IT'S mission improbable for Blackburn Rovers at Goodison Park tonight, when they try to pull back a 3-1 deficit in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final against Everton, writes TONY GARNER.

But Rovers refuse to rule out their chances of producing an upset. They have an outstanding away record and Ewood's head of youth development Bobby Downes believes the cause is far from lost.

But he said: "We must get the first goal.

"If they score first then we have a mountain to climb.

"But we have a good away record. We have won at Manchester United, West Ham and QPR in this competition and we also won at Everton in the league, 3-2 after being 2-0 down.

"In many ways the pressure is off us now because Everton probably think they have won it.

"We know we have to play better than we did in the first game but I don't think they can do any better. You can't see them scoring three goals like that again.

"It will be a different game if we can get that first goal tonight and it is still an occasion to go and enjoy."

Striker Craig Woodfield is counted out of the squad with an injury he has been carrying for the past few weeks.

But Rovers have plenty of players capable of scoring, including central defender Martin Taylor whose first-leg effort gave them a glimmer of hope from the Ewood game.

There are a few knocks to check after a hectic schedule of league and cup games which has seen Rovers win the Lancashire League Second Division (under-18s) championship and also reach the final of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup.

But they could well be unchanged from the first leg.

The squad is: Stewart, Richardson, Taylor, Brown, Murphy, McAvoy, Scates, Dunn, Ryan, Hamilton, Topley, Connolly, Baldacchino, R Dunning, Hawe, Bingham.

Everton proved themselves to be a strong side and players such as striker Danny Cadamarteri and defender Richard Dunne, who have both been involved at Premiership level this season, give them an edge. They were undoubtedly the better team at Ewood but, if Rovers had been able to level at 2-2 during their best spell of the game just after half-time, it might have been much closer.

The Merseysiders have other attacking assets as well as Cadamarteri.

Phillip Jevons and Francis Jeffers can both pose a threat and a 9,000-plus Ewood crowd was impressed by the skills of Jamie Milligan, who plays on the left-hand side of midfield.

Milligan is also a danger from set pieces.

Everton are likely to make one change from the first leg. Leon Osman, who scored their third goal, has a knee injury and Jeffers, who was on the bench, is set to start.

Their expected line-up is: Delany, Regan, Eaton, Farley, Dunne, O'Brien, Poppleton, Jevons, Milligan, Jeffers, Cadamarteri. Subs from: Hibbert, Knowles, McLeod, Howarth.

Away goals do not count double. If the aggregate score is level after 90 minutes, extra time, then penalties will be used. Kick-off time is 8.05pm.

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