By Matt Lawton
July 28 2009

Leigh Genesis might have ended up with their third defeat in four pre-season friendlies, but they emerged with plenty of credit from a defeat to a Blackburn side with a multitude of Premier League experience.

Lining up in their new kit for the 2009/10 season, Genesis faced a Rovers side that featured several players with not only Premier League experience, but also international experience. Welsh international goalkeeper Jason Brown made seven first team appearances last season in the absence of first choice Paul Robinson, Swedish Under 21 defender Martin Olsson made 12 first team appearances last year, Georgian international defender Zurab Khizanishvili has appeared on more than ninety occasions for Blackburm, Republic of Ireland Under 19 midfielder Aaron Doran made three first appearances last season, striker Paul Gallagher scored thirteen goals in forty Championship appearances for Plymouth Argyle last season, while recently signed forward Elrio Van Heerden, capped thirty times by his native South Africa, also lined up for the visitors.

Blackburn almost took the lead within a matter of minutes of kick off when Canadian striker David ‘Junior' Hoilett saw his shot cleared off the line by Genesis defender Karl Munroe, who has now signed permanently for the club after a recent trial period.

At the other end, Leigh winger Jack Dorney came within inches of putting his side in front on seven minutes when he ended a cute dribble with a curling shot from the edge of the area that beat Brown to his right hand side but flew narrowly wide of the target.

Genesis had a huge penalty shout turned down on nineteen minutes when Chris Baguley's right wing corner appeared to be handled in the area by Rovers front man Nick Blackman, but the appeals fell of deaf ears.

After Andy Heald gave away a free kick, Leigh goalkeeper Stephen Drench had to be alert to palm away a quick Hoilett free-kick, but the Canadian was not to be denied and put his side in front on thirty five minutes when he broke clear of some slack marking to slide the ball past Drench in to the far corner.

Drench proved the hero on the stroke of half-time when the visitors were awarded a penalty, only for Drench to keep out Blackman's tame spot kick, keeping Leigh in the game at a goal down at the break.

After a relatively quiet first period, Jason Brown had to be at his best to keep out a spectacular Jamie Baguley snapshot early in the second half, but as is generally the case in pre-season encounters, both sides made a large number of substitutions after the half-time break, including the introduction from the Rovers bench of Julio Santa Cruz, brother of Roque, resulting in a rather disjointed second half.

Blackburn's victory was sealed late on when Hoilett's left foot strike across goal was knocked over the line by Blackman, although the latter did so from what appeared to be a blatant offside position.

Leigh's next game sees them travel up the M6 to face UniBond Premier League side Kendal Town on Saturday (1st August, 3pm), before a shorter journey to face West Lancashire League side Turton next Tuesday (4th August, 7:45pm).

Leigh Genesis; Stephen Drench, Paul Howarth, Kris King, Karl Munroe, Jonathan Smith, Andy Heald, Jack Dorney, Steven Flitcroft, Chris Baguley, Jordan Stepien, Jamie Baguley. Subs (all used); Tom Ince, M Ross, Dale Whitham, Steve Settle, Chris Dykes, Scott Sephton, A Burns, Lee Green

Blackburn Rovers; Jason Brown, Alex Marrow, Martin Olsson, Zurab Khizanishvili, Gavin Gunning, Alan Judge, Aaron Doran, Paul Gallagher, Nick Blackman, Junior Hoilett, Elrio Van Heerden. Subs (all used); Jonathan Flynn, Phil Jones, Marcus Marshall, Andy Haworth, Julio Santa Cruz, Jason Lowe, Geroide Morrissey