Boro U21s 3 Blackburn Rovers U21s 1





When Lewis Maloney and Tom McAloon linked up in the opening minutes and a run from McAloon ended when he was brought down on the edge of the penalty, Boro had signalled their intention from the start.





Minutes later it was pinball inside their Rovers penalty area as first McAloon, then Jonathan Burn went close and Jack Doyle cleared off the line.





Andy Halliday twice went close. His best effort coming with a curling shot from 20 yards which was just off target.





Boro's dominance continued and McAloon set up Bradley Fewster who shot low at an angle, bringing a smart save from David Raya.





The breakthrough finally game after 17 minutes when Bradley Halliday, looking like McAloon earlier to be inside the penalty area when fouled, was brought down. Andy Halliday drilled in a low-free-kick and Bradley Fewster turned in from close range.





Gradually Rovers got a foothold in the game. Connor Mahoney had a shot blocked on the edge of the penalty area and it took excellent defending from Jonathan Burn to deny Dean Rittenberg.





Rittenberg was again denied when shooting from just inside the box, but it was Boro, after Rovers had shown up quite well, who were handed a simple task to increase their lead.





With 41 minutes played Rovers 'keeper David Raya dropped a cross, Burn hit a post when pouncing on the loose ball and Bradley Fewster was on hand to tuck into an empty net.





Half-time Boro U21s 2 Rovers U21s 0





Rovers made a fight of it from the start of the second half and enjoyed plenty possession.





Direct pressure on the Boro goal wasn't too much of a problem, however, with Mahoney going the closest to reducing the arrears before Bryn Morris was just wide with a low shot across the face of goal with Boro's first attack which came several minutes into the half.





Luke Coddington made a smart stop to keep out a fiercely-struck drive from John O'Sullivan for a visiting side that by this stage had made the first change of the game as they strove for a way back into it.





There looked no way back for the visitors as Tom McAloon scored a goal his performance deserved on 72 minutes, shooting low through Raya's legs when set up by Jordan Jones who had been sent on to replace Andy Halliday.





Just two minutes later Rovers grabbed a lifeline when sub Sam Joel shot low from a narrow angle. His shot took a wicked deflection off Maloney and spiralled away from Coddington's desperate clutches.





Rovers, pluckier by far compared to their first half showing, stuck to their task, but sub Mark Kitching was close to adding a fourth for Boro when tidily working his way into a shooting position and just skimming the bar with a powerfully-struck shot.





Teams

Boro: Coddington; B Halliday, Atkinson (Capt.), Burn, Bennett, Maloney, A Halliday (Jones 67), Morris, Fewster, Cooke (Kitching 78), McAloon (Mondal 72). Subs: Fryer (gk); Weledji.





Rovers: Raya; Daly, Doyle, Tanner (Joel 67), Lavelle, Lenihan, Mahoney (Carson 59), Bauress (Capt.), Rittenberg, O'Sullivan, Cham (Preston 79). Subs: Crump, Jorge.





Order of subs on 67: 1) Carson 2) Jones





Referee: Shaun Hudson

Booking: Lenihan, 45, foul.





Conditions: Cool, dry and still.





Attendance: 241



