Blackburn Rovers Under-23s were held to a 1-1 draw by Stoke City Under-23s at the Lancs FA in Leyland, writes Sam Jones. 

Connor Mahoney had given Damien Johnson’s side an early lead, but Ryan Sweeney equalised in the second-half to extend Rovers’ winless run to six games.  

The Blues got off to the perfect start when Mahoney opened the scoring after eight minutes. He chased down a loose ball in the box, won a 50-50 challenge with Stoke ‘keeper Harry Isted and then lobbed the ball over a defender on the line to score.

Mahoney was at the heart of everything Rovers created in the first period. Scott Wharton headed wide from the winger's corner, before Lewis Mansell failed to connect with his cross into the box.

Mahoney’s free-kick from the right was then headed towards goal by Wharton again, but this effort was aimed straight at Isted. Mahoney floated another free-kick to the far-post soon after, where the unmarked Matthew Platt could only divert his header wide. 

In a first-half largely dominated by Rovers, it took Stoke 37 minutes to fashion their first chance. Olly Shenton fired wide on the half-volley after being teed up by Tyrese Campbell.

The away side, who sit bottom of the Premier League 2 table, threatened again soon after when right-back Danny Jarvis jinxed his way past two defenders. His curling left-footed effort was comfortably saved by Andrew Fisher. 

Rovers almost gifted their opponents a route back into the game soon after the restart via a loose pass, but Campbell’s low shot went a whisker wide of the post. At the other end, Mahoney started the second half as he finished the first. His set-piece created chances for Thomson and Mansell, who had their shots blocked in the box. 
 
During a succession of Rovers chances, Lewis Hardcastle ran at the Stoke defence and unleashed a powerful strike that just went past the post, while Thomson’s effort whistled wide.

Mansell thought he had headed Rovers into a two-goal lead when he connected with a Jack Doyle cross on 65 minutes, but the offside flag denied the striker a fifth goal of the season. 

Stoke then tested Fisher twice in quick succession. He tipped the ball onto the roof of the net to prevent Hakim Abdullah’s goalbound shot, before turning Jordan Greenidge’s low drive past the post.

But Stoke levelled from the resulting corner, thanks to a towering header from centre-half Ryan Sweeney. 

Cameron McJannett almost put the visitors infront with 10 minutes remaining, as his effort went just wide of the far post. But it was the home side who could have snatched all three points at the death. Mansell’s header from a Mahoney corner looked to be going in, until Isted produced a diving save to deny Rovers the win.
                
ROVERS: Fisher (GK), Travis, Doyle, Mols, Platt, Wharton (c), Mahoney, Hardcastle, Mansell, Rankin-Costello (Butterworth, 80 mins), Thomson. 
Unused Subs: Magloire, Powell, Pemberton, Rittenburg

Stoke City: Istid, Jarvis, Da Silva (Cherdieu, 50), Lecygne (c), Edwards, Sweeney, Abdallah, Dunwoody, Campbell (Greenidge, 79), Shenton, McJannett.

Subs not used: Waddington, Gyollai, Sorenson

Rovers Under 23s are back in action next Monday when they travel to face Norwich City. (Kick-off 1:30pm).