Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray expressed his frustration following his team’s 3-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday. Despite taking an early two-goal lead within the first 12 minutes, Blackburn were unable to maintain their advantage as West Brom mounted a successful comeback.

The turning point came when West Brom was awarded a penalty, which Isaac Price converted with a Panenka-style chip to bring the home side back into the match. West Brom went on to complete the turnaround, ultimately securing all three points.

Mowbray criticized the penalty decision after the game, describing it as questionable and suggesting that his side was unfairly disadvantaged. He stated that the incident should have resulted in a free kick for Blackburn rather than a spot-kick, adding that defender Sean McLoughlin was adamant he did not make contact with the West Brom player.

“It was a dream start, but West Brom are a good team and their league position shows that,” Mowbray said. “It is never easy to come here and I think we gave them something to chase at 2-0 down early on, and they chased it really well.”

While acknowledging West Brom’s resilience, Mowbray underscored his disappointment with the result given Blackburn’s efforts and recent form, including wins over Bristol City and Cardiff City. He also referenced the support from Blackburn’s traveling fans, expressing regret that the team was unable to secure points to repay their backing.

The loss leaves Blackburn reflecting on missed opportunities as West Brom demonstrated their ability to recover from an early deficit and maintain pressure throughout the match.