net from 15 yards despite Jak Alnwick getting a glove to his effort.

Rankin-Costello was subsequently denied a second in the 67th minute by Perry Ng’s brilliant sliding challenge as he bore down on the away goal and pulled back his right leg to shoot.

For Cardiff, sub Callum Robinson tried his luck from distance but Wahlstedt safely gathered his hopeful drive.

But the Republic of Ireland international should have then done better when he pulled a 12-yard chance wide after good probing down the left by Ng and Wahlstedt went on to make a superb save to push Ollie Tanner’s diagonal drive wide of his far upright and safeguard the three points.

Gareth Ainsworth insisted he can turn things around at QPR after a 4-0 defeat at home to Blackburn increased the pressure on him.

Ainsworth is determined to stay on as boss but his future looks uncertain after another dire performance.

Rangers have won just once at Loftus Road since last October and an 11th home game without a win set a new club record.

They almost went down under Ainsworth last season and are currently third from bottom in the Championship, having so far justified being one of the favourites for relegation this term.

But Ainsworth declared: “I’m a fighter and a scrapper. I’ll get this team out of this, no problem – I’ll get this team higher in the league. I’m going to work really hard to get out of this.

“For some reason it’s not clicking at the moment. I’ve got to work really hard on the training ground and I will do that.

“I believe we’ve got a better squad than when I first came. It didn’t show today, but I’m super-confident we’ll get points.

“I can stand in the mirror and know I give my best. If that’s not good enough then I’ll be told. But at the moment I intend to keep going and make myself and these players better.”

Ainsworth was a popular figure among R’s fans during a seven-year spell as a player at the club, but he has faced criticism for his direct style of play and the home crowd made their discontent clear during the game and after the final whistle.

Ainsworth said: “I understand the criticism totally. And if that criticism stays with me and away from the players, then give it to me. I can take it.

“I’ll give my all. I’ll give absolutely everything until somebody tells me not to.

“I’m really pleased with the application of some of the young players here. I think we’ve got a good future.

“But in the present, we’ve got to get points on the board, otherwise we’ll be in a relegation battle.

“That wasn’t good enough and I know it. I apologise to the fans. I’m not saying that was an acceptable performance.”

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson said he never doubted his side despite them losing four matches in a row prior to their emphatic victory.

The Dane said: “Sometimes players can lose confidence, but they stuck to the plan.

“We’ve been playing good stuff, there have been a lot of positive things, and it’s great to have a win before the international break.

“I’m just sticking to the plan and the progress with this young team. We’ve played some great football and normally if you do the right things you will get wins.

“There’s maybe been a bit of noise, but if you keep playing you will get results.”

Arnor Sigurdsson scored twice and there were also goals for Tyrhys Dolan and Sammie Szmodics in a thumping win for Rovers, who were the better team throughout.

Tomasson said: “I’m thrilled with the result and the performance. Going away in the Championship and winning is not easy. It’s a brilliant result.

“We probably didn’t play our best game today but the connection was better and we scored goals.

“We also kept QPR from getting big chances. We were solid, which was important, and the goals were great.

“Scoring the goals was important and credit to the lads – this was a deserved victory.”

Arnor Sigurdsson scored twice as Blackburn thrashed QPR 4-0 to increase the pressure on R’s boss Gareth Ainsworth.

Tyrhys Dolan and Sammie Szmodics also netted in a thumping away victory for Rovers, who had lost their previous four league matches.

Ainsworth’s future as Rangers boss is in doubt after another diabolical performance at Loftus Road, where the west London side have won just once since last October and have lost five of their six home matches so far this season.

The R’s are in the bottom three, have gone six games without a win, and look both defensively vulnerable and devoid of attacking ideas.

They almost went down under Ainsworth last season and have so far fully justified being among the favourites for relegation this term.

Blackburn took control of the game by punishing woeful QPR defending to score twice in the space of four minutes midway through the first half.

The opener came on 19 minutes, when Joe Rankin-Costello drifted away from Jack Colback to collect Dilan Markanday’s pass and pull the ball back from the right for Dolan to score his first goal of the season.

Rangers were carved open again soon afterwards, with Markanday once more involved in the build-up on the right-hand side.

This time Szmodics was found by Markanday and laid the ball across to Sigurdsson, who got in front of Ziyad Larkeche to apply the finish.

Rangers had made a decent start, with Sinclair Armstrong bringing a near-post save from keeper Leopold Wahlstedt after combining with Ilias Chair, before Wahlstedt gathered Lyndon Dykes’ header from Larkeche’s right-wing corner.

After finding themselves two down, the hosts tried in vain to reduce the deficit before the interval, with Andre Dozzell seeing a shot saved by Wahlstedt shortly before crossing for Dykes, who headed wide.

Any realistic chance of a Rangers comeback evaporated when Sigurdsson struck again after 59 minutes, collecting Dolan’s pass near the left of the penalty area and curling a low shot beyond keeper Asmir Begovic and into the far corner of the net.

Andy Moran should have made it four but missed the target from close range after Begovic had parried Szmodics’ shot.

But Szmodics added the fourth in the 66th minute following an error by Larkeche.

Left-back Larkeche, operating as a makeshift right-back in place of the dropped Osman Kakay, made a mess of an attempted clearance and presented the ball straight to Szmodics, who calmly slotted past Begovic.

Mark Robins praised his brave Coventry side after they earned a narrow 1-0 victory over Blackburn at the CBS Arena.

Record signing Haji Wright nodded in on 85 minutes after Yasin Ayari’s effort had rebounded off the crossbar.

The Sky Blues had already hit the woodwork twice through Matty Godden and Bobby Thomas, while James Hill’s thunderous effort came back off the woodwork in the first half for Blackburn.

It meant back-to-back wins for the first time this season for Coventry, who beat QPR 3-1 at the weekend thanks to a brace from Ellis Simms.

“We started the brighter of the teams, had loads of energy, tried to execute what we wanted to do and did it pretty successfully to start with,” explained Robins.

“They got control in the second half of the first half and had a lot of possession and they can do that to you.

“You’ve got to be brave, work really hard to try and play through them and if you can do that and the first pass is a really good pass, then you can take out the majority of the team.

“With the pace of Ellis and Haji you can cause them problems and it looked that way. We had the spell in the second half when we created a lot more chances.

“The header is a brilliant header from Haji and he gets a lot of power on it and just waits for the right moment and the timing is perfect.

“It gives us a lead, having conceded a goal at the other end I thought he was going to give. Ben Wilson has got the ball in both hands and he has kicked the ball out of his hands by Moran.

“They are a good side and they will probably get fed up of hearing it, because they have played some really good teams now.

“I think they are a really good team and we’ve done really well to get the three points. Back-to-back wins for the first time this season which is really welcome.”

Blackburn head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson was defiant after his Rovers side suffered a fourth loss on the bounce, as well as seeing a goal disallowed when Andrew Moran was adjudged to have kicked the ball out of Ben Wilson’s hands before tapping in.

“Disappointed with the result of course, I actually saw a really good team, great spirit and togetherness against a good opponent in an away game,” said the Dane.

“I think we were quite solid in everything we did with the ball, without the ball, we created chances and we had big moments where we probably should have done better.

“We need to be more clinical in the box to get results but I think the boys have played an excellent game so if we keep on doing this then we will get some results.

“From my distance it was a strange situation wasn’t it? The referee had no clue if it was a goal or not, the linesman did nothing and after a short chat suddenly it was a free kick.

“I haven’t seen it back, then after that we have an extremely big moment, maybe one or two against one with the goalkeeper, then we are leading 1-0, but a good performance from my players for sure.

“We are doing a lot of good things, we have been giving too easy goals away, I think we were quite solid today mostly and we have created plenty of goal chances to win games, but of course we need to score.”

Haji Wright headed a late winner as Coventry made it consecutive wins with a 1-0 victory over Blackburn.

The Sky Blues had hit the crossbar three times on the night, firstly through Matty Godden and Bobby Thomas, before Yasin Ayari’s effort rebounded off the woodwork only for Wright to nod home five minutes from time.

The American’s second Sky Blues goal since his summer arrival from Antalyaspor condemned Rovers to their fourth straight defeat, with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men having conceded 12 in the process.

Rovers hit the crossbar themselves in the first half through on-loan Bournemouth defender James Hill, while Sammie Szmodics saw an early effort curl wide of Ben Wilson’s goal after good work from Tyrhys Dolan.

Mark Robins’ Sky Blues pipped their visitors to a play-off place by one point last season, but the two came into the clash languishing in 14th and 18th in the league table after slow starts to the campaign.

Hill went closest in a subdued first half when he crashed his thunderous effort against the crossbar, in what would have been a memorable way to mark the 21-year-old’s first league start for Rovers.

Ellis Simms had opened his Sky Blues account with a brace against QPR in a welcome 3-1 win for Coventry at the weekend, but was kept quiet by the Rovers back-line which included former Sky Blue Dominic Hyam.

Injury-plagued Coventry skipper Liam Kelly hobbled off 25 minutes into the contest and was replaced by Brighton loanee Ayari, who could have opened the scoring immediately for the hosts.

He was picked out in acres of space in the box by Jay Dasilva, but scuffed his effort.

Coventry rattled the crossbar for the first time merely 30 seconds after the restart when Sweden international Ayari cut back for Godden, but the Sky Blues’ top scorer could only lift his effort against the woodwork from close range.

Blackburn had the ball in the net shortly after as Brighton loanee Andrew Moran celebrated what would have been his first career goal to a chorus of boos from the home crowd.

However, after consulting his assistant, referee Jeremy Simpson deemed Moran had fouled goalkeeper Wilson by kicking the ball out of his hands and tapping home, keeping things all square.

The goal in front of the traveling support was living a charmed life as Thomas was next to hit the woodwork, latching onto an out-swinging corner and firing his effort against Leopold Wahlstedt’s crossbar.

Substitute Arnor Sigurdsson should have ended Coventry’s unbeaten home record when he found himself through on goal with two for company, but his tame effort was straight at the chest of the Sky Blues stopper.

But on 85 minutes Coventry got the luck they felt they had deserved.

Ayari’s effort rebounded off the crossbar before the Sky Blues’ record signing nodded home to secure Coventry’s second home win of the season.

Leicester manager Enzo Maresca described the 4-1 win at Blackburn as his side’s “most important” this season.

The Foxes returned to the Championship summit after a hard-fought victory, during which Maresca’s men were given a stern examination from their high-pressing opponents.

Wout Faes headed Leicester into a fourth-minute lead but Blackburn’s pressing yielded rewards five minutes later as they forced a mistake that Sammie Szmodics punished from close range.

Jamie Vardy’s clinical finish restored the lead and the Foxes pulled away from Blackburn late on, as Kelechi Iheanacho’s penalty and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s exquisite strike put the gloss on an impressive performance to move Leicester two points clear at the top following a fifth consecutive away league win.

Maresca praised Blackburn’s style of play and his side’s “personality”.

He said: “Probably the most important win today since we started. I was a bit worried because of the opponent.

“They are very good, probably in terms of the way they play, the best team we have played to date.

“A complicated opponent because sometimes the winger is outside, sometimes inside, full back sometimes outside, inside. It’s difficult to have a game plan off the ball, the way you want to press because they move a lot.

“As I said, probably the best win since we started. Probably, off the ball the last half an hour, we were much better.

“The first 10 minutes of the second half, we dropped, then we started again in the way we prepared the game. On the ball, we had some good moments, but probably the goal we conceded, we lost a bit of confidence. We need to learn and keep it going.

“Very happy for the personality we showed.”

Jon Dahl Tomasson felt the result was harsh on Blackburn, but lamented conceding “soft goals”.

He said: “We are extremely disappointed with the result. It doesn’t reflect the game. We knew it was going to be tough against a Premier League side with a lot of good players.

“I think we caused them plenty of problems in the first half, with great football, great movement, rotations. We gave two soft goals away in the first half.

“Second half, we were in the game, on top of the opponent when we got a big chance to score a goal. I think they only had four shots on target.

“Then in the end with the penalty of course, which by the way I think it’s a very soft penalty. You can give it, but you’d give 10 penalties in each game.

“Then the game was over. It is tough with the result. Great effort from the lads but of course gave some unnecessary goals away. We’re learning on the job.”

Leicester returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with an impressive 4-1 win at Blackburn.

In the first ever meeting between two former Premier League winners in the second tier, it was Enzo Maresca’s pace-setters who prevailed.

Wout Faes gave the Foxes an early lead and although they were soon pegged back through Rovers’ top scorer Sammie Szmodics, Jamie Vardy restored the lead before half-time with a powerful finish for his fourth of the season.

Their passing style eventually wore down Blackburn and they made the game safe with two goals in the final 10 minutes, with Kelechi Iheanacho converting an 82nd-minute penalty before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s clever finish six minutes later capped a superb afternoon for the visitors who have won eight of their nine league games.

Rovers dropped to 18th after a fourth defeat in five.

Leicester were quickly into their stride and went ahead in the fourth minute when Abdul Fatawu swung a cross to the far post and Faes outjumped his marker to power a header into the bottom-right corner.

But Blackburn’s high press caught them cold five minutes later when Mads Hermansen’s pass was intercepted by Lewis Travis and the ball found Szmodics who stepped inside Ricardo Pereira before slamming his sixth of the season into the bottom corner.

Leicester struggled to find any rhythm, but Vardy was close to spectacularly regaining the lead when he controlled and let fly with a ferocious shot that clipped the top of the bar.

He made no mistake with a ruthless 28th-minute finish though, as he brilliantly controlled Wilfred Ndidi’s first-time cross from the right before hammering a left-foot strike into the roof of the net.

Although Rovers continued to look a threat, Leicester almost struck a third on the break but Dewsbury-Hall found the side-netting just before the break.

After a positive start to the second half, Blackburn nearly conceded a third when Vardy rounded the goalkeeper and squared to Ndidi but Harry Pickering heroically blocked his shot.

The hosts’ best chance came with 14 minutes to go when Tyrhys Dolan was set free down the left and his pass found Travis whose powerful low drive was brilliantly saved by Hermansen before Jannik Vestergaard blocked Szmodics’ rebound.

It proved crucial as Hayden Carter’s tug on Vestergaard’s shirt in the box gave the Foxes a chance to put the game to bed in the 82nd minute and Iheanacho made no mistake from the spot, slotting his penalty into the left corner with ease.

Dewsbury-Hall added a sumptuous fourth with two minutes remaining, latching onto Yunus Akgun’s pass before beautifully lifting over substitute goalkeeper Leo Wahlstedt from a narrow angle.

Jon Dahl Tomasson praised “intelligent” Andrew Moran after the 19-year-old loanee netted his first goals in English football to help Blackburn beat Cardiff 5-2 in the Carabao Cup third round.

The Irishman, on loan from Brighton, lit up a pulsating encounter that started with Jake Garrett’s third cup goal of the season giving Rovers the lead before Callum Robinson’s piledriver levelled matters.

Moran’s influence began when setting up Arnor Sigurdsson to score for the second consecutive game before Kion Etete’s turn and finish brought Cardiff a second equaliser.

Rovers pulled away in the second half with Moran confidently slotting home in the 49th minute before winning a penalty that Runar Alex Runarsson saved to deny Sigurdsson.

Moran curled in a brilliant fourth before setting up Dilan Markanday to stroke home the fifth.

Blackburn boss Tomasson said: “(Moran is) a great player, first of all.

“He scores goals, he can give assists.

“He’s intelligent, his flair on the ball is extremely good, to carry the ball, he’s good to play one or two touches. He works hard for the team.

“A young boy, young man, who is also very driven. He wants to become better, he is very ambitious. So we are very pleased with Andy.”

On his team’s display, Tomasson added: “Great result, great performance. Some of the attacking football we saw today was exceptional, on a high level.

“We scored five great goals. Probably could have had 10. Great to see some of the players who haven’t played that much getting opportunities to get minutes as well. We don’t have the biggest squad so we need everybody up to speed so it was great to see that performance.

“It must be a blow when you concede a goal just before half time. The players dealt with the second half really well, adjusting from conceding that late and showed some exceptional football.”

Cardiff changed their entire starting XI and it showed. But Erol Bulut admitted his priorities lie with the league.

He said: “I said before, in the cup we will try to continue so far as we can. Today was the end for us against a good Blackburn team. They played much, much better than us.

“We were not concentrated enough, not focused enough.

“For me and the club the priority is the league, so that’s why we didn’t bring many players with us.

“But at least we saw today which players we can use in our main team. Today it was only a few, not enough, not as many as I was expecting. But there were a few who can help us in the league.”

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna praised the “quality” and “spirit” of his team after a thrilling 4-3 victory over Blackburn at Portman Road.

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.”

Australian midfielder Massimo Luongo struck a late winner as Ipswich recorded a 4-3 victory over Blackburn in a pulsating game at Portman Road.

The result elevated Town to second place and they have now won 19 of their last 22 matches in league football, amassing a total of 59 points in the process.

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 made it seven wins from eight league games this season for Town.

Clarke smashed a shot into the top corner in the fourth minute to open the scoring for Ipswich.

Referee Keith Stroud then turned down a penalty appeal for Rovers when Harry Leonard fell in the area following a challenge from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.

The visitors hit back when Sigurdsson played a neat one-two with Lewis Travis and slipped the ball past Hladky in the ninth minute.

Ipswich restored their lead in the 18th minute as Broadhead picked up the ball from just outside the penalty area and rifled a shot past Aynsley Pears.

Hirst put the Tractor Boys further ahead seven minutes later when Cameron Burgess played a pin-point ball for the striker to race through to toe-poke the ball past the on-rushing Pears.

In the final moments of the half, Broadhead struck the base of the post with a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Hladky spread himself to deny Rovers substitute Andrew Moran but Rovers pulled a goal back when Clarke diverted the ball into his own net under pressure from Leonard.

Hladky came to Town’s rescue when he palmed away a header from Leonard but he was helpless when Szmodics scored the equalising goal for Blackburn in the 65th minute when he beat Burgess on the edge of the box to fire the ball into the back of the net.

However, Ipswich grabbed the winner in the 79th minute when Luongo bought the ball down on his chest to volley home and send the majority of the 28,792 crowd into sheer delight.

Tony Mowbray praised “super talent” Jack Clarke after his double helped Sunderland to a 3-1 victory at Blackburn.

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.”

Jack Clarke scored twice as Sunderland moved up to fourth in the Sky Bet Championship with an impressive 3-1 win at Blackburn.

The Black Cats had to weather a ferocious early Blackburn storm, but took the lead with their first shot as Clarke won and converted a 28th-minute penalty. Harry Leonard’s header drew Rovers level, but Dan Neil struck his second goal of the season in added time to give the visitors a half-time lead.

Dilan Markanday struck the post for Blackburn, but Sunderland were much more composed than the first half and in Clarke, boasted the game’s supreme performer. He duly made the game safe 12 minutes from time, superbly creating the chance to score his fifth of the season from close range.

It capped a happy return to Ewood Park for former manager Tony Mowbray, whose side made it three successive victories.

Blackburn raced out of the traps and were close to a spectacular opener when Leonard’s volley from a narrow angle sailed just over.

They should have been ahead in the ninth minute when Anthony Patterson saved from Sammie Szmodics and the rebound fell to Andrew Moran six yards out, but Dan Ballard produced a sensational block to deny Rovers a certain goal.

The defender repeated the trick three minutes later when he headed over a Szmodics goalbound effort as Blackburn’s onslaught continued.

Somehow, it was the Black Cats who took the lead in the 28th minute after Clarke nipped in ahead of Ryan Hedges as he tried to clear the ball and he kicked the Sunderland man instead.

Clarke picked himself up and calmly slotted his penalty straight down the middle of goal.

Rovers deservedly drew level seven minutes later when Callum Brittain’s sumptuous cross was headed beyond Patterson by Leonard at the back post. Ballard was off the pitch for the goal that looked offside, leading to Tony Mowbray being booked for his protests.

But the visitors regrouped and went ahead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when a corner fell to Neil, who took a touch before firing a low left-foot drive beyond Pears into the bottom corner.

Patterson tipped a Lewis Travis effort behind after the restart before the imperious Clarke set up a chance for Mason Burstow to shoot straight at Aynsley Pears.

Substitute Markanday was inches away from an equaliser in the 70th minute when he did well to engineer space in the box before curling for the far corner, but his effort hit the post and fell safe.

It was fitting that Clarke sealed the three points for Sunderland in the 78th minute, effortlessly cutting in from the left past three defenders and Pears before casually rolling into the bottom corner.

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was pleased to lay on the entertainment in front of a gathering of former Ewood Park favourites for the club’s 5,000th league game.

A total of 35 attempts on goal were shared by both teams as Sammie Szmodics’ brace secured a 2-1 triumph over bottom-of-the-table Middlesbrough.

Matt Crooks replied in an incredibly open game, but Tomasson insisted afterwards that he would “rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0” every week.

Former Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals for England, were among the luminaries paraded onto the pitch before kick-off and ex-Denmark striker Tomasson said: “It was good to see us win the club’s 5,000th game and to see all of the legends before the game.

“I hope they enjoyed it and all the fans did too. It was great to see that amount of chances and we should probably have been 3-0 up at half-time, so it was frustrating not to convert more of the opportunities.

“We then scored a difficult one early in the second half but Middlesbrough got one back, which I think the referee and his assistant will be disappointed by when they look back at it because
their player was totally alone three metres from goal and was offside.

“It was then a tough period for us.

“Their goal changed the momentum after all those chances we had missed, but we play football for the fans because they pay a lot of money and you have to give them something back, so I would rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0.”

Midfielder Szmodics’ brace took his tally for the season to four, with Tomasson confessing that such a haul is a boost after a summer in which Rovers lost attacking duo Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack.

He added: “Sammie went close to his first hat-trick in a Rovers shirt and he’s started this season on fire for us. That’s important because we haven’t got a proven goalscorer in the squad, so everybody needs to chip in.”

Boro more than played their part in an absorbing and pulsating contest, but have now collected just one point from their opening six games and, including last season’s two-legged play-off defeat to Coventry, have failed to win any of their last 11 league matches – a sequence that equals the club’s longest outside of top-flight football since January 1925.

Manager Michael Carrick insisted, though, that the mood in his squad remains “good”.

“The changing room was quiet after the game, but it’s not a horrible atmosphere by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “The mood is good.

“We’re not hiding from the fact that we need to get results, but there’s spirit and inner-belief in the group. It’s easy when people are telling me that I’m fantastic and the players that they are fantastic, but we knew a tough time would come at some point.

“Then, it’s how you deal with it and overcome it and, although this was an open game that probably suited them, I think we have controlled a lot of the other matches and it wouldn’t have taken much to tip the scales and turn the results in our favour.

“There were chances everywhere in this game and I thought we were right in it in the second half, but we are having to come back from setbacks too much at the moment.”