John Eustace was left frustrated by Blackburn Rovers’ lack of clinical edge which proved costly as they lost to Hull City.
Ryan Longman condemned Rovers to defeat at Ewood Park in their final game of 2024. That was the sucker-punch everyone feared after big chances came and went for the home side.
Todd Cantwell and Owen Beck spurned the best of those opportunities, steering wide and over the goal from close range. Rovers then left Longman unmarked at the back post and he scored to earn the away side victory.
“It was a very disappointing result, obviously, it was a difficult game,” Eustace said.
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“We created a couple of big chances and we had to be clinical. It was never going to be pretty and we need to defend the box better in the second half.
“Everyone is very disappointed to lose the game. Overall, the lads kept going, the attitude was good but we have to move on to the next one.
“The effort the lads put in a few days ago was excellent and to go again is always a big ask but it was the same for both teams.
“We created two or three golden chances which we had to put away and we didn’t. Hull are a very good team with some good individuals and if you don’t defend the box properly, as we didn’t, they’ll score.
“Hull set up very well, they’re difficult to play again as we knew they would be. They limited our chances but we picked a team to be more direct.
“Maybe it didn’t work out as much as we wanted but we still had a few chances to score. Both teams looked a bit nervous on the pitch but that might be playing a couple of days after big games.”
Rovers still end the calendar year in the Championship play-offs and with plenty of positives for the second half of the season.
It is obvious where they need strengthening in January and this was the perfect encapsulation of that in this game. If they’d taken one of their chances, they could’ve turned an average performance into three points and instead left with nothing to show for their effort.
Eustace reiterated that is the nature of this division, which can be so up and down week on week. He’s therefore hoping for a reaction in a big week ahead against Leeds United and Burnley.
“It is a different game if we score but that is the Championship, everyone could say that every week, if only that had happened,” he admitted.
“It’s important not to be too disappointed. The boys have been fantastic this year and we go into 2025 in the top six which is very exciting.
“They work so hard for each other and the team, the club. They’re fantastic to work with and they have a togetherness. Today wasn’t our day, if we’d been more clinical, we could’ve had at least a point.
“We don’t want to lose the game but that’s the Championship and you can’t get carried away with highs or lows.”
