FA Youth Cup Report: Blackburn Rovers 3 Leicester City 2 AET

- Josh Eppiah opened the scoring on 13 minutes before Joseph Rankin-Costello made it 1-1 

- Rankin Costello struck again in extra-time, but Kairo Mitchell converted for 2-2 

- Substitute Joel Steer netted at the death to send Blackburn Rovers into the fifth round 

Leicester City’s Under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup at the fourth round stage after being beaten in extra-time by Blackburn Rovers at Leigh Sports Village on Monday evening. 

The young Foxes went 1-0 up early on through Josh Eppiah, who slotted in from close range, before Joseph Rankin-Costello levelled the game with five minutes of the first half to play. 

A goalless second half meant the tie went to extra-time and it was Blackburn who struck first, again through Rankin-Costello. 

But their lead would last just three minutes as striker Kairo Mitchell tapped in to make it 2-2 with 100 minutes on the clock. 

The game looked destined for penalties, but with 120 minutes gone, the hosts found a winner. Rankin-Costello turned provider to set up Joel Steer, who converted from close range to send his side into the fifth round. 

The young Foxes had booked their spot in the fourth round with a convincing 5-0 victory against Cheltenham Town, while Blackburn had beaten Southend United 1-0. 

Valuable minutes in a 2-1 behind-closed-doors friendly victory over Walsall last week stood Trevor Peake’s outfit in good stead heading into the fixture, and that was evident from the off. 

After some solid early defending from the young Foxes, a swift counter attack saw Toby Fura slip in Mitchell. The striker burst down the right wing and delivered into Eppiah, who pounced on Andrew Fisher’s parry to open the scoring on 13 minutes. 

Buoyed by their opener, City had the chance to double their lead through Mitchell, who fired just wide under pressure from a difficult angle with 18 minutes gone. 

The young Foxes were excellent on the break and it was Ndukwu who next went close on 35 minutes. The England youth international cut inside from the right before seeing his deflected strike loop just inches over the Blackburn crossbar. 

City did well to keep Blackburn out shortly after as Cameron Yates parried away before Hamza Choudhury cleared off the line, but they could do nothing about Rankin-Costello’s header just moments later. 

A pin-point corner to the back post found the central midfielder, who nodded in to make it 1-1 on 40 minutes – a goal that meant the game would be all square at the break. 

City started the second half with real intent and it was Choudhury who set up a fine opportunity for Admiral Muskwe. The midfielder delivered with a fine Rabona flick from the left wing into Muskwe, who forced Fisher into a good stop. 

Blackburn should have been in front just moments later, but striker Lewis Mansell couldn’t convert from two yards following Yates’ initial save. 

City rallied and came close to taking the lead as Nduwku saw his effort blocked deep in the Blackburn box, before captain Darnell Johnson sent a powerful header wide just after the hour mark. 

It was Blackburn who then came closest to winning the game in normal time as Rankin-Costello saw his effort deflected onto the City crossbar with six minutes to play. 

All square after 90 minutes, Blackburn struck first as Rankin-Costello grabbed his second of the game with a superb solo goal on 97 minutes. 

But the young Foxes responded well and found themselves on level terms three minutes later. Substitute Harvey Barnes saw his initial low drive saved, but Mitchell was positioned perfectly to tap in the loose ball. 

The second half of extra-time then saw Tre Pemberton nod onto the crossbar, while substitute Steer saw his strike blocked by team-mate Rankin-Costello. 

But with 120 minutes gone, Blackburn eventually found a winner. Rankin-Costello slipped past his marker and squared the ball to Steer, who made no mistakes from six yards out. 

The result meant City exited the FA Youth Cup at the fourth round stage, while Blackburn will go on to face Aston Villa in the fifth round. 

BLACKBURN: Fisher, Nyambe (Magloire 105), Travis, Rankin-Costello, Doyle, Wharton (c), Pemberton, Hardcastle, Mansell (Steer 114), Tomlinson, Howarth (Fawns 82) 

SUBS NOT USED: Ascroft, Grayson 

GOALS: Rankin-Costello 40, 97, Steer 120 

CITY: Yates, Percival (Pascanu 115), Kelly, Choudhury, Knight, Johnson (c), Muskwe, Ndukwu, Mitchell, Fura, Eppiah (Barnes 69) 

SUBS NOT USED: Slinn, Sherriff, Dewsbury-Hall 

GOALS: Eppiah 13, Mitchell 100 

REFEREE: Mr P. Graham