Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Leeds United

Leeds have won all three matches they have played since a 4-0 defeat at Brighton on 29 February

Leeds United secured a third successive Championship victory as they denied hosts Blackburn Rovers a fifth league win in a row at Ewood Park.

Leeds captain Sol Bamba volleyed in Alex Mowatt's corner on 34 minutes for his second goal of the season.

Mirco Antenucci made it 2-0, running clear on the counter-attack before lifting the ball over Jason Steele for his fourth goal in three matches.

Simeon Jackson scored late for Rovers after Leeds failed to clear a corner.

Steve Evans' side have responded brilliantly to their 4-0 thrashing at Brighton on 29 February, taking maximum points from games against Bolton, Cardiff and Blackburn to banish any fears of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Rovers had scored 10 goals during their four-match winning run at home but while Paul Lambert's side enjoyed spells of pressure, they struggled to create many clear opportunities.

Leeds head coach Steve Evans: "I've said many times what a wonderful finisher Antenucci is on the training ground but there's been a lot of wonderful finishers on the training ground over the years that can't hit a barn door when they come out of it.

"Antenucci's very much as good on the pitch as he is on the training ground. His touch before he dinks it over the boy Steele is a fantastic touch because the opportunity for the goalkeeper to advance and to put it where he wants.

"He's a wonderful player. I'm so pleased for him. He is one player playing with determination for a place in the team. He's often the difference between winning and losing."

Blackburn manager Paul Lambert: "I don't think we deserved to lose. I thought we were well on top until they scored. We started the game really well and losing the goal through a set play was disappointing.

"The second goal was probably even more so disappointing but I've said to them, you've played so many games in a short space of time and I don't know if any other team has had the schedule we've been on and it's gruelling.

"It's the same lads going out week in, week out, and I knew one game was going to come back and bite because of the amount of games we've played.

"I couldn't fault the effort and the commitment, the way they played. It was just a game too far for us with the games we've had."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Blackburn

• 30Steele
• 10Marshall
• 22Duffy
• 5HanleyBooked at 80mins
• 3Spurr
• 31Bennett
• 26LenihanSubstituted forGrimesat 76'minutes
• 21Akpan
• 14Gomez Garcia-PencheSubstituted forConwayat 71'minutes
• 8WattSubstituted forJacksonat 63'minutes
• 12Graham

Substitutes

• 9Brown
• 15Ward
• 16Grimes
• 29Evans
• 32Conway
• 33Raya
• 35Jackson

Leeds

• 1Silvestri
• 28BerardiBooked at 80mins
• 3Bamba
• 5BellusciBooked at 81mins
• 21Taylor
• 26Bridcutt
• 16DiagouragaSubstituted forMurphyat 90+4'minutes
• 10MowattSubstituted forDallasat 74'minutes
• 23L CookBooked at 90mins
• 7AntenucciBooked at 70mins
• 11DoukaraSubstituted forWoodat 85'minutes

Substitutes

• 4Wootton
• 8Murphy
• 9Wood
• 15Dallas
• 18Carayol
• 20Botaka
• 41Grimes

Referee:

Keith Stroud

Attendance:

16,017

Match Stats

Home TeamBlackburnAway TeamLeeds

Possession

Home50%

Away50%

Shots

Home9

Away14

Shots on Target

Home5

Away5

Corners

Home8

Away4

Fouls

Home16

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Leeds United 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+9'

Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Leeds United 2.

Posted at 90'+7'

Marco Silvestri (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+7'

Foul by Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 90'+5'

Mirco Antenucci (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+5'

Foul by Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers).

Substitution

Posted at 90'+4'

Substitution, Leeds United. Luke Murphy replaces Toumani Diagouraga.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Liam Bridcutt (Leeds United).

Posted at 90'+3'

Thomas Spurr (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 90'+2'

Lewis Cook (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+2'

Foul by Lewis Cook (Leeds United).

Posted at 90'+2'

Thomas Spurr (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Goal!

Posted at 89'

Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Leeds United 2. Simeon Jackson (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner.

Posted at 89'

Attempt saved. Simeon Jackson (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from very close range is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Danny Graham.

Posted at 89'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Charlie Taylor.

Posted at 88'

Attempt saved. Matt Grimes (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from long range on the right is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Elliott Bennett.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Liam Bridcutt (Leeds United).

Posted at 86'

Craig Conway (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Substitution

Posted at 85'

Substitution, Leeds United. Chris Wood replaces Souleymane Doukara.

Posted at 84'

Lewis Cook (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Simeon Jackson (Blackburn Rovers).

Posted at 83'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 82'

Delay in match Marco Silvestri (Leeds United) because of an injury.

Posted at 82'

Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Shane Duffy tries a through ball, but Simeon Jackson is caught offside.

Booking

Posted at 81'

Giuseppe Bellusci (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card.

Booking

Posted at 80'

Gaetano Berardi (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card.

Booking

Posted at 80'

Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 80'

Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Giuseppe Bellusci.

Posted at 78'

Charlie Taylor (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 78'

Foul by Elliott Bennett (Blackburn Rovers).

Substitution

Posted at 76'

Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Matt Grimes replaces Darragh Lenihan.

Substitution

Posted at 74'

Substitution, Leeds United. Stuart Dallas replaces Alex Mowatt.

Posted at 73'

Foul by Sol Bamba (Leeds United).

Posted at 73'

Jason Steele (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Ben Marshall.

Posted at 72'

Attempt blocked. Souleymane Doukara (Leeds United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Craig Conway replaces Jordi Gómez.

Booking

Posted at 70'

Mirco Antenucci (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.

Goal!

Posted at 69'

Goal! Blackburn Rovers 0, Leeds United 2. Mirco Antenucci (Leeds United) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Alex Mowatt following a fast break.

Posted at 68'

Foul by Gaetano Berardi (Leeds United).

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