FA Youth Cup Final 2nd leg: Everton 2 Blackburn Rovers 2 (agg 5-3) - Peter White reports

THERE was to be no final glory at Goodison last night for Blackburn Rovers' young braves - but there was no grief either in achieving what no other team has been able to manage.

Everton's 3-1 advantage from the first leg of the FA Youth Cup final at Ewood proved, as expected, decisive.

But Rovers became the first to hold the powerful Merseyside marauders in this competition, after seven straight wins.

And they did it with a bit of style, Steven Hawe's 84th minute equaliser was a classic and one of two memorable second half moments.

The other was provided by Gareth Stewart, who pulled off a remarkable save two minutes from time, to prevent Danny Cadamarteri giving Everton a win they did not deserve on a windswept night.

Over the two legs, however, there was no argument that Everton were worthy winners.

But even their youth chief Colin Harvey was quick to agree that Rovers were good value for last night's draw.

Yet, once again, they made life difficult for themselves, twice going behind to a very strong side.

It took every ounce of character these kids possessed to fight their way back into the game and, for one spell during the second half, they even had a glimpse of pulling off a remarkable rescue act.

They certainly had Everton worried with a display best summed up by youth coach Rob Kelly. He said: "We were disappointed with the first half but in the second they showed true grit, true spirit and true determination and deserved what they got."

What a stunner it was in only the second minute when a free kick from Jamie Milligan was headed high into the net by Francis Jeffers, a lad who made his first team bow against Manchester United earlier this season.

Rovers didn't defend it too well but hung in there with Martin Taylor and Keith Brown gradually getting on top of Jeffers and Cadamarteri - both with senior experience remember - and began to have a few openings themselves.

David Dunn and Garth Scates were working their socks off in midfield, with Dunn always looking for a chance to shoot and he almost caught the keeper with a 35-yard volley.

It was after the interval that Rovers showed their real mettle and they were level in the 52nd minute.

A long ball caused confusion in the Everton box, Dunn headed goalwards and, although Carl Regan stopped it on the line, he could only knock it up into the air.

Gary Hamilton challenged the defender and claimed the final touch as both went for the ball which finished in the net.

It meant Hamilton finished with eight goals in the tournament and the proud record of scoring in every round.

Rovers had chances, as they piled forward, to put the issue in real doubt but the tie, if not the game, was over in the 70th minute when Adam Eaton, looking suspiciously offside, broke from Milligan's pass and lobbed Stewart. But that wasn't the end of it and excellent passing down the right-hand side saw Hamilton find Dunn. His instant cross was perfect for substitute Hawe to charge in and volley first time low into the corner -- a great goal.

Stewart had his moment of glory and there was every cause for Rovers to take their deserved ovation from both sets of fans at the end.

The final provided two superb games and the work done initially by Jim Furnell and his staff, then from last July by Bobby Downes, Kelly and the rest of the men in the new set-up has been reflected in this season's achievements.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Delaney; Regan, Farley, Dunne, Eaton; Jevons, Poppleton, O'Brien, Milligan, Jeffers, Cadamarteri. Subs: Hibbert (for Jeffers 75 mins), McLeod, Knowles.

ROVERS (4-4-2): Stewart; Richardson, Taylor, Brown, Murphy; McAvoy, Dunn, Scates, Baldacchino; Hamilton, Topley. Subs: Ryan (for Baldacchino 66 mins), Hawe (for Brown 72 mins), Connolly (for Topley 82 mins).

REFEREE: N Barry (Scunthorpe) ATTENDANCE: 15,258.

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