Valerien Ismael said 10-man Blackburn’s 1-1 draw with Norwich in his first game in charge “felt more like a win” after they snatched a leveller deep into stoppage time.
The majority of the game was even, yet well contested. But the first 85 minutes pale into insignificance in comparison to the breathless final five plus stoppage time.
After substitute Emmanuel Dennis was sent off for his second booking five minutes from time, the Canaries pounced and Ante Crnac’s sweetly struck first-time shot in the 90th minute – his sixth of the campaign – looked to have snatched the victory to propel Johannes Thorup’s side to the brink of the play-offs.
But Andi Weimann had the last laugh with a deft header with 96 on the clock to wrestle back a point.
Although Rovers dropped out of the top six due to results elsewhere, Ismael praised his side’s mentality and said the manner of the point felt like more.
He said: “It was a tough game for us with a strong opponent but we knew that. We were well organised and tried to go through the gameplan we had. I think until the red card, it was really good and we were on top, we had the momentum.
“The red card changed everything, it’s a new game. After that, I think it was tough for the players to concede the goal. But they showed again a great mentality. I think throughout the season, showed a really good, honest, hard-working group to believe in themselves and to make sure we give everything. As I say, a no-regret attitude and they made it today.
“We deserved a point but it feels like more a win because the boost and the mentality the players showed me they are ready to compete for the play-offs. We have to keep that going. When I talk about the no-regret attitude, it was exactly that – we finish the game and we can look at ourselves and say we gave everything.”
Norwich’s away form remains a barrier to their top six ambitions, having won two of 14.
Thorup felt his side did a lot right but said the way they tried to see the game out was “not acceptable.”
He said: “It’s more the approach in the last two, three minutes of the game which I’m frustrated about. I let the players know after the game it’s not acceptable because I think, up until the goal, we played such a professional game away from home.
“It’s a top-six team and we go here, we take the ball and we dominate and we try to open them, create the flow of the game, try to create the chances. We get ourselves in front at the end and then last two, three minutes, we dribble around and we lose the ball a couple of times instead of just passing the ball to the final whistle.
“I think there are so many decisions in the last two, three minutes that simply need to be better.
“There’s many good things to take from this performance. It’s a fantastic goal we score at the end, many good things in the way we are developing as a team. But down to the last two, three minutes, it’s not acceptable.
“Many good things to highlight. It’s just the end which annoys everyone.”
Jimmy Thelin praised Kevin Nisbet after his moment of magic lifted Aberdeen level on points with Hibernian in the battle for third place in the William Hill Premiership.The on-loan Millwall forward lobbed in a magnificent 80th-minute volley to secure a 1-0 win for the Dons and inflict a first league defeat since December 7 on Hibs, the club at which he spent three years between 2020 and 2023.It me...
Hearts head coach Neil Critchley insists he can handle the pressure despite another disappointing afternoon for his side as they fell to defeat against Dundee.The Jambos’ recent run of dismal form continued after Simon Murray’s strike seven minutes before half-time sealed a 1-0 win for the visitors at Tynecastle.They have now only managed one point from their last four William Hill Pre...
Simo Valakari admitted St Johnstone will probably need to be perfect for the remainder of the season to avoid relegation.Saints lost 3-2 to Motherwell in the first match since the league split and, with four games to play, remain six points adrift of second-bottom Ross County.Boss Valakari said: “We were in a difficult situation before the match and now we’re in an even more difficult ...
Don Cowie will let his Ross County players feel sorry for themselves following their damaging 2-0 defeat at Kilmarnock but wants them ready to fight for survival on Monday.In the first post-split fixture at Rugby Park, striker Bruce Anderson broke the deadlock with a back-post header and midfielder Liam Donnelly doubled the lead with a close-range strike.With four fixtures remaining, Kilmarnock mo...
Newport caretaker manager Dafyyd Williams rued what he called his side’s Achilles heel after they went down 2-0 to two set-pieces in League Two at Fleetwood.Williams took over for the final two games of the season following Nelson Jardim’s departure this week and was pleased by what he had seen in his two sessions on the training ground. But ongoing issues in defending set-pieces conti...
Millwall head coach Alex Neil could be forgiven for not caring about the manner of his side’s victory over Swansea as it kept their play-off hopes alive going into the final day of the season.With The Den even more raucous than usual, George Saville’s first goal in nearly 18 months earned the Lions three points that lifted them to within goal difference of sixth-placed Coventry in the ...
Jack Wilshere “loved” his first taste of management in interim charge of Norwich and feels ready to become head coach on a permanent basis.After stepping in this week following the sacking of Johannes Hoff Thorup, Wilshere guided the Canaries to a 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough in the Championship.It was a much-needed positive result for Norwich, who had lost three games on the bounce and w...
Simon Rusk acknowledged his Southampton players were “gutted” after they missed a golden opportunity to move beyond Derby’s record-low Premier League points total but backed them to bounce back from a stoppage-time loss to Fulham.Jack Stephens’ 14th-minute opener had already-relegated Saints on course for a first home league victory since November, but Emile Smith Rowe leve...
Interim manager Aaron Ramsey said he was “gutted” over Cardiff’s relegation from the Championship as the “miracle ending” he craved at his boyhood club turned to disaster.Ramsey, the Wales captain currently sidelined by injury, returned to his first club two summers ago after playing for Arsenal and Juventus and spoke about helping Cardiff back to the Premier League.B...
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca praised a “strong, nasty” display after his side took a significant step towards Champions League qualification with a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.Nicolas Jackson ended a four-month scoring drought to seal victory midway through the first half, but the result owed as much to goalkeeper Robert Sanchez who produced outstanding saves from Bet...
- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 3 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 4 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 5 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 6 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest
- 7 Conor Gallagher's girlfriend dazzles on red carpet as stars gather in Madrid
- 8 Liverpool join race to sign attacker Jeremy Monga
- 9 Ancelotti in Brazil job talks
- 10 Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta unsure if Mikel Merino will be fit enough for PSG game