Derby’s Sam Szmodics gives a furious reaction after a challenge from Blackburn’s Adam Forshaw, with both players being booked.
On the 35th minute, the Blackburn social media admin wrote: “🟨🟨 Szmodics booked for reacting to a hard but fair challenge from Forshaw (no foul given). Forshaw also booked for some reason.”
Szmodics flew backwards, face down, he got straight back up and reacted, with fisticuffs from both sets of players, many involved.
Just before half time, Rovers went ahead, a free-kick from Yuri Ribeiro met the head of Hayden Carter, six yards out, guiding it beyond Josh Vickers.
On 55 minutes, Derby went level, Derry Murkin down the left, pulled an excellent ball back for Ben Brereton Diaz, who sent it low past Balazs Toth against his former club.
The hosts turned the scoreline around, going ahead with around 15 minutes remaining of the second half. Rhian Brewster with the ball deep cross from the left, it came back off Eiran Cashin, fell for Sam Szmodics, squared it and Matt Clarke netted from five yards.
Great half by Forshaw 👏 pic.twitter.com/NQYhIIddS5
— leah hession (@_leahhession_) February 28, 2026
Can we please get a retrospective ban for antics like this. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cnaZf5f3I0
— EPL Bible (@EPLBible) March 1, 2026
The result sees play-off hopes boosted for the Rams, up five places from 12th to 7th aheadof the 3pm kcik off. Meanwhile it relegation fears for Rovers, who come up against Portsmouth and Oxford in their next two games.
Blackburn boss Michael O’Neill said, per Lancashire Telegraph: “The squad is not strong and we don’t have depth in our squad.
“At times, you know, the team that finishes the game is not as strong as the team that starts the game. That’s with the injuries that we have and the players that we have missing, that’s a consequence.
“We have players coming in who haven’t played for a while and we have to manage them through the game as well. So that’s a challenge.
“We need to develop durability, both individually and collectively. I think as a team, we need to be more durable and we weren’t able to do that in the second half.
“We played very well in the first half, I thought.
“Dealt with, you know, the long balls and picked up a lot of second ball and we played some really good football as well in the first half. We could have been better in the final third with some of the opportunities and possession that we had.
“But overall, we looked comfortable, I felt, in the first half. We got caught a couple of times, just counter-attacks, which may be off our own free kicks, which we had to be mindful of.
“But I think going in 1-0 ahead, we felt, you know, we were deserved of that at that point.
“If you can get two ahead in a game like that, obviously, it becomes very difficult for the opposition, playing here in the crowd and how they react. It’s moments in the game and it was a great opportunity for us, but we didn’t take it.”
Derby boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:
“To get to this points tally with 11 games to go, I think it’s a great achievement from where we were.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to get to this point, but the season’s certainly not over. Now, we’ve got to really enjoy the next 11 games and see how far we can go.
“I think it shows great progression throughout the club, on and off the field. Obviously, we spoke about how it was going to be, we felt it was going to be a slow start, which it was, but we knew where we’d want to get to and we knew with the right process, we’d get there.
“There’s been a lot injured players, a lot of players going out, a lot of players coming in, so to get up to speed was really important. You can see the progression in the season up to now and we’ve found a way to get results.”
Twitter users reacted as Derby’s Sam Szmodics gives a furious reaction after a challenge from Blackburn’s Adam Forshaw…
@brfc_reece: Hahahahahaha fucking grow up szmodics jesus christ
@joshsenior3: That’s a fucking great tackle 🤣
@bradwilko1: I’d be celebrating this tackle like a goal
@JCartwright1875:
That tackle is as good as it gets 🤤🤤
Went in 100% committed.
Won the ball.
Sent your man flying 30ft in another direction.
Superb.
@MartinMJ22: Adam Forshaw makes a brilliant challenge. Szmodics acts like a pathetic, spoilt little coward after going flying. Pushes Forshaw. So they… Both get booked?? #Rovers
@TJTykeo: A fantastic tackle! Forshaw did no wrong. Szmodics should be off. His reaction to Forshaw and then lashing out at Morishita. Sammie looking a right twat in this game so far
@AdamCatterall: Forshaw booked for Szmodics loosing his head after being smashed in a brilliant tackle. Forshaw did NOTHING wrong. Brilliant in control tackle.
@Tomgreenwood78: Forshaw booked cos szmodics is a brat 😂😂😂 joke
@ThePageMaister: As much as I love szmodics, I love that
@topperwba: Why is he reacting like that it was a clean challenge. Serves him right for trying to turn without looking up.
@Tonyh__23: While Szmodics needs to work on his reactions in those situations. Can totally understand the frustration up and downtime squad when all season we’ve seen poor challenges and nothing given. It’s ridiculous at this point #dcfc #dcfcfans
@matt1081851: No idea what Forshaw is booked for there. Szmodics got tackled and spat his dummy. Then raised his hands to Forshaw and then Morishita. Shoul have been 2 yellows and off
@iBedless: As a neutral watching this don’t understand why he was booked either 😂😂
@RohanQuinn: Panic decision from the Ref there. No grounds for a yellow card for Forshaw at all.
@Life_on_Hold: Never a booking for Forshaw. Ref has been doing alright until that.
@Leap_year_man: Love Sammie but how is that a yellow for forshaw?
@SMMiller14: What did Forshaw do wrong other than put in a good tackle? Szmodics was the one who kicked off.
@ChrisWyreBRFC: Was a proper solid tackle and in full control, should never have been a Forshaw 🟨
@NHogg77: Forshaw getting booked for sammie acting like a little child joke
@bauer_jnr: Shocking decision, fourth official should be helping him out
@LatestRovers: Szmodics mate i actually like you… dont start this crap
@slater3291: He loves all the hustle and bustle! Will always love that man for the memories at Elland Road!
@brfc_brad98: Nothing wrong with that tackle in the slightest
@NHogg77: Forshaws tackle was clean bad reaction from smodz there
@jamesgeesus: Szmodic could of been off after he put his hand to Mori after that. Forshaw shown him up putting him in the air because he tackle was that good.
@SonnyBosworth: Throwing toys out pram cos he got bodied
@j_marsh98: Fuck all wrong with that from Forshaw 🤣
@secondtierpod: Why was Sammie Szmodics so pissed about this? 😂 Absolutely nothing wrong with this challenge from Adam Forshaw.
@TheJackyCalv: That’s a good tackle? Don’t understand why SS has reacted like that?
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