Blackburn Rovers U21s came from 2-0 down to beat their Town counterparts 3-2 after extra-time in their round-of-16 Premier League Cup tie at Portman Road this evening. The Blues were 2-0 up through Josh Lewis and Luca Fletcher but two goals from Osman Kamara either side of the break brought the Lancastrians back into it and they won it via an Aodhan Doherty penalty in the 115th minute.

Town included all three January development squad additions, keeper Nick Bilokapic, midfielder Ryan Doherty and forward Frankie Runham, from the start, as well as winger Tudor Mendel, who spent last week training with the first team squad.

Bilokapic was forced into the first stop of the evening, Igor Tyjon hitting a low effort from the edge of the area which the Australian former Peterborough man claimed comfortably.

The Blues went ahead in the fourth minute, Mendel sending Fletcher away on the right and the on-loan Manchester City striker cut across to left-back Lewis, who was breaking into the area at the back post and the former Brighton man slammed across the keeper and into the corner of the net.

On 10, Runham hit a 25-yard free-kick through to Blackburn keeper Nick Michalski, before the visitors broke and Bilokapic saved from Zack Strich.

Eight minutes later, Rovers weren’t too far away from an equaliser when a corner from the right ran loose and Kamara had two goes at forcing it over the line, but Bilokapic emerged with the ball in his hands.

In the 22nd minute, Fletcher was sent away down the left by Oliver Wilkinson, the attacker cutting inside and into the area but Michalski blocked his effort at the near post.

Within a minute, Michalski was forced into an even better stop. After Blackburn have been unable to clear, Fletcher worked himself space before hitting a shot which Michalski reacted quickly to palm it wide.

On 29, with Town passing the ball around slickly and at pace, Taylor was found inside the box and did well to take it down and lay it off to Runham on the 18-yard line, but the Chelsea loanee’s effort was too close to Michalski.

Just after the half-hour, Fletcher cut in from the left and hit a shot which Michalski saved down to his left.

Town had been creating chances with increasing frequency and in the 32nd minute the Blues doubled their lead via something of a gift.

Fletcher was presented with a loose pass from a Blackburn defender and the striker took it on into the box before confidently slipping it past Michalski.

In the 40th minute, Tyjon briefly felt he’d pulled a goal back after he turned the ball into the Town net from close range from a low right-wing cross but having strayed offside.

However, in the first minute of injury time, Rovers did reduce the deficit, Kamara turning another low ball from the right into the net from the penalty spot, the ball just beating Bilokapic down to his right.

The visitors had improved in the latter stages of the half but a two-goal half-time lead wouldn’t have flattered the Blues on the balance of the period.

And four minutes after the restart, Rovers levelled, Kamara claiming his second of the evening following a counter-attack.

Town had started the second half slowly and on 52 Strich struck an effort which Bilokapic saved.

Soon after, Kamara shot deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, then on 54 Tyjon blazed similarly well over.

Both teams made their first changes in the 65th minutes, Josh Pitts replacing Runham for the Blues.

Town began to grow into the half and in the 67th minute Lewis struck their first effort since the break, but his 25-yard strike following a corner was saved comfortably by Michalski.

Seven minutes later, Blackburn failed to deal with a corner from the right, the ball just not falling for Pitts inside the six-yard box.

As the game moved towards the 75-minute mark, Rovers should have gone in front, Kamara playing in sub Joe Boggan, but Blues skipper Leon Elliott superbly slid the ball behind, Valentin Joseph protesting to his teammate that it ought to have been moved on to him.

On 84, Town claimed a penalty when Mendel was knocked over following Elliott’s cross from the right but the referee waved away the protests. Despite being grounded, the winger was still able to nod back to Taylor, whose shot was blocked.

Three minutes later, Town’s Doherty was booked for a foul, the ex-Stevenage man having stopped a Blackburn attack.

In the final scheduled minute, Rovers sub Nathan Dlamini brought the ball across the edge of the box but his effort was blocked. After the corner, Strich hit a deflected effort wide.

At the end of six additional minutes, Frank Vare shot high over the bar after a corner had been cleared to the edge of the box. The referee’s whistle signalled half an hour of extra-time.

Town had been disappointing after the break and Blackburn might well have completed their impressive turnaround within normal time.

The Blues made two changes ahead of the further half an hour, Fletcher and Doherty making way for Sid Eldred and Charlie Wood.

Town were on top in the first half of extra-time, Pitts seeing an overhead kick blocked in the 100th minute in the aftermath of a free-kick. A minute later, Taylor’s shot following a good Blues move was saved by Michalski.

On 104, Steven Turner sent Mendel away on the right but the former Anderlecht and Chelsea man lost his footing in a promising position in the area. Moments later, Mendel made way for Adi Adebayo.

The game continued the same in the second half of extra-time, Eldred shooting wide from distance in the 107th minute.

Five minutes later, Strich was allowed to bring the ball in from the right before hitting a shot which caught a defender and flew past Bilokapic’s right post.

In the 114th minute, Blackburn were awarded a penalty. Rovers counter-attacked after the Blues committed too many men forward and Dlamini brought the ball into the area between Wood and Corbin Mthunzi and was tripped. The referee pointed straight to the spot and visitors’ skipper Aodhan Doherty chipped the ball to Bilokapic’s left as the keeper dived the other way.

Town were unable to find a leveller in the remaining minutes, despite keeper Bilokapic going up for a free-kick and a corner, and the final whistle confirmed Blackburn’s place in the quarter-finals.

The Blues will feel they threw away what should have been a smooth passage into the last eight having been 2-0 up and well on top. However, Rovers had a strong spell just before the break in which they equalised, then were in charge for the second half having equalised early on.

Town improved in the first half of extra-time with both teams looking very tired but chances were rare and in the end a mistake to some extent borne of that fatigue led to the visitors’ winning penalty.

The manner of the defeat will be a blow for the youngsters, particularly the likes of Wilkinson and Wood, who were also in the U18s side which lost to Everton in the FA Youth Cup in extra-time last week having been in front until the final seconds of normal time.

However, despite this evening’s disappointment, it’s been an impressive season so far from the U21s, who are currently top of Premier League 2.

U21s: Bilokapic, Elliott (c), Lewis, Mthunzi, Wilkinson, Turner, Mendel (Adebayo 105), Doherty (Wood 91), L Fletcher (Eldred 91), T Taylor, Runham (Pitts 65). Unused: Bentley.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters