John Eustace hailed “unplayable” Amario Cozier-Duberry after the teenager marked his first Blackburn start with a goal in Saturday’s 2-0 Championship victory over 10-man Luton.
The 19-year-old, on loan from Brighton, broke the deadlock with a powerful strike from just inside the area to cap an impressive performance in which he caused the Luton defence problems all afternoon.
The lead was doubled when fellow loanee Owen Beck slotted home to end a flowing team move.
The away side had chances in both halves, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when substitute Liam Walsh saw red for a poor challenge after 73 minutes.
Rovers have won six on the bounce for the first time in three years – and seven of their last 10 – to put themselves firmly in the promotion picture.
After the game, Rovers manager Eustace praised Cozier-Duberry’s work at both ends of the pitch, saying: “I thought he was outstanding. It was a brilliant performance from the young lad. He’s been training very well.
“He was close to starting probably four to five weeks ago before he got injured and today that first half, I thought he was virtually unplayable and I was pleased that he scored a great goal.
“What is the most pleasing thing for me is he’s an exciting player with the ball but he doesn’t half work hard without the ball as well. That’s something we have to have in this football team.
“We have Toddy Cantwell doing the same. Toddy’s an excellent player with the ball but he’s doing the work without the ball as well.
“Every flair player, every quality player we have in this group has got to be hungry and have that desire to get back and work hard for each other and he’s got that. It was an awesome performance for his first start.”
Of Beck’s contribution, Eustace added: “He’s a top player, we’re really lucky to have him here.
“Top young player, learning his trade. His attitude is fantastic, he’s got good experience behind him with Pick (Harry Pickering) so he’s growing and improving all the time.”
Luton remain five points from the relegation zone and it was a similar tale of away-day woe.
They have conceded 22 goals in their last seven on the road – losing all of them – and manager Rob Edwards bemoaned their poor defending.
He said: “Away from home, we quietened the crowd. They got a bit more of the ball but did not create too much.
“We showed threat, had a couple of set-pieces, we were fine, in the game. Then one missed clearance in the build up to the first goal. The ball down the side – whether we need to put it out or not, I don’t know.
“We don’t deal with the throw-in, a missed tackle. Loads of bodies around in the box, we don’t deal with Cozier-Duberry, and it’s in the back of the net. Really poor defending of the box.
“(We had a) decent reaction after the first goal, when we go on the front foot again and then another ball down the side that we don’t play offside, or certainly not in that moment, we haven’t matched the run, so an easy ball down the side.
“It’s almost a gift and at 2-0, it’s a huge uphill task for us.”
