BLACKBURN Rovers are through to the final of the U21s Premier League Cup after a superb 2-1 victory over holders Reading at Leigh Sports Village tonight.

Defender Sam Lavelle opened the scoring for Eric Kinder’s team in the 22nd minute and, despite chances at both ends of the field, that was the way the exciting last-four clash stayed until the 78th minute when Tarique Fosu equalised for the Royals.

Extra-time was required and five minutes into it the ice-cool Bradley Bauress scored what proved to be the winner from the penalty spot.

Rovers, whose starting side featured six players still eligible to play for the club’s U18s, will now take on either Southampton or Derby County in the two-legged final.

Reading did most of the running in the first half but it was their highly committed opponents who led at the end of it thanks to Lavelle.

After Connor Thomson could not quite connect with an inviting cross from Connor Mahoney – one of two players, along with Yann Songo’o, in the Rovers’ line-up with limited first-team experience – David Raya made the first stop of the match.

It was a fine one, too, the Spanish stopper adjusting his feet well to tip Aaron Kuhl’s lofted 25-yard effort over the bar.

Raya then saved more comfortably from Jack Stacey, who should have done better with his finish after weaving his way into the box, but only after his opposite number, Daniel Lincoln, had got down low to keep out a Songo’o header from a Devarn Green corner.

But Lincoln was beaten by a set-piece midway through the opening period when Lavelle’s downward header from a driven Mahoney corner took a wicked deflection and trickled over the line.

The Royals hit back strongly and Fosu wasted a golden opportunity in the 30th minute after he got in behind Ryan Nyambe.

Ryan Edwards went closer still after a move involving Stacey and Kuhl, two more players who have played for Reading’s first team this season.

Kuhl played Stacey in down the line and his cross to the near post was volleyed on to the bar by Edwards.

The Royals continued to press for the remainder of the half but they could find no way through resolute Rovers who put their bodies in the way of the ball time and again.

While a Mahoney cross just evaded hardworking striker Lewis Mansell, the first chance of the second half did not arrive until the 65th minute when Lavelle swivelled and shot wide after Mahoney had kept a Bradley Bauress corner alive.

Reading then began to threaten, Fosu dragging wide before Andrija Novakovich curled inches past the post.

Novakovich then turned provider, standing up a cross to the back post to Stacey, who should have hit the target.

By that stage Modou Cham had come on for Rovers and he so nearly doubled their advantage in the 74th minute, cutting back on to his left foot in a crowded area and seeing his strike deflect the wrong side of the upright.

And, from the resulting corner, Lincoln denied Songo’o a spectacular goal from point-blank range.

Then it was the turn for Rovers to survive a scare as a long throw made its way to the back post where Fosu’s scuffed effort was hacked clear by Lavelle.

But the winger made no mistake 12 minutes from time when he cut in from the left and beat the otherwise impressive David Raya at his near post from 20 yards.

Both sides had opportunities to win it before the 90 minutes was up with Lincoln saving from Mansell.

But we did not have to wait long for the next goal.

Extra-time was only five minutes old when Royals substitute Liam Kelly was adjudged to have brought down Mansell in the box.

And Bauress did the rest from the spot, sending Lincoln the wrong way in emphatic fashion.

Rovers, watched by first-team boss Gary Bowyer, should have sealed it within two minutes of the start of the second period of extra-time after Cham set-up fellow sub Hyuga Tanner to shoot straight at Lincoln.

And Reading should have made them pay but Cardwell struck the outside of the post with just Raya to beat.

And, with their keeper Lincoln up for a free kick, the Royals rattled the woodwork again, through Novakovich, seconds before the final whistle.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe (Cham 70), Edgar, Carson, Songo’o, Lavelle, Thomson, Bauress, Mansell (Rittenberg 113), Green (Tanner 77), Mahoney. Subs not used: Crump, Jones.

Reading: Lincoln, Long, Griffin, Kuhl, Keown, Sweeney, Stacey, Fridjonsson (Kelly 76), Novakovich, Edwards (Cardwell 62), Fosu. Subs not used: Hyam, Ward, Shaughnessy.