A DRAMATIC three-goal five-minute spell just before half time sparked life into an enthralling 'Roses' battle as Blackburn Rovers' Reserves got back to winning ways at Morecambe last night.

Academy starlet Paul Gallagher coolly slotted his team into the lead on 35 minutes before Ciaran Donnelly tapped in a second just three minutes later. Leeds' impressive striker Jamie McMaster pulled a goal back for the visitors.

Reserve team boss Alan Murray named a youthful side for this clash, supplementing the youngsters with experienced heads in Matt Jansen and John Curtis.

However, it was the Yorkshire side that began the game on top and Martin Woods really should have done better than blast into the crowd from eight yards in the seventh minute.

Rovers goalkeeper Ryan Robinson then spilled a low Harpal Singh cross to McMaster's feet but Gordon Greer made a great recovery block.

The game burst into life just past the half hour mark when Gallagher, only recently called into the reserve team after an impressive hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup, opened the scoring.

Receiving the ball on the right hand side, he cut in past two defenders before curling a low shot past Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn and into the far corner.

Minutes later Jansen's cross was instantly hit by Jimmy Corbett, Martyn could not hold on to the shot and Donnelly followed up to slide home.

The visitors reduced the arrears within two minutes when a clever ball from captain Jacob Burns invited McMaster to arrow an unstoppable shot into Robinson's top corner.

After the break, the game swung from end to end with Leeds midfielder Paul Keegan inches away from levelling matters. His looping shot from the right deceived Robinson but bounced off the crossbar to safety.

Neil Danns and substitute Jerome Watt both forced Martyn into low saves before McMaster's speculative lob from distance dropped narrowly over the bar.

As the final whistle approached and Leeds desperately searched for an equaliser Robinson had to be sharp to deny Simon Johnson a goal on 84 minutes.

The Rovers keeper was again saved by the woodwork seconds from time when Burns turned Singh's cross against the post and Johnson could not convert the rebound.

Rovers: Robinson, Hockenhull, Pelzer, Danns, Curtis (Fitzgerald 75), Greer, Corbett, Donnelly, Jansen (Johnson 81), Gallagher, Morgan (Watt 62). Subs not used: Drench.

Leeds United: Martyn, Farren, Newey, Burns, Cansdell-Sheriff, Kilgallon (Cronin 46), Woods, Keegan, Johnson, McMaster, Singh. Subs not used: Winter, Carson, McDaid, Constable.

ROVERS RESERVES...2 LEEDS UNITED RESERVES...1