Danny Graham double lifts Blackburn as Rovers and Bristol City surviveDanny Graham's double helped Blackburn to a 2-2 draw against 10-man Bristol City at Ewood Park as both teams secured Sky Bet Championship safety.The on-loan Sunderland striker put Rovers ahead in the 17th minute, but City substitute Jonathan Kodjia levelled midway through the second half.Aaron Wilbraham's eighth of the season then looked to have secured the spoils but Graham had the last laugh with an 80th-minute header.The visitors played the last five minutes with 10 men after Korey Smith saw red for an off-the-ball incident but the game finished all square, giving both sides the point they needed to guarantee second-tier football next season.The result ended Blackburn's three-game losing streak at home but they have not tasted victory for six games.Home boss Paul Lambert handed a home debut in midfield to academy graduate Connor Mahoney, while Darragh Lenihan made way for Jordi Gomez in the only change from the midweek draw with Nottingham Forest.Visiting manager Lee Johnson, meanwhile, drafted in Wilbraham and Scott Golbourne after the defeat to Derby.The hosts gave their fans something to chant about when a well-worked move saw Gomez send in a left-wing cross and Graham showed great movement and terrific technique to hit his first-time shot past Richard O'Donnell.A forward burst by Evans saw the midfielder pick out Gomez, who dragged a shot agonisingly wide before Jason Steele almost gifted the Robins an equaliser when he threw the ball straight to Bobby Reid who hit the outside of the post.Reid tested Steele at the beginning of the second half with a rasping shot that was parried, while at the other end, Graham's brilliant backheel found Ben Marshall who fired wide when well placed.Johnson's men grew into the game and got their reward 20 minutes from the end when Kodija and Smith combined and the latter's neatly threaded ball allowed the substitute to slot a low shot confidently past Steele for his 18th of the season.And City went ahead four minutes later as Smith surged forward and found Luke Ayling who then fed the lurking Wilbraham who made no mistake by firing past the helpless Steele from eight yards.However Graham was not done and Jason Lowe's pinpoint cross found the striker who headed into the top corner for his sixth goal of the season.There was drama still in store, as an innocuous tangle between Grant Hanley and Smith in the 85th minute saw the City man inexplicably direct his hands into the face of the Rovers captain which earned him a deserved red card.With time running out, Rovers could not make the numerical advantage countSource : PA
Source: PA