Blackburn Rovers 0 Leeds United 2: Two telling moments of quality see Leeds maintain heat on rivals — Yorkshire Post 9/12/23

SIDES who win promotion in May do it in all sorts of ways and weathers.

By Leon Wobschall

Leeds United were not at their best at Blackburn Rovers, but did enough.

Dan James’s third goal in successive games - and seventh of the season and first away from Elland Road - put them ahead on 27 minutes of a well-contested first half.

The visitors - attacking their 7,000 fans in the Darwen End in the second period – took their time to seal it and there were some nerves. Yet like all good sides, they conjured a big, telling moment of quality when it matters to nail the game in the final quarter.

It came when excellence from Archie Gray played in Crysencio Summerville, who took his season’s tally to an impressive ninth with a delightful chipped finish after being played in.

Ahead of Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton taking the field, Leeds did what they had to do en route to a ninth win in 11 matches.

For the second successive game, Leeds were given something to think about by opponents prepared to have a go and show risk and bravery in playing out from the back in Blackburn.

There were also areas to exploit. While not at full pelt in the first half, Leeds displayed threat on occasions and afforded themselves an opener.

James Hill, who had a good battle with Crysencio Summerville, looked like he’d initially won a challenge with Rutter, but then lost the ball inexplicably. Rutter got away and slotted in James, given too much room given his recent scoring streak. His aim was true and he finished well.

Rovers’ risk-taking should have resulted in a United opener before that. Hayden Carter overdoing it in front of his own goal. Summerville seized on the ball and found Rutter, who again showed the frustrating side of his game by chipping wide, with the goal gaping.

Leeds’s best moment prior to that saw a free-kick from Joel Piroe deflected just wide, while a rapid counter saw James just fail to pick out Rutter.

For their part, Blackburn showed ambition - with defenders not afraid to get forward when the opportunity arose, with their movement and front-foot football posing some issues for Leeds.

A slick early move signalled their intent with Pickering’s low cross just evading danger man Szmodics.

Carter got forward and saw a shot deflected over, while some innovative corner routines tested Leeds defensively.

Their opener was a settler, although they had to survive a penalty area when Harry Leonard got goal side of Pascal Struijk and fell to the ground, but referee Robert Madley was unmoved.

It was an open, entertaining game in teeming rain, with another incident of note being an unwelcome one with some Leeds supporters ejected after a brief bit of trouble in the Riverside Stand, a Rovers section of Ewood Park.

At half-time, there was the feeling that more goals here for Leeds, but they needed to be wary at the other end.

They were afforded a touch of fortune early in the second half.

Struijk slid in following a cross on the left from Andrew Moran as Rovers threatened and the ball clearly hit his arm. Madley was not interested and awarded a corner.

Rovers maintained a modicum of pressure as the rain continued to lash down with the game in the balance still, with Leeds requiring a second goal to be more comfortable.

Ex-Barnsley player Callum Brittain then leathered a rising shot into the side-netting, with Rovers - for their polish at times - looking a little toothless in front of goal.

At the other end, Leeds were not their true selves. The important facet was they led, and as the rain continued, the impression grew that their priority was digging in a little and seeing things through.

Daniel Farke thought otherwise, he freshened it up, in the event and threw on Djed Spence and Wilfried Gnonto. Not too long after, the game was safe.

A fine interchange, led by Archie Gray saw the teenager superbly find Summerville in space and his finish was excellent and relieving.

Rovers forced Meslier into work when he tipped over Arnor Sigurdsson’s header from Moran’s corner before another penalty appeal came and substitute Jake Garrett went over under pressure from Ampadu.