Referee Craig Pawson found himself in the spotlight as his controversial calls ruined Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray's return to Ewood Park. With no VAR to help him in the Championship, Premier League official Mr Pawson failed to spot a clear penalty for the Black Cats when Jack Clarke was tripped by Ryan Hedges, and just 22 seconds later Chilean goal machine Ben Brereton Diaz fired Blackburn Rovers in front with a stunning finish just after the half-hour.
And Blackburn's second goal just after half-time highlighted another error from the officials - although this time it was one of Pawson's assistants at fault - as replays showed Scott Wharton was offside as he glanced home Hedges' free-kick. Those key decisions made all the difference on the night, as Mowbray returned to the club he managed for five-and-a-half years before leaving in the summer.
Sunderland's best chance fell to Danny Batth in the second half, but he saw his close-range header kept out by Thomas Kaminsky. And right at the death Hedges almost added a third with a spectacular 40-yard effort which hit the woodwork but stayed out.
Sunderland slipped three places to 12th in the table, while the win saw Rovers move to the summit.
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Mowbray made one change to the side that started the weekend home win against Wigan, with skipper Corry Evans returning from suspension and taking the place of the injured Lynden Gooch. Evans - who was lining up against his old club - slotted into his normal midfield role, while Luke O'Nien continued at right-back having filled that position in the second half against the Latics after Gooch had gone off.
Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson made four changes, in his case to the side that won at Middlesbrough on Saturday. In came Hayden Carter, Sammie Szmodics, Hedges, and Jake Garrett, with Ashley Phillips, Adam Wharton, the injured Harry Pickering, and the suspended Lewis Travers making way.
Sunderland gave Rovers an early scare inside the first five minutes when slick build-up play involving Clarke and Alex Pritchard carved out a chance for Dennis Cirkin inside the box on the left, but his shot flew across the face of goal and wide. Midway through the half, Pritchard sent a dipping long-range effort just over the top after he had intercepted a poor pass from Brereton Diaz.
The controversy came just after the half-hour, as Clarke was tripped inside the Rovers penalty area by Ryan Hedges but Pawson failed to see the foul. And Pawson's mistake was compounded when Rovers immediately broke downfield and took the lead.
Callum Brittain carried the ball forward and played it Sam Gallagher who saw his shot from the edge of the area blocked, but the loose ball fell for Brereton Diaz and he curled an unstoppable shot beyond Anthony Patterson and into the top left-hand corner.
As half-time approached, Clarke saw a header saved by Kaminski. And Kaminski made a better save a couple of minutes later, stretching to tip Pritchard's free-kick away from the top corner and over the bar after the midfielder had curled a dangerous set-piece towards goal from the left-hand touchline.
Sunderland went two goals down within five minutes of the second half getting under way. Cirkin gave away a foul on the Blackburn right, and when Hedges whipped the ball into the box Wharton was there to glance it in from close range, although replays showed he was offside.
Five minutes later, it took a brilliant save from Kaminsky on his line to keep out a Batth header which would have offered Sunderland a route back into the game. At the other end, a misplaced pass from Batth went straight to Brereton Diaz, but after getting into the penalty area he sent his shot harmlessly across the face of goal.
Sunderland suffered another blow midway through the half when Aji Alese had to limp off after coming off second-best in a 50-50 challenge with Garrett. The latter stages of the game were broken up by frequent substitutions by both sides, meaning Sunderland were unable to build up a head of steam and that allowed Blackburn to manage the game to the final whistle.
How they lined up
Blackburn Rovers: Kaminski, Carter, Hyam, S Wharton, Hedges, Garrett, Morton, Brittain, Szmodics (Dolan 78), Gallagher (Vale 78), Brereton Diaz. Subs not used: Pears, Phillips, Mola, A Wharton, Buckley
Booked: Morton, Szmodics, Carter
Sunderland: Patterson, O'Nien, Batth, Alese (Hume 73), Cirkin, Roberts, Neil (Ba 64), Evans (Michut 81), Embleton (Amad 64), Pritchard (Bennette 64), Clarke. Subs not used: Bass, Wright
Booked: Pritchard, Cirkin, Bennette
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Attendance: 15,171
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