An appalling effort from both teams last night - both filled with senior players who clearly weren't interested. Nothing new in this. Everytime a second string game is filled with senior players you end up with a non-event - it's been the same for years. Both sides seemed to treat it as a behind closed doors friendly match, simply the opportunity to give senior squad players a run out without risking injury. I feel desperately sorry for the lads who normally play at Under-23 level and who had reached this stage with the prospect of a final next August. I can understand the need to give fringe players a game, and I suppose if the weather had been better a behind closed doors game could have been arranged at Brockhall, but this was a really poor effort from both teams.

Couldn't agree more - it's probably the only thing we do agree on . At the end of the day if you want a season ticket the prices at Ewood are certainly not going to put you off buying one. They are excellent value for money over the course of a season if you attend every game.

Sensible decision. I suspect the pitch may be fit but it's the area around Ewood Park that may have been tricky and even more so later on tonight.

Agreed, another promising performance from a very young side against a much more experienced Southampton team. As Stuart said, considering there was nothing to play for both sides served up an excellent night's entertainment.

007 I believe.

Barnsley have just given Heckingbottom a new deal - within the last few days - so Leeds are going to have to pay. Leeds are the classic example of a club that continually changes managers and achieves nothing as a result - other than large compensation packages that they have to pay out to managers and coaching staff.

Sensible move for the lad as he had fallen down the pecking order.

A 3-3 draw which was probably a fair result for all concerned. Middlesbrough had a number of overage players on view who Pulis wanted to look at so it was a pretty good performance by our lads to hold them and, but for some rare defensive lapses we might well have got all three points. A cracking game of football though - end to end for ninety minutes. A bit of a shaker when you realise that you actually watched the Middlesbrough 'keeper's father play in goal for 'Boro. Felt the same a couple of years ago when we had Wally Joyce's grandson playing for the second string!

A thrilling game at Bishop Auckland this afternoon when Rovers youngsters played a very experienced Middlesbrough side. A cracking end to end affair between two teams challenging for promotion. Lewis Travis had another outstanding game and there were good performances from Charley Doyle and Tomlinson again. With Mowbray again watching from the stands, these lads have again shown that they are ready for first team football when needed.

Very comfortable performance, particularly in the second half after Morecambe went down to ten men. Travis and Charley Doyle looked particularly good and young Buckley, promoted from the Under-18's, looked very comfortable in midfield on a difficult pitch.

As Mowbray stated, it wasn't perfect yesterday - not by a long way - but it was enjoyable and proved that we have the ammunition to step up a gear when required. That opening spell in the second half was devastating and I doubt any side at this level could have lived with that sort of fast flowing football. If we could play every game away from Ewood I'm sure we would walk away with this League. We are definitely a team that is suited to counter-attacking and, of course, away from home the support is more vocal particularly during difficult spells in games. In January I feel that if we could get that tricky, orthodox winger it would provide us with another avenue of attack which we don't have at the moment. Defensively we need to tighten up collectively, particularly when defending balls into the box. Nonetheless, at the moment I'm beginning to find this every bit as enjoyable as the previous two promotions from this division. We aren't as good as the 74-75 or 79-80 sides yet but we are getting there and seem on an upward path at last.

It's the old City player - Mike Sheron who has moved up from the Under-16's.

Sorry, I thought you meant Ian Jones.

Stuart Jones left the Rovers in the Summer to become Head of the Academy at Burnley. The present Under-18 side isn't the strongest and injuries haven't helped. Most weeks there are a number of Under-16 players making up the numbers which partly explains why we languish next to bottom of the table. Manchester United are top of the table, at present, and along with Chelsea and City have one of the best Academies in the Country, as you would expect from one of the world's biggest and richest clubs. Rovers are the only Third Division club attempting to compete at this level so under the circumstances it's no surprise that we are struggling at the moment, particularly when we come up against the better Academy sides.

He's just finishing a three-match suspension after being sent off in a recent game.

Not really as we are not comparing like with like. Under-23 football is about developing individual players in the hope that one or two are good enough to make the grade. Results at this level, in many ways, are secondary. First team football is all about results and not performances. This season promotion is the goal. Doesn't matter whether it is through the automatic places or via the play-offs. At the moment we are still in the hunt for both. I admit that I'm no great fan of the turgid approach that we seem to have adopted this season - the backwards & sideways passing is awful. Will most people care about that if we go up - not in the slightest. If we don't go up then the manager will, by his own admission, in all probability not be here next season.

Lewis Travis and Jack Doyle are two to keep an eye on. Both can play full-back or wide midfield. Tomlinson and Hardcastle are developing into pretty decent midfielders and Fisher is another really good prospect in goal. Nuttall of course has that golden knack of being in the right place at the right time to score - he looks a natural in that position. In truth these players simply come together as a team with everyone knowing their role and executing it. When players are missing, other lads seem to come and the team continues to play the same way without any disruption. It's the complete opposite of the first team. Callum Wright is one of the younger end and is starting to look very good - scored an absolute screamer last night. To be honest Tyrone I much prefer watching this side that Johnson and Dunny are running to the seniors. Even if we don't win you know you'll be entertained with fast, flowing football.

No sure what you are on about. Nobody is talking about their coaching abilities - neither is at Ray's level yet - but merely that two individuals compliment each other in terms of different personalities that work when put together.

Difficult to say. Johnson and Dunn have been working with these players for two seasons now and before that these lads played together at Under-18 and Under-16 levels and so know each other's game particularly well. The last twelve months has seen a tremendous improvement in the quality of football that these lads play but it hasn't happened overnight. It's been a process which has taken time but is now reaping the dividends of that patience. Would supporters be prepared to wait for another twelve months whilst Johnson and Dunny worked a similar approach with senior players? In the long term I believe Johnson and Dunn will be an excellent management team - much like Kenny and Ray - as they compliment each other so well.

Another excellent performance despite a number of regulars missing. The quality of the football is outstanding and a joy to watch. Watching this squad of players is so much more entertaining than watching the senior squad. Watford were totally outplayed in the second half and were fortunate to only concede six. Johnson and Dunn are doing fantastic work with these players.

Good performance tonight at Prenton Park in the 1st Round of the FA Youth Cup. We ought to have won by a more convincing margin but, rather like the first team, couldn't turn possession into goals despite creating a number of chances. Jack Vale looked very impressive on the right and the likes of Buckley and Wright performed well. Butterworth missed a few chances which he normally puts away but, nonetheless, a very enjoyable game of football.

Between 1992 and 2010 we were in the Premier League. Now we are in League One where loans are the norm. Times have changed, sadly, but wishing it wasn't so isn't going to change things. If Mowbray believes the players he has brought in on loan will help us to promotion then good luck to them. We can't change the past but hopefully the guys on loan can improve our future and help to take us back to the Championship.

It was a planned move on the part of Huddersfield. They have opted to scrap everything below their Under-18 team, presumably with a view to spending more on the senior squad. It will be interesting to see if any of those players picked up by United actually make it or are among the usual crop at United who are released after a couple of seasons of youth team football.

Personally, I don't have a problem with loans. Ultimately they are there to do a job for the club as well, hopefully, for themselves. On Tuesday we had Downing and Antonsson on from the start and Chapman came on as a sub - it's hardly half the side.

Loans certainly didn't stop attendances going up when we borrowed Archibald and Ardiles. You missed a treat not going to games that season.