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.”
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