Yuki Ohashi doubled his tally in the second half as Blackburn continued their strong start to the season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bristol City.
Blackburn, managed by John Eustace, aimed to win their first three home league matches of the season for the first time in over a decade. The outcome seemed inevitable as they took advantage of a mistake by Bristol City's goalkeeper Max O’Leary, which allowed Lewis Travis to score the opening goal in the 17th minute.
Although Blackburn's performance was steady rather than impressive, they were clinical in the second half, particularly thanks to the sharpness of their Japanese striker Ohashi. He first found the net with a powerful shot in the 55th minute and then repeated the feat with his left foot from the opposite side 15 minutes later, bringing his total goals to five in all competitions this season.
Following this win, Rovers secured the second spot in the league standings. Their potent attack, which is currently the highest-scoring in the league, hints at an exciting season ahead.
On the other hand, Bristol City has struggled defensively this season, having conceded more goals than any other team. Despite some chances created by Scott Twine and Sinclair Armstrong in the second half, their own errors led to Blackburn's first two goals.
After O'Leary's costly mistake early in the game, Blackburn continued to dominate the match. Ohashi's efforts were denied by a remarkable save from Zak Vyner, and Hayden Carter's close-range shot was deflected just wide. However, Blackburn extended their lead in the 55th minute when Ohashi brilliantly finished off a swift attack initiated by Tyrhys Dolan.
Bristol City showed signs of improvement after making a triple substitution, with Twine coming close to scoring only to be denied by a spectacular save from Aynsley Pears. Despite their efforts, Bristol City couldn't find a way past Blackburn's defense, and Ohashi sealed the victory with another superb goal from inside the area.
Although Armstrong had a late opportunity to score a consolation goal for Bristol City, Pears made another important save to secure a comfortable win for Blackburn and a disappointing afternoon for the visitors.