Saturday, 22nd November, 2014



Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn has told his goalkeeper and defence to "grow up" after another mix-up contributed to the Whites going down to a 2-1 defeat away at Blackburn Rovers today.

Supported by 6,800 travelling fans, Leeds took the lead in the 33rd minute through Souleymane Doukara, an advantage they held heading into the break.




But they could not keep Blackburn at bay indefinitely and Jordan Rhodes struck in the 71st minute to level the game, following a mix-up between Leeds' goalkeeper Marco Silvestri and centre-back Liam Cooper; a similar incident occurred against Cardiff City in Redfearn's first game as permanent boss.

 


Blackburn then had Tom Cairney sent off for a second yellow card offence, but soon saw themselves ahead after Sam Byram fouled Luke Varney in the penalty area, allowing Rhodes to score his second in the 87th minute.

And Leeds had no answer, slipping to a 2-1 defeat, which left Redfearn fuming, especially as he felt his side should have won.

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"We were the better side. I think if we'd have come away with a point I'd have been gutted", he told LUTV.

"I thought as performances go it was a great performance. We passed the ball well, but if you look back and you're honest it's not a complete performance if you concede two goals.

"We've got to have that ruthless edge to get across the line because the performance deserved a result."

For Redfearn, conceding the first goal via a mix-up was unacceptable, even more so since a similar incident cost the Whites at Cardiff.

"Now, the first goal is a mix-up between the goalkeeper and the centre-back. I would say the goalkeeper is favourite, he's coming on to it. It happened at Cardiff, we have to sort it out. It's part of growing up, I said it to them in the dressing room afterwards.

"The criticism I aimed to them wasn't about the performance, because that was good, it's the stuff that gets us across the line. They should be nowhere near this game because they were passed out of it."

But longer term, Redfearn has no worries about goalkeeper Silvestri.

"He's going to grow up. He's a top, top class goalkeeper…the number of points he's won us this season."

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