Blackburn players run over to the away end to celebrate and goad Burnley fans after a FA Youth Cup quarter final win at Ewood Park.
Rovers advanced through to the semi-finals following a dramatic 93rd-minute winner after substitute Jayden Sergeant saw his shot turned into his own net by Burnley defender Joseph Wilcock.
The hosts had gone a goal down at the break, when Fabio So opened the scoring after 30 minutes via a scrappy goal from a set-piece.
But Rovers soon levelled as the second half began, Valentin Joseph keeping his record of scoring in every round for his eighth goal of the competition.
Burnley keeper Connor Edwards remained on the pitch having handled outside his area mid-way through the second half.
Rovers will now wait for the semi-final draw, of which they haven’t been in since 2020, where they will face either Crystal Palace or the winners of Manchester United v Sunderland or the winners of Manchester City v Everton.
This is brilliant 😂
Blackburn under 18s celebrating in front of the travelling Burnley fans.
Local derby hatred running deep 😂pic.twitter.com/AY9WZPKLAL
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) March 11, 2026
Some 𝐅𝐓 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 that these young lads will always remember! 🤩#FAYouthCup | #Rovers | #RoversAcademy 🌹 pic.twitter.com/XUx6OvINVp
— Blackburn Rovers Academy (@academy_brfc) March 10, 2026
Blackburn Under-18s chief Paul Butler said to RoversTV: “It’s as special as it’s been in the competition so far.
“It’s not been the best we’ve played in the competition, but derby matches do funny things to the performance level of both teams at senior level, due to the passion of the supporters, which adds ingredients to the football match that other fixtures don’t.
“Our players felt that tonight. Very senior, experienced players know about it when derbies come about and they still struggle to get a grip of the normal rhythm because of the derby factor.
“I’m so proud of the players. They’ve had a brilliant run and it’s another slightly different layer to the experiences that they’ve collated this season, and we now have a semi-final to look forward to.
“I was quite strong with them at half-time because I didn’t think we were at our best in the first-half, so it’s another professional experience for them to feel the heat when they’re not delivering.
“The substitutes made an excellent contribution, and it’s something we talk about in every game, about it being a squad game rather than an 11-man game.
“I thought Jayden Sergeant and Harvey Higgins finished the game at a level that I don’t think the initial XI would have got us to. That’s handing the baton over to a team-mate to get us over the line, which is what the squad’s for.”
Had to be done 😄 🚢🎶
Nothing beats a derby day injury-time winner 🌹#Rovers | #RoversAcademy 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/m6ztRqoqaF
— Blackburn Rovers Academy (@academy_brfc) March 11, 2026
BLACKBURN: Holt, Pitt, Decandia, Kelley-Quinn, Pates, Dunn (Higgins 83), Vare, Ball, McCoy (Sergeant 72), Tyjon, Joseph.
Subs not used: Wolsoncroft, McIlroy, Mansbridge, Lister, Cryer.
Booked: Kelley-Quinn, Decandia
Goals: Joseph (46), Sergeant (90+3)
BURNLEY: Edwards, Morison (Blackie 80), Wilcock, Stanley, King, Savage, Scanlon, So (Lewis 84), McMahon-Brown, Brierley, Pouani.
Subs not used: Feeney, Murtesa, Leonard, Morley, Okonkwo.
Goal: So (32)
Booked: Wilcock, Morison, Stanley, Edwards
Here’s the social media reaction after seeing Blackburn players run over to away end to celebrate and goad Burnley fans in the FA Youth Cup quarter final tie…
@RoversXtra: Blackburn U18s celebrating in front of the Burnley fans 😍 Looks like the Burnley fans couldn’t take a bit of fun from some 16 year olds…
@Markclaret1: Loving the young clarets reaction as well. Good too see 😉
@bluerover77: Kids eh 🙄🤣🔵⚪️
@cammy_mozza: Games not fully gone just yet
@Ryan_Heys: Grown men giving it big one to u18’s…love to see it 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Duggmeister: Look at em all crying 😂 looks like it means something after all.
@Case8all: Watched the game , to be fair blackburn where the better side,
@MatNuttall: Just shows how much it means to win a derby match even at that age! #COYB #RTID @Rovers
@jnd_90: Kicking off at an U18s game? Proper derby.
@william76252608: You can tell they haven’t beaten the first team in 15 years when the under 18’s do this 😭 bless them 😂 #twitterclarets #burnleyfc
@OllieHCollins: Love it 🤣🤣🤣 2-1 on your big day out
@Officialtalkbfc: They are an embarrasing bunch them lot
@TrentG1919: Them Burnley fans stood at the front are embarrassing 😂
@mrkjpsn: Love it! Blackburn Youth 🔵⚪️🌹
@allrovers_: My fucking boys, imagine travelling being that sad to come from Burnley yap about a tinpot league win at Ewood just to get beat and have a load of 18 year olds vex you. Love it 🤣🤣. #Rovers
@BFCTurf: flexing an U-18’s game 😂 no shame