News

Coyle’s Brighton Frustration

|
Image for Coyle’s Brighton Frustration

Blackburn’s defeat at Ewood Park on Tuesday saw us drop into the bottom three once again – visiting Brighton on the other hand temporarily moved above Newcastle to top the Championship.

Owen Coyle felt Blackburn started the game well enough but has spoken of his frustration following this 3-2 loss.

He’s quoted by rovers.co.uk as telling Radio Rovers.

‘There is no doubt there’s a sense of frustration tonight. We knew it was always going to be a difficult game but we started the game really well, were on the front foot.’

Having been on the front foot – as he said – then came the opening goal from returning former Blackburn defender Shane Duffy to put Brighton ahead. This was a goal Coyle felt was avoidable.

‘But then I felt a little bit aggrieved to go behind against the run of play from a corner that was avoidable. But then Gordon has allowed the run on him from Shane Duffy and it has found it’s way into the top corner.’

Between that opening goal and Dale Stephens adding a second on the hour Coyle went on to say he thought Blackburn had enough chances to level with Danny Graham denied by one save in particular from the visiting keeper.

A couple of goals down and we had it all to do. However, Sam Gallagher pulled one back and this left Coyle confident of getting something from the game.

‘So that left us with an awful lot to do at 2-0 and it would be easy for us to crumble and feel sorry for ourselves. But whilst weren’t fluent, we picked ourselves up and managed to find a way back into through young Sam Gallagher and were well set to go on and get something from the game.’

Well, until Gordon Greer was sent off against his former side to leave Rovers playing out the game with 10 men.

‘But Gordon Greer won’t need me to tell him that he’s made a very foolish decision in rushing in when he’s on a yellow card, so we find ourselves down to ten men against a team that is difficult enough when it is 11v11.’

Glenn Murray’s third wrapped up the points for Brighton despite an injury-time consolation from Gallagher. That spirit to keep going pleased the boss as did the Southampton loanees second strike – it was just too little too late in added time.

He pointed to the fact Rovers looked a threat against a Brighton side boasting the best defensive record around but concluded our own defensive lapses and the conceding of too many goals is hurting us.

‘We then concede a third that is avoidable, but the spirit we showed with ten men to keep going merited a second wonderful goal from Sam Gallagher. It is just a shame that it was too little, too late. We’ve shown that we’ve opened up the team with the best defensive record in the country, what we have to do is to stop conceding the goals that we are.’

Bloggers
Join The Vital Debate


Share this article

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *