Blackburn Rovers 1 Leeds United 0: Whites miss out on return to top as Todd Cantwell nets penalty — Yorkshire Post 30/11/24
Todd Cantwell’s first-half penalty clinched Blackburn Rovers a 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Ewood Park as Daniel Farke’s side missed out on the chance to return to the top of the Championship.
Sheffield United’s defeat of Sunderland a day earlier meant
Leeds came into this clash in second spot.
And they fell short in their efforts to leapfrog the Blades
after Cantwell’s 22nd-minute spot-kick secured Rovers’ third successive win and
boosted their play-off challenge.
The visitors pressed hard for an equaliser but when they did
find the net, Largie Ramazani’s 82nd-minute effort was ruled out for offside.
And had Cantwell made more to two good second-half chances,
Blackburn’s margin of victory might have been even greater.
John Eustace’s side were boosted by the midweek win at
in-form Middlesbrough and they almost carried on where they left off when Yuki
Onashi headed against the bar.
It took Leeds time to settle but Farke’s side began to
threaten once they got into their stride.
And they would have taken a 16th-minute lead but for an
excellent save by Aynsley Pears who recovered to deny Willy Gnonto after the
winger had pounced on the Blackburn keeper’s poor pass.
But just as the visitors were threatening to take control, a
clumsy challenge by Ao Tanaka on Tyrhys Dolan gifted Rovers the chance to make
the breakthrough.
Dolan worked his way into the Leeds box from the right but
was bundled to the ground as Tanaka came across to cover and Cantwell held his
nerve to convert the resulting spot-kick to give Blackburn a 22nd-minute lead.
Another defensive mistake – this time Danny Batth’s
under-hit backpass – almost allowed Leeds a way back into the game but Pears
was again quick to react.
Leeds’ first-half frustrations were summed up when Brenden
Aaronson sent a miscued volley over the bar.
And the task confronting Farke’s side would have been even
greater had Ohashi been able to make more of a chance early in the second half.
The forward was denied by Joe Rodon’s covering tackle and
from that point Blackburn’s efforts were largely focused on defending their
lead.
Pears was once again a central figure as Rovers battled to
hold on to the advantage.
The keeper did well to cut out Gnonto’s cross with an
unmarked Jayden Bogle lurking behind him.
And he then produced an even better save to keep out Pascal
Struijk’s header after the Leeds defender rose to meet Joe Rothwell’s
free-kick.
Cantwell could have made the game safe when he scuffed to
late attempts in front of goal.