DAILY MAIL 🔵 Blackburn 1-0 Leeds: Todd Cantwell’s penalty earns hosts a shock victory over promotion favourites at Ewood Park as John Eustace’s men continue play-off charge
- Todd Cantwell’s penalty proved the difference in Rovers’ hard-earned victory
- Goalkeeper Aynsley Pears denied multiple chances to keep the clean sheet
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Take a bow, Tyrhys Dolan and Todd Cantwell. On Saturday they had Daniel Farke’s promotion favourites on toast.
The attacking duo had the freedom of the pitch and are to thank for their third win in as many games, form which has them flirting with the play-offs after a 13-season exile from the Premier League.
Leeds brought 7,000 fans over the Pennines in their deafening droves for a fixture that could have sent them top but they were silenced by Dolan’s silky feet, Cantwell’s penalty, and an unyielding defence.
This was a feisty affair. Rovers skipper Lewis Travis hacked down Jayden Bogle in the first minute and, indeed, their day’s talisman Dolan could have been sent off for a rash high tackle on Junior Firpo in the second half.
But Blackburn were good value for their win. They should have been up after 12 minutes when Yuki Ohashi crashed a header from Callum Brittain’s cross against the bar, and Owen Beck sliced the six-yard follow-up into the stands.
John Eustace’s men were sleepy themselves. Twice in the first half Aynsley Pears had to scamper off his line to spare their blushes in the box – first to deny Willy Gnonto after his own lackadaisical outball, second to charge down Joel Piroe after he intercepted Danny Batth’s drowsy backpass.
The breakthrough came after 22 minutes. Cantwell squeezed his penalty past Illan Meslier to rapturous applause, but he had Dolan to thank. The right-winger had somehow skipped past Pascal Strujik into the area and was barged down by Ao Tanaka to win the spot-kick.
Leeds came out after the break like a bull in a china shop and Blackburn again needed Pears’ heroics. His save to deny Pascal Struijk’s bullet header left fans speechless.
Farke had the luxury of bringing on the trident of Patrick Bamford, Manor Solomon, and Largie Ramazani with 20 minutes to go. It looked to have paid off when the latter smashed the ball into the roof of the net, but he was ruled offside.
Cantwell himself twice had gilt-edged opportunities towards the end and almost scored a stunning volley after the ball bounced into the air from Junior Firpo’s challenge, but it rolled wide.
But Blackburn hung on, their penalty box a no-fly zone as their defenders dealt with the aerial assault. And so Leeds, who had scored nine in their last three games, were left blunted at Fortress Ewood – and are three points off pacesetters Sheffield United.