Blackburn Rovers lost 2-0 to Newcastle in a battle between the Under 23 sides.
Adam Henley returned from injury but he could stop them from losing to the Magpies. Henley started in right back position, playing for an hour as he stretches his fitness after three months on the sidelined due to hamstring injury.
Damien Johnson’s men could not get the needed win at Leyland despite senior players playing. Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown, Jack Byrne and Anthony Stokes played full game but could not hinder the loss. Rovers signed Brown during the summer on a free transfer. He is expected to play until the end of the term whilst helping coaches David Dunn and Johnson train the back-up team. Injuries forced his exit from Sunderland at the end of last season, hence the decision of the 36-year old to play and coach Rovers.
“Obviously we are disappointed with the result. In terms of performance, between the boxes we were good, it was just the final third where we were poor in terms of our final cross, too many times it was in the keeper’s hands or it stuck the first man and that is the last little bit that is important
“We started the second half poorly and it was disappointing to concede from a set-piece, there was some good play from us but the goals were disappointing,” Coach Johnson said.
Byrne showed some quality and Connor Mahoney was impressive in the beginning. They had chances but did not convert them. Luke Charman threatened for United on the other end but was stopped by Andy Fisher.
The visitors got their first goal in the 55th minute through Stuart Findlay. In the 84th minute, Callum Roberts got the second to sink Rovers.