Stoke City Battles Back to Draw with Blackburn

Adam Forshaw's rare goal put Blackburn on the path to a crucial point in their fight for Championship survival, but Stoke City's second-half resurgence earned them a 1-1 draw. Forshaw, who had not scored since February 2025, curled in a delightful 20-yard strike after 21 minutes to give the visitors the lead. However, Crystal Palace loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi equalized for Stoke in the 56th minute. The hosts finished with 10 men after Ash Phillips was sent off for a second bookable offense late in the game. The result leaves Blackburn four points above the relegation zone, while Stoke's fans were left frustrated despite their team's spirited comeback. Rovers boss Michael O'Neill, who managed Stoke from 2016 to 2019, saw his side take a deserved lead in the first half. Forshaw's goal was a rare highlight in an otherwise uneventful scoring record, but it was enough to give Blackburn hope of securing a vital three points. However, Stoke's response was swift, with Rak-Sakyi's equalizer setting up a tense second half. Despite being reduced to 10 men, Stoke pushed for a winner, but substitute Lamine Cisse's late effort was saved by goalkeeper Balazs Toth. The draw extends Blackburn's unbeaten run to five games, and O'Neill remains optimistic about their survival chances. 'We can't expect people to do us favors,' he said. 'Everyone is in the same boat. They are trying to save themselves. But we came to a difficult place and got a point.' Stoke manager Mark Robins, meanwhile, acknowledged the frustration among the home fans but urged them to remain patient. 'We have to remember where we are at,' he said. 'We can't go from a game away from relegation to promotion without Championship-ready players. There is disappointment on the back of us having a 12-game spell where we were in the top two.'