The opening game of the 2014/15 Football League season ended all square as Blackburn Rovers were held at Ewood Park by recently relegated Cardiff City. The away side took the lead thanks to the grand presence of Kenwyne Jones before man of the match Tom Cairney fired home before the break. Both sides seemed happy with the stalemate at the final whistle.The two teams have ambitious plans about this season in a quality filled Championship, and they both showed in spells why they are both considered teams to push for a return to the Premier League.
Cardiff's bright start was spearheaded by their prolific centre forward, Jones who came close from a deadly Peter Whittingham corner kick. That header was denied by Paul Robinson, but the former England stopper could not save Jones's next chance, as another Whittingham free kick was flicked on and then headed over Robinson into the back of the net.
Cardiff continued to control proceedings thanks to three hard working midfielders who snuffed out the creators, Cairney, Conway and Lowe, who in turn could not feed Rudy Gestede and an unusually quiet Jordan Rhodes.
Jones should have done better from just inside the area when he was fed through by Nicky Maynard.
The turning point came on 39 minutes when Whittingham was pick-pocketed by Rhodes who fed Cairney to fire home left footed behind the outstretched arm of David Marshall.
Blackburn dominated the rest of the first half and continued that to start the second period, but they could not create the chance to make that dominance count.
Markuss Olsson and Craig Conway were both dangerous down the left in the second 45 minutes for Blackburn but despite several good deliveries they never troubled Marshall in goal.
Adam Le Fondre failed to make an impact on his competitive debut for Cardiff, playing down the right.
Both teams have players to come back into the first team, which will certainly improve their chances at promotion, which will require a deep squad rotation in the notoriously tight division.
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