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Leeds logo
Championship
Oct 29, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Blackburn logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-2)
Conway (1'), Rhodes (6')

Live Commentary: Leeds United 0-2 Blackburn - as it happened

Take a look back at how Blackburn Rovers inflicted a first defeat on Leeds United boss Steve Evans with Sports Mole's text coverage.
2

Blackburn Rovers scored twice in the opening six minutes to claim a 2-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road.

Craig Conway opened the scoring after just 18 seconds to make it a perfect start, before Jordan Rhodes fired in his eighth league goal of the season to double the lead.

Tom Adeyemi came close to reducing the deficit when his header struck the post, but Blackburn produced a strong defensive display to secure all three points.

Read below to find out how the action unfolded.


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Good evening everyone. Steve Evans takes charge of Leeds United at Elland Road for the first time since replacing Uwe Rosler earlier this month. Can he follow up two draws with his first victory tonight? Blackburn Rovers are the visitors as they look to end a run of three games without a win.

It is a clash of two disappointing records tonight. Leeds have not won any of their last 11 home games, with the Elland Road crowd last celebrating a victory in March. It's been similarly disappointing for Blackburn on the road and they head into this game on the back of nine away games without a win.

LEEDS: Silvestri; Byram, Cooper, Bamba, Berardi; Dallas, Adeyemi, Murphy, Cook; Antenucci, Wood
SUBS: Horton, Bellusci, Wootton, Mowatt, Buckley, Botaka, Doukara

Evans has named an unchanged side for the third successive game after draws against Fulham and Bolton. Chris Wood partners Mirco Antenucci in attack once again, with the likes of Alex Mowatt and Will Buckley forced to settle for spots on the bench.

BLACKBURN: Steele; Marshall, Duffy, Hanley, Olsson; Taylor, Evans, Akpan, Conway, Lawrence; Rhodes
SUBS: Raya, Henley, Spurr, Kilgallon, Delfouneso, Williamson, O'Sullivan

Gary Bowyer makes just one change following last weekend's 1-0 defeat to local rivals Burnley. Nathan Delfouneso drops to the bench as Chris Taylor comes into the side in midfield. Jordan Rhodes leads the line with support from Tom Lawrence.


Goals have often been the issue for Blackburn this season, while Leeds are struggling at the back. The pressure is on both sides to make a good start. Conceding an early goal could be crucial. Leeds are just one point and one place better off than Blackburn in 17th.

Blackburn have dominated this fixture in recent years. The visitors are unbeaten in the last six meetings with Leeds, and are on a four-game winning run against tonight's opponents. Leeds have not kept a clean sheet against Blackburn in any of the last six matches.

PREDICTION: Leeds have certainly looked more solid since the arrival of Evans, who will be feeling the pressure to deliver a home win after such a long stretch. Blackburn and Bowyer are under their own pressure and I just can't separate two evenly-matched sides. Let's go for a 2-2 draw.

Evans is expecting a big performance from Leeds in his first game at Elland Road. Will they deliver tonight?

Steve Evans, manager of Rotherham United, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Rotherham United at Loftus Road on August 22, 2015© Getty Images

"The players are hurting at that record. Let's not say any different. They sit and look at you in one-on-one chats and they know. It'll come down to a combination of everything but ultimately if you're good enough as a team then you don't not win a home game for seven months," he told reporters.


Here we go then. The players are on their way out at Elland Road. We're just a few handshakes away from kickoff now.

KICKOFF! Blackburn get the game underway at Elland Road.

GOAL! LEEDS 0-1 BLACKBUN (CONWAY)

What a start for Blackburn! It takes the visitors just 18 seconds to break the deadlock. The ball is worked out wide to Lawrence, whose cross can only be helped on by Bamaba as he attempts to head clear. Conway is gifted space to collect the ball at the back post and he responds with a fine touch and finish to give his side the lead. Can Leeds respond to the early setback?

This really is a sharp start from the visitors. They have been quicker to every ball in the opening minutes, with Rhodes making some good runs to stretch the centre backs.

I just mentioned Rhodes, who looks like he's through on goal after collecting a pass from Akpan. Replays prove that Cooper had stepped up to play the striker offside.

GOAL! LEEDS 0-2 BLACKBURN (RHODES)

Incredible start to this game at Elland Road. It's dreadful defending from Leeds and they pay the price. Lawrence skips past a couple of defenders with apparent ease before being allowed to turn inside to find Rhodes, who holds off Bamba and earns a yard of space to fire home his eighth league goal of the season. Awful from the hosts, but Blackburn will not care!

Plenty of jeers after that second goal and the mood is one of frustration as Leeds continue to struggle keeping the bal. Blackburn have just been the hungrier side early on.

Rhodes is looking very busy, and with a goal already under his belt, that is not good news for Leeds. The game is being played close to the Leeds box but Olsson gives away a needless free kick to relieve the pressure on the hosts.

The lively Conway wins a free kick on the left when Adeyemi halts his run. He delivers a cross into a good position but Silvestri punches away. Samba then deflects a shot from Evans wide, before Leeds eventually clear the danger.

Leeds must find a way of picking up Lawrence, who drifts into space behind the home midfield before slicing a speculative effort wide from 25 yards. Just like he did for the first two goals, he will capitalise on space.

Leeds are all over the place at the back. Blackburn break from a free kick at the other end and they should do much better as Akpan cuts in from the left before missing Rhodes with a poor pass.

Better from Leeds in the final third as Antenucci links up with Wood after a clever dummy from the former, but Hanley steps in with a vital tackle on the edge of the box.

Applause from the home fans when some promising play finally arrives from Leeds. Cook drifts in from the left to collect the ball on the turn, before shooting straight at Steele from outside the box.

Leeds are improving as the game progresses, but the early damage might be too much to come back from. Blackburn look solid, with Akpan and Evans protecting the defence well.

Antenucci is almost through on goal when he gets clear of the Blackburn defence after a long ball forward. He is unable to get to the ball before Steele, who watched Hanley clear after he fails to collect on the slide.

Dallas has not been able to get involved much in the first half, but he collects a pass from Byram on the turn before delivering a cross which is just too strong for Wood. Leeds needed someone attacking the back post.

Superb work from Evans in midfield as he wins two tackles to set up an attack. Conway enters the box with the ball before curling a shot which becomes a cross for Rhodes, who is just offside. Bamba had cleared the ball off the line anyway.

The fans behind the goal want Steele punished for handling the ball outside the box when he sprints off his line to clear, but replays show he hadn't yet come out of the area. Blackburn miss the chance to clear from the corner which follows, before Evans reacts quickest to beat Cook to the loose ball.

Lawrence is unfortunate to be pulled up for a foul on Byram when both players miss a bouncing ball close to the halfway line. The Blackburn attacker is in pain after appearing to be caught on the thigh, but he should be fine to continue.

CHANCE! Leeds miss a great opportunity to reduce the deficit. A free kick causes all sorts of problems for the Blackburn defence. Dallas collects a loose ball on the edge of the box and picks out Antenucci, who can only find the side-netting with a half volley while in space inside the area.

Antenucci and Hanley go head to head after the Blackburn defence comes close to hitting the Leeds forward with the ball after a free kick is awarded to the hosts. Leeds coming into the game now. A goal before the break could be crucial.

YELLOW CARD! Madness from Bamba. Leeds want a free kick when Dallas goes down under pressure from Marshall on the wing. Bamba refuses to stop arguing with the referee and he talks himself into a booking. Not a great moment from the skipper.

OFF THE POST! Leeds are agonisingly close to pulling a goal back. Murphy's first cross from a free kick is poor but the ball comes back to him and his next delivery finds Adeyemi, whose glancing header strikes the post. Antenucci is unable to turn the ball home from a tight angle on the rebound.

Blackburn are benefiting from that fast start. They've come close to conceding on a couple of occasions, but with more men dropping back they are limiting the space on offer to the hosts. Bowyer will want his side to keep the ball better on the break, though.

Poor from Taylor out wide as his weak cross is easily plucked out of the air by Silvestri. Two minutes added on at the end of the first half.

Murphy has plenty of teammates to aim for when a free kick is cleared to him, but the cross is poor as Steele comes off his line to relieve the pressure on his defence.

HALF TIME: LEEDS 0-2 BLACKBURN

Leeds may have finished the first half the better of the two sides, but a disastrous start to the game looks set to cost them this evening. Early goals from Conway and Rhodes have handed the control to Blackburn, who can operate on the break as this game progresses.

Jordan Rhodes has now scored five goals in his last four games against Leeds. It was a trademark strike from the Scotland international, who took advantage of a lack of pressure to find the bottom corner with a fine turn and finish.

Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes celebrates after scoring his team's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rangers at Loftus Road on September 16, 2015© Getty Images


BENCH WATCH: Leeds asked more questions of the Blackburn defence, but Evans may think about making a change soon. Alex Mowatt would provide a bit more creativity in the final third of the pitch. Cook and Dallas have been kept on the fringes of the game at times. Will Buckley must also surely be an option for the hosts.

RESTART! Evans kept Blackburn waiting on the pitch, but Leeds finally arrive to get the game back underway. No changes at the break.

Leeds have to score the next goal to stand any chance of claiming a positive result. Blackburn looking solid early in the second half, with the visiting midfield providing a good shield for the back four.

Painful moment for Taylor as he wins a sliding tackle but is caught on the shin by Cook. It looks like he will be fine to continue.

Leeds lacking creativity in midfield. Murphy is prevented from finding Berardi on the left and he turns inside to deliver a cross which bounces through to a waiting Steele.

SUB! First change of the night from Leeds. Jordan Botaka is off the bench to replace Adeyemi. It looks like Cook will move into the centre of midfield, with Botaka starting out on the right as Dallas comes over to the left wing.

If anything, Blackburn look more secure at the back than they did before the break. Hanley is doing a great job of getting to the ball before Wood can bring his teammates into play. Leeds dominating possession, but they're struggling in the final third.

The frustration is clear for the home fans when Byram's hopeful long ball through is collected by Steele. Blackburn almost kill the game off on the break when Rhodes links up with Lawrence, but Conway's poor touch in the box allows Cooper to make a vital tackle.

Blackburn are beginning to cause a few more problems now. A free kick is taken short and Akpan gets into the box before a tackle sends the ball to Taylor, whose powerful low effort is held by Silvestri.

Lawrence produces a lovely flick in the middle of the pitch to set up another attack. Akpan sees a shot blocked, with Rhodes angry the through ball is not played into his path. Conway's deflected effort is then collected by Silvestri.

Plenty of noise coming from the away end as Blackburn continue to cope pretty easily. A Leeds goal would change this game very quickly, but Steele is a comfortable man at the moment. The visitors continue to look unthreatened at the back.

A free kick is given without much drama, but the visitors are left furious when Hanley then clashes with Murphy while going for the bouncing ball. There is plenty of blood on the Blackburn defender's face. Replays show that there was no intent from Murphy as the referee quickly calms down both sets of players.

Hanley has been forced to go into the dressing room for more treatment as Blackburn's medical staff look to stop the bleeding. Akpan drops into defence as the visitors go down to 10 men. Bowyer will be hopeful his captain can return.

SUB! Souleymane Doukara is off the bench to replace Wood as Evans freshens up his attack. Hanley has still not returned to the pitch.

Leeds had just been applying the pressure for an extended spell, but Rhodes does well to win a free kick while battling for the long ball with Cooper.

Olsson almost gets himself into trouble when he fails to head a cross away, but Botaka's effort is blocked and a chip from Cook is easily collected by Steele. Blackburn seem to have finally accepted that Hanley will not be returning as he continues to receive stitches in the dressing room.

SUB! Blackburn are back to having 11 men on the pitch as Matthew Kilgallon replaces Hanley in the centre of defence.

Blackburn look to be on the way to a comfortable win. Leeds are still seeing plenty of the ball, but they have failed to create one clear opportunity in the second half.

Evans looks to be in disbelief at what his side are producing in attacking areas as Botaka's return pass for Doukara drifts out of play for a Blackburn goal kick.

Blackburn have a good chance to hit Leeds on the break when a free kick is cleared, but Lawrence makes a rare mistake on the wing as he fails to keep Conway's pass in play.

It just is not clicking for Leeds. Doukara flicks on a lobbed ball, but Antenucci's weak volley rolls into the waiting hands of Steele.

SUB! Delfouneso is off the bench for the closing stages as the impressive Lawrence makes way.

Conway struck inside the first minute and he threatens to end this game on a high when he cuts inside to fire well wide of the target from 25 yards. Leeds then bring on Mowatt for Cook.

Better from Leeds as Dallas links up with Antenucci before delivering a cross for Botaka, who beats Steele to the ball but is unable to keep his header down at the near post.

SUB! Blackburn make their final change as John O'Sullivan replaces Taylor for the final few minutes.

CLOSE! The substitutes link up as Botaka cuts inside from the right to tee up Mowatt, whose deflected effort from outside the box drifts just past the post.

The fourth official confirms that there will be five minutes added on.

YELLOW CARD! Evans is happy to pick up a booking for pulling back Bamba as the Leeds skipper looked to charge through the middle of the pitch.

YELLOW CARD! Conway is furious when a free kick is given to Leeds on the right wing and he is booked for dissent. Blackburn clear the set piece and the two crosses which follow.

FULL TIME: LEEDS 0-2 BLACKBURN

Jeers from the home fans at the final whistle as Leeds stretch their winless run at home to 12 matches. Blackburn scored twice in the opening six minutes before relying on an impressive display to clinch all three points. A good night at the office for Bowyer's side.

Thanks for joining me for our live coverage tonight. Goodbye everyone.

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Steve Evans, manager of Rotherham United, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Queens Park Rangers and Rotherham United at Loftus Road on August 22, 2015
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