Ex-Liverpool defender’s brace denies loanee & “dominant” Red enjoys rare win

March 13, 2023
Joanna Durkan

There was a surprise name on the scoresheet as a former Liverpool player met a current loanee over the weekend, while another tasted victory for only the second time.

This season has been an important step for 20-year-old Tyler Morton, who has been an ever-present for Blackburn for much of the campaign.

In the last five Championship games, though, he has been an unused sub on two occasions and has come off the bench in the other three.

It is the latest substitute appearance where he came face to face with ex-Red Ki-Jana Hoever, who is now on loan at Stoke after seeing his spell with PSV terminated by Wolves in January.

With Morton watching on from the bench, Hoever scored two goals in 19 first-half minutes from the right-back position. First, with a tidy first-time finish on the run and then with a diving header.

Morton was introduced just before the hour mark and was present when Stoke made it 3-0 thanks to Tyrese Campbell – game, set and match many would rightly assume.

But goals from Ben Brereton and Sam Gallagher in the space of four minutes ensured Blackburn gave the hosts something to think about in the final moments – but the final whistle was their saving grace.

Morton ended his day with 25 touches and Rovers’ defeat brought an end to their eight-game unbeaten streak in the league, but they remain in the playoff positions with 10 games remaining.

In League One, meanwhile, Jarell Quansah played the full 90 minutes for the eighth game in a row as Bristol Rovers travelled to Forest Green.

The centre-back was given an eight-out-of-ten rating from Bristol World for a showing that “was dominant aerially throughout” and described as “impressive.”

While unable to keep a clean sheet, the 3-1 victory marked only the second time Quansah has tasted victory following his January loan move.

The three points have helped the Pirates establish a 12-point buffer between them and the relegation zone, making for an invaluable experience for 20-year-old Quansah in his first spell in senior football.

There was no victory for Conor Bradley to celebrate as his Bolton side fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Ipswich – it was his 30th 90-minute outing of the campaign.

Finally, Luke Chambers played 77 minutes of Kilmarnock’s Scottish FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Inverness, a shock result as the second-tier side came from behind to win 2-1.