Stoke City 3-2 Blackburn Rovers: Ki-Jana Hoever double sparks Potters win against promotion hopefuls

Blackburn Rovers’ hopes of computerized promotion from the Championship took a success as Stoke Metropolis made it eight objectives in two video games to safe back-to-back wins for under the second time this season.

On-loan Ki-Jana Hoever’s first-half double, supplemented by Tyrese Campbell’s second-half strike, seemed to have comfortably secured all three factors.

However Blackburn substitute Ben Brereton Diaz headed house within the 86th minute, Sam Gallagher headed one other 4 minutes later – and the frantic Stoke supporters then needed to survive 5 minutes of added time earlier than being certain of all three factors.

Rovers stay fourth within the desk, 9 factors behind Sheffield United in second, when victory would have taken them third earlier than the remainder of the weekend’s programme.

Stoke had already wasted one nice probability earlier than they scored, when Will Smallbone smacked a ferocious angled right-foot shot towards the bar from 12 yards after being performed in by Campbell.

However, on 24 minutes, Dwight Gayle whipped in a helpful cross from the left – and an unmarked Hoever arrived on the far publish to attain along with his proper foot.

Stoke may then have had a penalty when Smallbone was upended within the field by Dom Hyam. However, having survived that, Rovers didn’t maintain out for for much longer.

When Smallbone’s low shot was saved by Aynsley Pears, and Rovers did not clear their strains sufficiently, Josh Laurent curled a dipping right-foot cross in from the left and Hoever stole in behind the dozing Tyrhys Dolan to go house.

Stoke’s two-goal half-time lead ought to have been supplemented when the Potters ripped open the Rovers defence down the left and, when the ball cannoned again into his path off Hayden Carter, Smallbone lashed a left-foot shot over.

However Stoke, who had solely beforehand gained successive league video games this season again in October, appeared to have made the sport secure when Laurent barged and weaved his method by lamentable defending down the left to arrange Campbell’s low left-foot end.

Rovers bought one again when Brereton Diaz headed house fellow substitute Callum Brittain’s cross, which appeared too little, too late.

Nevertheless it turned panic stations within the Potteries when Gallagher headed within the far publish. And, though there was delight at ending Rovers’ four-game profitable run within the league, there was greater than a bit reduction too.