Adam Forshaw scores only his third goal in a decade as Blackburn draw at Stoke

Adam Forshaw scored only his third goal in a decade as Blackburn edged towards Championship survival with a 1-1 draw at 10-man Stoke.

The former Leeds and Middlesbrough midfielder gave Rovers a 21st-minute lead with his first goal since February 2025 and just his second since April 2016.

But it only earned one point rather than three for Michael O’Neill’s side as Crystal Palace loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi levelled for City after 56 minutes.

And Stoke finished a man down when former Blackburn defender and Spurs loanee Ash Phillips was dismissed for a second bookable offence three minutes from time.

Stoke fans are used to coming up against former managers, with Rovers boss Michael O’Neill the fourth this season after Alex Neil, Nathan Jones and Gary Rowett.

The Northern Ireland chief won 55 of his 143 games in charge before being sacked in 2022.

He certainly enjoyed his return in the first half as the visitors, four points above the drop zone, took a deserved lead.

They should have been in front before Forshaw’s collectors’ item. Skipper Todd Cantwell played in Ryoya Morishita but the Japanese star failed to hit the target from 16 yards.

Nothing in Forshaw’s goalscoring record suggested he would round off a decisive counter attack with a piece of quality.

But he delightfully curled in Ryan Alebiosu’s cut-back from 20 yards after compatriots Morishita and Yuki Ohashi carved open the home side.

Stoke then lost captain Ben Gibson to be replaced by Aaron Cresswell.

Despite a hit-and-miss display, City responded well. Sam Gallagher, one of four Rovers old boys in the Stoke squad and making his first start of the season, saw a goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Eiran Cashin.

Cashin came to the Lancastrians’ rescue again soon after to block Eric Bocat’s shot at the expense of a corner.

Stoke started the second half equally positively and were rewarded with their equaliser.

Good hustling by Bocat gave Million Manhoef his chance to run at the Rovers defence before crossing into the six-yard area for Rak-Sakyi to bundle home.

The former Charlton striker then almost doubled his tally only to curl his shot wide of an upright.

Moussa Baradji retaliated from long distance but Gavin Bazunu saved comfortably. And Cantwell tried but failed to loop a header over the keeper.

Substitute Lamine Cisse should have won it for Stoke late on. But with virtually a full goal to aim for he hit it straight at stranded keeper Balazs Toth.