U18 Premier League North
Blackburn Rovers U18 6 (Kelly-Quinn 15’, Joseph 16’, 46’; Farkas 43’, Potter 58’, Mansbridge 84’)
Leeds United U18 2 (Lane 5’, Pickles 39’)
Blackburn: Wolsoncroft (GK), Houghton, Pates, Kelley-Quinn, Davies (C), Dunn (Sergeant 68’), Dlamini (Leeming 78’), Potter (Vare 62’), Joseph, Farkas (Mansbridge 62’), Leatherbarrow. Subs not used: Thompson (GK).
Leeds: Kenyon (GK), Lane, Billett, Whitehead, Watson, Hamilton (Simo 65’), Morris (Brown 68’), Pickles (C), Mensah, Mills, White. Subs not used: Baird (GK), Firth.
Venue: Blackburn Rovers Academy
Referee: Thomas Swift
Booked: Davies (Blackburn) Mills, Billett, Mensah (Leeds)
Sent-off: Joseph (Blackburn)
Leeds United Under-18s failed to make is back-to-back wins as they were beaten by Blackburn Rovers Under-18s away from home, despite a positive first-half performance in Lancashire.
The Whites got the game underway and were looking to play in their attackers in behind the defence. It took just five minutes for this to pay off as Logan White won a freekick in a dangerous position on the left-hand side of the penalty area.
Captain Oliver Pickles stood up to take and played a clever low ball towards the front post, met by Freddie Lane who comfortably put his side ahead.
Leeds continued to dominate the game for the next 10 minutes until Blackburn won a corner and levelled the game via a Leon Kelley-Quinn header, assisted by Patrick Farkas.
The home side found a second straight from kick off as Max Davies won the ball back and played Valentin Joseph in behind the defence. One-on-one with George Kenyon, the striker made no mistake from close range.
It took until the 39th minute for Rob Etherington’s side to the find the equaliser after they had responded well to conceding two quickfire goals. Jacob Watson played a pass to Pickles whose curled shot nestled into the bottom left corner to level proceedings.
Unfortunately for the travelling side, Rovers found themselves in front again moments later as Farkas picked out the top right corner after with a fine finish moments before the break.
HALF TIME: Blackburn Rovers U18 3-2 Leeds United U18
Blackburn started the second half as they ended the first and extended their lead through Joseph, who was well placed on the end of a Harvey Pates cross shortly after play had resumed.
Leeds carried on looking for the next goal and came very close when Callum Mills hit the left-hand post from a brilliant attempt that looked destined to find the bottom corner.
Just before the hour mark, Rovers made it five despite being the team under pressure, after Aaron Potter profited on a loose ball to put further daylight between the two sides.
As the game entered its dying stages, midfielder Tyler Mansbridge tapped in another for the hosts, this time after a good initial save had rebounded into his path.
Late on, Rovers were reduced to 10 when Joseph received a second yellow card after a mistimed challenge on Kenyon, which was rightly picked up by referee Thomas Swift who gave the striker his marching orders.
The sides meet again next month in the reverse fixture where Leeds will look to get one back on Rovers.
FULL TIME: Blackburn Rovers U18 6-2 Leeds United U18
