BLACKBURN Rovers youth team boss Terry McPhillips has hailed the efforts of his youngsters this season after seeing them secure their place in the FA Youth Cup final this evening.

Rovers' under 18s beat their Burnley counterparts 2-1 at Turf Moor this evening and 3-1 on aggregate as they look to win the competition for the first time since 1959.

Second half goals from Hugo Fernandez and Ryan Edwards were enough to put the visitors in control, with Steven Hewitt's late penalty nothing but consolation.

McPhillips said: “I am really pleased for the lads for the whole run. We haven't played quite so well as we can on either night, although I thought we did well in the second half.

“Credit to them for all of the games. They come thick and fast. Credit to all the lads, the under 15s and 16s who have supplemented us this season.

“We have done tremendous, we are in the final and we are second in the league. We just have to keep it going.”

Fernandez showed good composure to slot Rovers ahead on 56 minutes and, two minutes later, Edwards' long distance free kick somehow squirmed under Burnley keeper Josh Cook.

“When the ball fell to Hugo the angle we had we just knew he was going to slot it home,” said McPhillips. “Then we get a bit of luck with the next one.

“I thought at that spell we were right on top and a bit hot too handle at that stage. The game went in lots of different spells.

“We started well, then they came into it, we finished the half well and obviously the spell around the goals we were terrific. We are delighted.”