Darwen suffer pre-season defeat at hands of young Rovers team
Darwen suffered a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers’ U23s at the Anchor Ground on Tuesday night.
Two first-half goals from striker Sam Burns put Mark Burton’s side in a comfortable position at the break.
Burns completed his hat-trick not long into the second period before George Chimel added a fourth. A trialist and Dominik Biniek then rounded off the scoring.
The Salmoners got the game underway, but it was Rovers who enjoyed much of the early possession, and looked to dictate proceedings from the off.
Ryan Steele had The Reds’ first attempt after a long ball over the top was allowed to by the Rovers backline. He didn’t have enough space to get an effort away however.
With just 8 minutes on the clock, the side from Ewood Park took the lead when a trialist found Sam Burns in the box and the latter rolled the ball past Holden and into the bottom right-hand corner. 0-1.
Fieldhouse made a good save to deny Rovers doubling their advantage from a free-kick just a couple of minutes later.
A goal kick from Fieldhouse was headed out to the left by Steele, Wilson-Heyes picked up and cut inside and tried to find the right-hand corner with a decent effort that didn’t quite have enough curl on it to nestle in Goddard’s net.
Holden stood firm and made a smart save to deny Burns another.
The visitors’ quality was really beginning to show as they had a fast-flowing team goal chalked out for offside.
As the quarter-of-an-hour mark approached, it became clear that Darwen were trying to unsettle Rovers’ young and inexperienced rear guard with a bombardment of long balls.
Rovers had a great opportunity to go two ahead when Lenni Cirino ran onto a diagonal down the right-hand side before taking it past Entwistle and pulling the ball back to the trialist who could only blaze over the bar.
Nathan Bond won a free-kick in a threatening position on the left-hand edge of the penalty area but Wilson-Heyes miscued his delivery which went behind for a goal-kick.
Jarred Harlock played a lovely ball through for Burns and this time Holden couldn’t keep the forward’s effort out – despite getting a touch on it. With 35 minutes gone, Rovers led The Salmoners 2-0.
A relatively quiet period in the game came to an end when an effort from Blackburn’s Dominik Biek at the far post flew not too far over the crossbar in what turned out to be the last action of the half.
HALF-TIME: DARWEN 0-2 BLACKBURN ROVERS U23s
SECOND HALF
The Salmoners – perhaps re-energised after the interval – established a bit more of a foothold in the game at the start of the second 45.
But Kenny Langford’s side failed to create a clear-cut chance during this spell and, on the hour mark, Sam Burns sealed his hat-trick after he positioned himself beautifully to be found by a defence-splitting pass. 0-3.
Burns’ and Rovers’ third really consolidated their position in the contest.
In the 65th minute, Harlock unleashed a great strike from around 25 yards which smashed into Fieldhouse’s right upright, and came back out – the Rovers youngster was so unlucky not to add his name to the scoresheet with what would have been a spectacular goal.
Blackburn didn’t have to wait much longer for their fourth of the evening however, as in the 68th minute, Chimel was played in and finished coolly into the bottom right-hand corner from close range. 0-4.
With a quarter of an hour to go, Rovers added a fifth when Jake Batty pulled the ball back from the left for a trialist who dispatched via a deflection from the edge of the six-yard box. 0-5.
A good effort from Biniek from the edge of the penalty area – just right of central – then flew not far over Fieldhouse’s crossbar.
Biniek was on hand to add a sixth just a couple of minutes later, side-footing past Fieldhouse. 83 on the clock, 0-6.
Darwen were somewhat unlucky not to grab themselves a consolation as the game drew to a close when a deflected free-kick bobbled around the Blackburn goalmouth.
Fieldhouse made another good save to prevent Rovers securing another well-worked team goal.
FULL-TIME: DARWEN 0-6 BLACKBURN ROVERS U23s
A good test and some more minutes in the legs for Kenny Langford’s men. The Salmoners are next in action this Saturday, 2nd July, when they travel to Lostock St Gerards. Kick-off is at 3pm.
ATT: 352
THE TEAMS
DARWEN
STARTING XI
1. Lenny Fieldhouse
2. Billy Flitcroft
3. Tom Entwistle
4. Chris Lynch
5. Sam Holt
6. Martin Middlehurst
7. Nathan Bond
8. David Lynch
9. Ryan Steele
10. Rio Wilson-Heyes
11. Clayton Gorman
SUBSTITUTES
12. Clayton Gorman
14. Toby Humphries
15. Bobby Langford
16. Israel Aghahow
BLACKBURN ROVERS U23s
Felix Goddard
Joe Hilton
Jalil Saadi
George Pratt
Lenni Cirino
George Gent
Jake Batty
Charlie Weston
Kristie Montgomery
Sam Burns
Jarred Harlock
Charlie Olson
Adam Chadwick
Ryan Wilson
Dominik Biniek
Harley O’Grady
Leo Dury
George Chimel
Trialist
Trialist
Lewis On Sport 
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