Quick LinksFixtures
Reports
Players
Transfers
Rumours
NewsNow
Table
Stats
Reserves
Academy
The
RestArchives
Bez
Club info
Fanzines
Last Season
SJP
Small Ads
Unlikely Lads
Teletext
A-Z Index
Blackburn Rovers (a) Premier Reserve League (North)
| |
Date: Tuesday
3rd Sept
2002, 7.00pm Venue:
Christie Park, Morecambe |
Blackburn Rovers Reserves |
0-4 | Newcastle United Reserves |
| Half time: | 0-1 | |
 |
||
| Score Sheet: | ||
 Cort (25) Orr
(64) Elliott
(76) Chopra
(85)
|
||
|
||
| Teams | ||
| Miller Hockenhull Morgan Hignett Todd Greer Gillespie Douglas Richards Grabbi Mahon |
Steve
Harper Andy Griffin Robbie Elliott Steve Caldwell Andy O'Brien Diego Gavilan Christian Bassedas Jamie McClen Laurent Robert Carl Cort Craig Bellamy |
|
|
||
| Substitutes: | ||
| Danns for Richards (63) | Michael Chopra for Bellamy (53) Bradley Orr for Robert (60) Steven Taylor for O'Brien (79) |
|
|
||
| Subs not used: | ||
| Corbett Renton Taylor Dunning |
Collin Brennan |
|
| Bookings: | ||
| Hockenhull Todd |
McClen (foul) | |
|
||
| Referee: |
||
|
||
| Attendance: 641 (50% supporting the Toon) who were boosted by the visiting Tobago House of Assembly goodwill football team squad watching from the stand - i'm not making this up..... | ||
|
||
Goals |
25 mins: Carl Cort
opened the scoring, heading a right wing Gavilan cross past the keeper, whose
vision was partially obscured by Cort's marker 1-0
Half time: Blackburn 0 Newcastle Reserves
1
64 mins: Cort won a
tackle down the left flank and slipped the ball through to Michael Chopra. He
guided it across the edge of the box for an unmarked Bradley Orr to score
with his first meaningful touch after coming off the bench as he steered the
ball into the bottom left corner. Bassedas was on hand behind him, also unmarked
2-0.
76 mins: Chopra was fouled on the edge of the box and Robbie Elliott rattled a quickly-taken the free-kick past a motionless keeper 3-0.
85 mins: Blackburn keeper Miller made a hash of a clearance under no pressure, presenting Chopra with the ball. Chops outstripped the defender and buried his shot through the keeper's legs from 12 yards 4-0.
Full time: Blackburn 0 Newcastle Reserves 4
We Said |
Tommy Craig commented:
"I was happy with the result and the way we played in the second half, but
in the first half it took us time to gel - our passing wasn't as slick as I'd
have liked it to be and I want us to persist with playing good, attractive
football on the deck rather than pumping long balls up the middle.
"But to be fair to the lads we had a few players who haven't played for a
while in there and you cannot expect them to click straight away. There's
no such thing as a settled side at this level, but once the bulk of the
lads get used to playing with each other we'll get better.
"The game served it's purpose for those two (Robert and Bellamy),
and to their credit they showed tremendous attitude. They got another hour or so
of competitive football under their belts and it will do them good.
"I was also pleased to see Carl Cort play so well, it was good to see him
back after his injury. It was a great move with seven passes that led to his
goal, and he put it away well.
"On another night he could have had a couple of more goals, but the one
that he did get will do him good."
"Diego Gavilan really impressed me. He loves to get out wide and whip the
ball in, and his crossing was fanstastic against Blackburn. His crossing is
consistently accurate, and when you have service like that you will always score
goals.
"Chops also did well when he came on as a
substitute. He took his goal really well, but I expect that from him to be
honest because the kid's full of goals."
Waffle |
Tommy Craig's all-stars got their first win of the season against Blackburn at Morecambe on Tuesday night.
Craig Bellamy, Laurent Robert
and Carl Cort were the three big money buys on show but Gavilan, Bassedas and
O'Brien also helped to raise the total value of the reserve side to well over
the £30m mark.
Robert and Bellamy both came through their stints without incident before being
taken off, but it's fair to say that Bellamy put slightly more effort into the
game than his French colleague, if only in the haranguing the ref stakes....
Former Mag Keith Gillespie
appeared for the home side but did little as United ultimately triumphed
comfortably.
It's pleasing to report that after looking less than impressive in pre-season
reserve runouts, Carl Cort was much improved in this match.
His general fitness looked better and his close control also seemed to be
returning - hopefully he can now work on sharpening himself up further and
presenting Bobby with another striking option in the coming weeks.
Alongside him for the closing moments was Michael Chopra, who looked
lively and had a hand in a couple of goals before capping his display with a
successful effort of his own. That made it it 4-0 and 7 goals in just 9 reserve
league starts for the lad.
The game also marked a reserve league debut for young defender Steven Taylor,
following up his pre-season run out for the second string at Darlington.
PS: Unlike last year, the teams weren't welcomed on to the field by the PA
playing "bring me sunshine" - shame.
Big thanks to Andy G for taxi duties.
Biffa
Reports