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Edited by Deepak Mahay We used AI to assist with reporting on this page. In this instance, AI helped to summarise BBC radio journalists' commentary of this match. All posts were checked by a journalist before publishing. Birmingham 1-1 Stoke The match ends in a draw with Blackburn Rovers and Watford both scoring in the first half. Despite late pressure and opportunities for both sides, neither can find a decisive goal in the second half. Blackburn will be relieved to have avoided defeat, while Watford will be frustrated in their push for play-off contention. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Edo Kayembe receives a yellow card for bundling Moussa Baradji to the floor. Both teams have scrapped hard in this half, with Watford's chances not yielding goals. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Watford's cross from Bola reaches the back post where Quadro Baah gets a cross in, but Nestory Irankunda's shot is blocked. Watford fail to capitalise on the promising opportunity. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Blackburn Rovers win successive corners on the left side as Watford struggle to clear the pressure. The initial corner deceives both defence and attack lines, prompting another chance for Blackburn. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Watford make their second substitution, with Kwadwo Baah coming on for Luca Kjerrumgaard as they aim to freshen up their attacking options. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Simon Oxley BBC Three Counties Radio commentator Somehow he kept that out. It's a great save. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Egil Selvik makes a superb save to deny Yuki Ohashi's right-footed shot from the centre of the box, keeping the score level as Watford scramble to clear the danger. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Play is momentarily halted at Ewood Park due to an injury to Watford's Hector Kyprianou who took a knock on the arm and is receiving treatment. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Blackburn Rovers make a substitution with Aodhan Doherty coming on for Mathias Jorgensen as they aim to adjust their strategy in the closing stages of the match. Blackburn 1-1 Watford There's a sense of frustration for Blackburn as players like Mathias Jorgensen find themselves out of position and unable to make a mark in the game. This inconsistency in roles and lack of clear strategy is making it difficult to assess the true potential of the Blackburn squad. With 15 minutes remaining, the game remains tightly contested. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Watford make a change as Nestory Irankunda replaces Othmane Maamma. Maamma receives a good round of applause from the travelling fans after his performance on the right flank. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Blackburn Rovers make a triple substitution as Ryoya Morishita, Lewis Miller, and Adam Forshaw are replaced by Dion De Neve, Ryan Alebiosu, and Moussa Baradji. These changes bring fresh legs into the match as Blackburn look to build on their performance. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Giorgi Chakvetadze finds himself in a great position but fails to convert a promising chance, blasting over the bar after a good break down the right by Watford. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Tom Sandells BBC Radio Lancashire commentator It's a very, very tight angle, and the goalkeeper, to be fair. I think if the goalkeeper leaves it goes into the side netting to be honest. He tried to just catch him out and gets a corner out of it. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Todd Cantwell's attempt to catch the goalkeeper off guard results in a corner for Blackburn Rovers. Although it seemed he might have been aiming for a surprise shot, his effort wins a corner for his side. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Luca Kjerrumgaard misses an opportunity for Watford with a left-footed shot from the left side of the box following a fast break. He made space for himself but couldn't find the target, smashing it wide. Blackburn 1-1 Watford The second half has kicked off at Ewood Park. Blackburn Rovers and Watford are level at 1-1, with Watford looking to regain their early dominance and Blackburn seeking to maintain the improved confidence they showed late in the first half. Blackburn 1-1 Watford It's half-time at Ewood Park with the score level at Blackburn Rovers 1, Watford 1. The match started with Watford in control and Edo Kayembe's early goal gave them a deserved lead. Blackburn responded quickly with Lewis Miller's equaliser from a corner. Since then, Blackburn have been more confident, while Watford have struggled to regain their early momentum. Blackburn 1-1 Watford Hector Kyprianou receives a yellow card for a foul on Todd Cantwell. Blackburn Rovers win a free-kick on the left wing. Blackburn 1-1 Watford An additional three minutes will be played at the end of the first half following stoppages due to injury and substitutions. Lewis Miller (left) scored his second goal in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers since joining the club last summer Championship strugglers Blackburn Rovers fought back to earn a point against Watford, who lost ground on the Championship play-off places. Having dominated the opening stages, Edo Kayembe drove home to give Watford the lead, but just two minutes later Blackburn hit back courtesy of Lewis Miller. Substitute Giorgi Chakvetadze should have put the visitors back in front after the break when he was free at the back post, but he buried his effort from Othmane Maamma's cross high and wide. The hosts pushed for a late winner, first through Sondre Tronstad's blocked shot, Yuki Ohashi's saved effort from close range, and another close-range strike from Tronstad, but they could not find a way through for what would have been a valuable three points. Valerien Ismael's Blackburn are now level on points with 22nd-placed Portsmouth albeit having played two games more, while Watford hover outside the play-offs in eighth off the back of Wrexham's comeback win at Queens Park Rangers. The game took place at a mostly empty Ewood Park, as Blackburn's supporters began a boycott of home fixtures in protest against owners Venky's. Earlier in the week, Rovers told BBC Radio Lancashire that they urged supporters to "show unity" despite the strength of feeling against their position. For the home fans that were in attendance, it was a difficult opening 26 minutes as Watford played on the front foot, and took the lead through Kayembe's left-footed strike as a result of their seventh corner kick. Yet that lead did not last for long as Blackburn also prospered from a corner kick, this time as Todd Cantwell's swinging set-piece was met by the onrushing Miller, who finished past visiting keeper Egil Selvik. There was a short break in play before half-time as Watford's Rocco Vata, who had a spell out earlier this season due to a hamstring injury, was forced off. Blackburn came into the match off the back of losing to Swansea in midweek, a match where they were without 13 players, as Ismael gave first senior starts to midfielder Brandon Powell, forward Aodhan Doherty and defender Connor O'Riordan. His side finished stronger than they started, with Ohashi's late effort coming narrowly close to giving them what would have been an enormous three points, but in the end the result did few favours for either side in their respective aims for the season. Blackburn Rovers head coach Valerien Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It was a great game, the main message is we got five players back in the squad and more options on the bench. "It has given us more possibilities, flexibility and energy - we are pleased with the performance but not the result. "It's a step in the right direction to show you have to compete with your best players, and with at least half of the injured players back it will help us to compete. "We were on the front foot and close to winning the game - we feel another energy on the pitch, and when we are able to keep our players together and build our momentum we will be much better. " This video can not be played 'Pleased with the performance, not with the result' - Ismael Watford boss Javi Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio: "We came looking for the three points, but after competing well, we only take one, and we start thinking about the next game. "After scoring and dominating, it was a shame to concede so early and from a corner. "It is something we have to learn because if they don't score in that moment we can manage the game better. "In the second half we competed well, the game was more open and we had the better chances. " This video can not be played Gracia: 'In the second half we competed well' After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 24th January 2026 at 18: 26 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Valérien Ismaël Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Javier Gracia Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Valérien Ismaël Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Javier Gracia Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Championship All competitions All competitions All competitions After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September last year, Blackburn Rovers will be looking to complete just a second league double over Watford after 1969-70. Watford have lost each of their last two league games against Blackburn Rovers, the Hornets have never lost three in succession in this fixture.   So far during the 2025-26 Championship season, Blackburn have won just two of their 13 home league games (D4 L7), with only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday (0) managing fewer. Watford have won each of their last two away league games and will be looking to win three in succession on the road for the first time since December 2023, the third game of which was at Blackburn. Blackburn have won just one of their last 12 league games (D6 L5), and have conceded at least twice in all four so far in 2026 (D1 L3). Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.