Blackburn Rovers Reserves 3, Newcastle United Reserves 0

ANOTHER sparkling performance saw Rovers Reserves rip Newcastle to shreds at Ewood last night and they would not have been flattered if they had at least doubled the score.

It was the younger players who again gave Rovers their inspiration, though there were also excellent contributions from seniors returning from injury such as Billy McKinlay and Marlon Broomes.

And two-goal striker Gary Hamilton hammered out a message that, if youngsters are to be given a go in the first team, then he is ready and waiting for a chance.

Hamilton, who has made a big impression in both the last two reserve games, could easily have had a double hat-trick as so many chances were created against a Newcastle side to whom the word defending seemed foreign.

Rovers were ahead after only five minutes when Ben Burgess flicked on a long ball from the back to leave Hamilton in the clear. Alessandro Pistone failed to close him down, the keeper hesitated fatally and Hamilton struck the ball in by a post for a clinical finish.

Newcastle spurned a couple of chances before Rovers scored again in the 23rd minute. Laurent Charvet and his fellow defenders were in a tangle as keeper John Karelse miskicked to Ryan Baldacchino just outside the box.

The winger took the chance well and Rovers should have doubled their score before Newcastle had a chance to get back into it.

Keeper Michael Bingham was harshly judged to have fouled Jose Antunes but then brilliantly saved the spot kick from Diego Gavilan just three minutes before half time.

That was justice done and, in a one-sided second half, Hamilton turned in a near-post corner from Paul Forsyth in the 64th minute to complete the scoring.

Forsyth, Darren Peacock, Simon Grayson and McKinlay could all have had goals in a superb show of attacking football.

ROVERS: Bingham, Grayson, Peacock, Broomes, Richardson, Baldacchino, McKinlay, D Dunning, Forsyth, Burgess (sub Corbett 82 mins), Hamilton. Subs not used: Hawe, O'Brien, Howson, Hind (gk).