Leeds United boss Daniel Farke explains how his team missed top opportunity at Blackburn Rovers
DANIEL FARKE admitted a slow start cost his Leeds United team dearly as they missed out on an opportunity to go top of the Championship again after defeat at Ewood Park.
Todd Cantwell’s first-half penalty was enough to clinch a 1-0 victory for Blackburn Rovers, boss John Eustace registering his third straight win over the Whites in the dugout.
Sheffield United’s defeat of Sunderland a day earlier meant Leeds went into the clash in second spot.
And they fell short in their efforts to leapfrog the Blades after Cantwell’s 22nd-minute spot-kick secured Rovers’ third successive win and boosted their play-off challenge.
The visitors pressed hard for an equaliser but when they did find the net, Largie Ramazani’s 82nd-minute effort was ruled out for offside.
And had Cantwell made more of two good second-half chances, Blackburn’s margin of victory might have been even greater.
“We started bit too slow and especially in the beginning, gave too many unnecessary free-kicks and fouls away,” said Farke. “The penalty was more or less the same situation.
“I don’t want to be too critical, so lazy is perhaps a bit too harsh, but we started too slowly.
“I think we should have a bit more on it in the in the first half, should have invested a bit more. We should have been a bit quicker, quicker in the head. But we were not.
“Of course, it was the third game and within six days. But also don’t want to search for excuses, so today, I think the slow start was reason that we lost this game.”
Farke said the schedule, including the early kick-off, did not help his side even if it did not cost them.
“I don’t like early kick-offs, and especially I don’t like early kick-offs when you have such a quick turn around,” said the Leeds boss. “But I don’t complain about this because we are also used to it.
“If you have such a crazy schedule, it’s difficult, but nevertheless, again, I think we could have started better, and I don’t want to use this as an excuse. But if you ask me, personally, I don’t like them at all.”
Yuki Onashi headed against the bar as it took Leeds time to settle, but Farke’s side began to threaten once they got into their stride.
They would have taken a 16th-minute lead but for an excellent save by Aynsley Pears who recovered to deny Willy Gnonto but just as the visitors were threatening to take control, a clumsy challenge by Ao Tanaka on Tyrhys Dolan gifted Rovers the chance to make the breakthrough.
Dolan worked his way into the Leeds box from the right but was bundled to the ground as Tanaka came across to cover and Cantwell held his nerve to convert the resulting spot-kick to give Blackburn a 22nd-minute lead.
The task confronting Farke’s side would have been even greater had Yuki Ohashi been able to make more of a chance early in the second half.
The forward was denied by Joe Rodon’s covering tackle and from that point Blackburn’s efforts were largely focused on defending their lead.
Cantwell could have made the game safe when he scuffed two late attempts in front of goal. And after Ramazani’s effort was disallowed, Leeds rarely looked like finding a way past Pears.
Blackburn Rovers: Pears, Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Pickering, Tronstad, Travis, Dolan, Cantwell (Hedges 90), Beck, Ohashi (Gueye 63). Unused substitutes: Hilton, McFadzean, Rankin-C ostello, Buckley, Baker, Cozier-Duberry, Leonard.
Leeds United: Meslier, Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo, Tanaka, Rothwell (Fernandez 82), Gnonto (Solomon 69), Aaronson (Ramazani 69), James, Piroe (Bamford 69). Unused substitutes: Darlow, Debayo, Wober, Crew, Guilavogui.
Referee: Lewis Smith (Lancashire).