BLACKBURN Rovers Over-50s Walking Football team have been crowned North West champions after sealing an extra time 3-2 victory over Wigan.

Rovers will now play in the Walking Football Association’s finals day in Nottingham later this month in a round robin competition that will include all eight regional winners to see who will be crowned overall champions.

After a cagey opening, Rovers got in to their stride and began to cause the Wigan defence problems.

Mick Crump and Stuart Dunn combined well up front and both had good shots well saved by the Wigan keeper while Dunn hit the post and the bar.

Crump hit two trademark pile-drivers but Rovers could not find the back of the net. Tony Jones probed forward from midfield, providing the link between defence and attack in an attempt to capitalise on Rovers growing ascendancy.

Trevor Hanson and Tony Hartley were in control at the back, negating any threat from the Wigan forwards. And both found opportunities to to move forward for shots on goal. But despite their dominance, Rovers could not find a way through.

The second half saw coach Billy Legg make his planned changes and he introduced Mick Stockley, Gordon Arkwright and Mark Jenkinson and after five minutes it was Arkwright who broke the deadlock.

A good passing move involving Hanson, Jones and Stockley left Arkwright with possession close to the Wigan box. A neat shimmy took him past two players and when a dummied shot put the keeper off balance, Arkwright chipped the ball in to put Rovers 1-0 up.

Having got the goal, Rovers were knocking the ball around. Jenkinson acting as the target man for the attacking moves held the ball up well and played the pivotal role in keeping possession.

Rovers keeper Steve Riley had been largely untroubled, dealing well with anything Wigan threw at him in the first half and made a couple of smart saves.

With only a couple of minutes remaining, the game appeared to be heading towards a 1-0 Rovers win.

However the spirited Wigan side, who had played some good football themselves, were not for giving up. When one of their forwards found some space a few yards outside the area, he took the opportunity to hit a shot that deflected off the foot of a Rovers defender.

Riley had the initial shot covered but the deflection left him without a chance and the scores were level at 1-1 to force extra time.

The first five minute period had hardly got underway when Wigan were awarded a free kick.

Rovers momentarily lost concentration and the Wigan centre forward was left unmarked with too much space. He received the ball and he fired the ball into the goal from close range.

The second period of extra time saw the re-introduction of Crump and when he challenged for a ball in midfield, it fell into open space. Hanson saw the opportunity, strode forward, took one touch and drilled a shot into the bottom corner to equalise.

Wigan had looked confident but the goal seemed to deflate them.

With spirits lifted, Rovers moved forward again with purpose, trying to finish the game off before the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Eventually an opportunity fell to Arkwright on the edge of the box and despite the tight angle and the close attention of a Wigan defender, he managed to get the vital touch to stab the ball into the net and put his team 3-2 up with what proved to be the winning goal.

There was more good news for Rovers when two players were selected for forthcoming games for England against Wales at Barry Town.

Hanson plays his second game for the Over-50s team having been part of the inaugural win against Italy at Brighton’s AMEX stadium while Jones will make his debut for the Over-60s

Squad: Billy Legg (coach), Mick Stockley, Mark Jenkinson, Steve Riley, Tony Jones, Tony Hartley, Mick Crump, Gordon Arkwright, Stuart Dunn, Trevor Hanson