ROVERS Under-18s progressed to the Fifth Round of the FA Youth Cup after beating Watford Under-18s 2-0 at Ewood Park, writes Sam Jones. 

Rovers were knocked out of the competition at this stage last season, losing a penalty shoot-out to Aston Villa. But there was no repeat of that as they comfortably saw off Watford on a wet night in Lancashire. 

Callum Wright’s early penalty, followed by Daniel Butterworth’s goal was enough to see Billy Barr’s side through the next stage of the Cup, where they will face Nottingham Forest at home.  

The first chance of the game fell to the Blues inside the opening three minutes, when Daniel Butterworth found space on the edge of the box but hit a fierce shot into the side netting.

Butterworth used his pace to get round the defence soon after and fired an effort into the hands of Jamie Lacy in the Watford goal. 

Rovers broke the deadlock via the penalty spot when Callum Wright was felled in the box after a jinxing run that started on the half way line. He picked himself up to convert the penalty low into the corner, sending Lacy the wrong way. 

The opportunities continued to come for the home side. Lewis Thompson played an inch perfect cross into the box for Butterworth, but the Rovers striker tried to flick the ball over the defender, rather than shooting first time and lost possession. 

Just before the half hour mark Wright tried to double his tally as he shifted the ball onto his left foot and forced Lacy into a diving save to deny Rovers a second. 

Moments later, Butterworth chased onto a through ball and did well to get past the last line of defence, but could not find a finish.

Rovers added to their lead just before the break, but not before Lacy got down quickly to stop Wright’s effort from outside the box. Butterworth scored from the resulting corner, neatly finishing in off the post after pinball in the Watford penalty area.  

Watford beat Sunderland to reach this round, but failed to threaten Rovers in the opening 45 minutes. The Hornets’ first shot on goal came three minutes into the second period as Reece Miller’s shot on the turn flew over the bar.

Vale could have made it three on 55 minutes when John Buckley found him in the box, but his close range shot was saved by Watford stopper Lacy, who injured himself making the save. Jones headed Thompson’s cross onto the roof of the net from the resulting corner. 

Samuel Barnes should have done better after Thompson’s thunderous strike was spilled by substitute ‘keeper Dave Burnell, but blazed the ball over from inside the six-yard box. 

Chances were few and far between in the final quarter of the game. Wright’s shot flew well over, while Watford wasted a free-kick on the edge of the area. The visitors were forced to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men after Ryan Cassidy limped off injured, soon after Watford had used their last substitute. 

Butterworth almost capitalised on Rovers’ man advantage, but saw his low effort comfortably saved by Burnell. Hayden Carter then failed to find the target when the ball fell to him in the box following Jones’ long run from inside his own half.  

Barnes preserved Rovers’ clean sheet in the closing stages, making a last ditch tackle to deny Jubril Adedeji a clear shot on goal. 

Rovers Under-18s are back in Premier League action next Saturday when they travel to Middlesbrough (12pm). 

ROVERS: Campbell (GK); Carter (C), Thompson, Buckley, Jones, Barnes, Vale, (Connell, 76 mins), Evans, Butterworth, Wright (Wilson, 85 mins), Paton. 

Unused subs: Winterbottom, Boyomo, Chan.