By Mark Heys
August 1 2007

Joe Garner helped himself to a hat-trick and there were further goals from Raffaele De Vita, Andy Taylor and Alan Judge as Blackburn Rovers reserves comfortably defeated their Bolton Wanderers counterparts 6-2 at the County Ground in Leyland earlier this evening.

Former England youth international Robert Sissons (pictured) and Tom Brooks gave the Wanderers a fighting chance with two consolation goals but in reality the more experienced Blackburn had one hand on the Lancashire Cup from the offset.

Blackburn lost their most experienced player in the sixth minute when Sergio Peter was stretchered off following a hefty Bolton challenge but x-rays later revealed that the German midfielder had just suffered bruising.

The visitors took the lead in the ninth minute to begin the goal fest when Garner diverted Di Vita's goalbound shot past the Bolton goalkeeper Przemyslaw Kazimierczak.

Wanderers levelled the scoreline on 19 minutes when winger Brooks converted past Frank Fielding with the help of a post following an incisive Bolton break away.

De Vita soon put Blackburn back in front with a looping header past Kazimierczak after being picked out well by Martin Olsson but five minutes before the break Sissons levelled for Bolton with a header from a corner.

It took Rovers just a couple of minutes to make their mark in the second half when an Alan Judge cross was converted first time by Garner for his second of the evening.

Twelve minutes later Garner completed his hattrick when finishing off a fine team move which had involved contributions from Judge, Olsson and full back Tony Kane.

Andy Taylor hit Blackburn's fifth goal of the night on 62 minutes after Judge's free kick had caused problems and Fielding was alert at the other end to deny Wanderers sub Kevin Wolze.

Judge wrapped up the scoring with the sixth and final goal to cap off a good performance which had seen him provide many opportunities for his team mates.

BOLTON WANDERERS RESERVES: Przemyslaw Kazimierczak, Chris Basham (Kevin Wolze), Nathan Wolfe, David Gbermie, Mark Ellis, Matthew Cassidy, Leslie Thompson, Robert Sissons, Temitope Obadeyi, Burns (Sam Sheridan), Tom Brooks (Ward)

Subs Not Used: Robert Lainton, Stuart McDonald

BLACKBURN ROVERS RESERVES: Frank Fielding, Tony Kane, Andy Taylor, Bryan Hodge, Dean Winnard, Eddie Nolan, Alan Judge, Rostyn Griffiths, Joe Garner, Raffaele De Vita (Jamie Clarke), Sergio Peter (Martin Olsson)

Subs Not Used: Andreas Arestidou, Kevin Pezzoni, Andy Haworth