City fell to narrow defeat to the Rovers despite a strong second-half performance from the Blues.
First-half goals from Sam Durrant and Isaac Whitehall gave Blackburn the lead and although Lewis Fiorini’s late penalty sparked hope, the Blues missed out on the three points in their second game of the season.
What happened
Gareth Taylor named the same starting XI from last weekend’s 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle. Louie Moulden began in goal for City, shielded by a back four of Alpha Diounkou, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Yeboah Amankwah and Tom Midgley. Skipper Rowan McDonald took up his defensive midfield role alongside Tom Dele-Bashiru and Lewis Fiorini. Keke Simmonds and D’Margio Wright-Phillips flanked Henri Ogunby.
City began on the front foot early on and looked dangerous from the left-hand side with Midgley and Simmonds linking up well to create a threat for the visitors’ defence, but Simmond’s crosses were just over the head of Ogunby.
The visitors grew into the game as the half went on, with winger Jack Vale looking the liveliest of the Rovers’ players, causing problems down the right-hand side.
It was the same pressure from Vale that led to the visitors first goal on 25 minutes. Vale beat Midgley down the wing and got a low driven cross into the box which was tapped home from Durrant.
The visitors doubled their lead soon after when Durrant turned provider, crossing in from the right-hand side allowing Whitehall to tap in from inside the six-yard box.
With work to do after the break, City came out of the blocks at full speed and almost halved Blackburn’s lead. Fiorini found space on the edge of the area and struck a curling effort, only to see it hit the woodwork and bounce out to safety.
City came close again just minutes later when Wright-Phillips got on the end of a superb cross from Ogunby but his powerful volley cannoned off the woodwork for the second time in two minutes.
Wright-Phillips continued to pile the pressure on the Blackburn defence, causing huge problems for the Rovers’ full-back with his quick feet and pace, but his crosses just wouldn’t fall right for Ogunby in the middle.
City pulled a goal back on 78 minutes when Dele-Bashiru burst into the box and was brought down by the Blackburn defender. Fiorini stepped up to covert and finished the penalty well past Winterbottom to make it 2-1.
What it means
City remain on three points in the U18 Premier League standings, just one point behind first-placed United.
READ: Henri Ogunby reacts to hat-trick
READ: Gareth Taylor | Season preview
Up next
City welcome Wolves to the CFA on Friday 24 August, kick-off at 1pm (BST).
