Yet another lacklustre display looked set to yield yet another disappointing defeat, until Stern John popped up with a late equalised once again.
Interestingly, Steve Bruce rested skipper Kenny Cunningham, allowing former Blackburn man Martin Taylor to return to the side and partner Matthew Upson at the heart of the defence. Olivier Tebily continued at right back, whilst Bryan Hughes and Aliou Cisse were both on the bench in the game that most likely marked the end of their Blues careers. Peter Enckelman was in goal for Blackburn - something that didn't go unnoticed amongst the 4,100 travelling Blues fans.
For an end of season game with not a lot riding on it for either team, this encounter was fiercely contested. Blues enjoyed plenty of possession, but lacked the know-how to do anything with it - it was crying out for former Rovers man David Dunn. When Blues did find a route to goal, Mikael Forssell's curling shot was saved well by his Finnish counterpart Enckelman.
In the 24th minute, the home side went ahead. Tugay found Andy Cole in the area and the Blues defence that was so tight at the start of the season allowed Cole to swing a leg at the ball, miss it, compose himself again, and place it around Maik Taylor. You could understand this if no one was around him, but they were - especially England 'hopeful' Upson.
Blues toiled for the rest of the half, with very little quality. A deflected Stan Lazaridis cross was met by Clinton Morrison's head, which did beat Enckelman only to rebound off the bar, before Damien Johnson reminded us all of his complete inability to finish by hitting Enckelman's leg when clean through on goal after a uncharacterisitc neat move.
Blues should have come out for the second half fired up, but for 20 minutes, never got a touch of the ball, as Blackburn played some good football. Maik Taylor was forced into three good - though expected - saves, from Cole, Tugay and Michael Gray, as Blues threw on Hughes and John in the hope that they could create something.
With 6 minutes remaining, Blues did get their equaliser that they probably just about deserved. Johnson showed that he's much better on the wing than when through on goal, and delivered an excellent cross that John headed downwards and past Enckelman - remarkably similar to his equaliser here last season and the header past Brad Friedel. 'Quiet guy' Johnson took the opportunity to run back up the touchline reminding the home fans who once cheered him on that it was he that set the goal up, after they had a few words with him earlier for berating the assistant referee.
So, that was that. Blues fans got the goal that made the day seem a whole lot better, so they could return to singing about Peter Enckelman. The Finnish goalkeeper tried his hardest to block out the 90 minute barrage of, well, admiration from the travelling fans, but couldn't quite manage it. There was a knowing smile at the start of the second half, another when he had to retrieve the ball from one Blues fan, and an acknowledgment at the end, when he turned to clap the Blues fans. Nothing but professionalism from him once again.
As for Blues, well, they were poor again, but I have to keep attributing this to end of season type complacency and relaxation. If I don't attribute it to that, then I'd have everyone worried about next season. Robbie Savage and Stephen Clemence epitomised this relaxed attitude once again, in the area that is meant to be the heartbeat of any team. Interestingly, whilst Hughes threw his shirt into the Blues fans at the end as they sang his name in recognition of his fine service to the club, Savage was the only other player to do the same. Savage also captained the side for the day, and on other occasions, when Cunningham has been, well, sent off mainly, Matthew Upson has normally taken the armband. I suspect I am reading too much into it, but if Savage doesn't start next season at Blues, don't say I didn't hint at it here!
So, that was the season that was - tenth place in the Premiership. Let's face it, we'd have all taken that two years ago, let alone five or six years ago. It has just been a bit of a disappointing end, that's all. Hopefully some new faces will provide greater impetus next season, and ease the burden on one or two players who have perhaps come as far as they can with the club. Certain players, such as Clemence, Clapham, Johnson perhaps, maybe even Savage, have over-achieved at Blues, and we have to be grateful for that - don't get me wrong. The question is, if they can no longer do that, and if Blues cannot get in sufficient quality to compensate, where will we go from here?
I suspect that the club will attract the quality needed to move on, and that it will be onwards and upwards again next season. In 3 months time though, if we're still over-reliant on the kind of players I have mentioned, then survival will have to be the primary objective yet again.