By Blackburn Rovers FC
Joe Rankin-Costello celebrated his new contract with a hat-trick, as Rovers thrashed TSV Hartberg 6-0 in the opening game of their Austrian double-header.
The 23-year-old put pen-to-paper on a new four-year deal on Monday – the first day of Rovers’ Austrian training camp – and rounded off the week with a well-taken treble.
The right-back opened the scoring on 32 minutes, poking home from inside the area, before Rovers doubled their lead on 47 minutes as Ryan Hedges centred for Harry Leonard to fire home.
Leonard returned the favour a minute later, playing in Hedges, who calmly slotted home his second goal of pre-season, having grabbed a goal and an assist in the 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley last weekend.
The goal of the game arrived just before the hour mark, as Lewis Travis lobbed the Hartberg keeper from 45 yards out, before Rankin-Costello completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Jake Garrett was tripped in the box.
It was a thoroughly dominant display by Rovers against the Austrian Bundesliga outfit, who registered just one tame effort on target.
Ahead of the game, Travis came back into the team after missing the Stanley friendlies due to a private family matter.
He was joined in midfield by Garrett and summer signing Sondre Tronstad, who got the full 70 minutes under his belt, having featured for 45 minutes at the Wham Stadium.
There was a first start at senior level for Patrick Gamble, who came in at left-back for Harry Pickering, who picked up a minor ankle injury in training on Friday.
Aynsley Pears started in goal, with a back four of Academy graduates Rankin-Costello, Hayden Carter, Scott Wharton and Gamble.
Hedges and Zak Gilsenan supported Leonard in attack.
Leonard had the game’s first big chance, on nine minutes, as Rankin-Costello played him through on goal, but his stabbed shot was saved by the onrushing Hartberg keeper.
Rankin-Costello was at the heart of Rovers’ next attack, on the quarter-hour mark, as he danced past several Hartberg defenders, but the Austrian stopper smothered his shot.
Just past the half-hour mark, Hedges cut in from the right onto his favoured left foot, but fired just wide of the far post, however just a minute later, Rovers opened the scoring.
Travis found Rankin-Costello, who broke into the box, before slotting a shot under the replacement Hartberg keeper.
It was almost 2-0 just a minute later, as Leonard had time and space to shoot from the edge of the area, but his crisp strike, which seemed destined for the top corner, was superbly saved.
Rovers went close again just after the restart, but Rankin-Costello’s 25-yard free-kick whistled just past the post.
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team added a second on 47 minutes as Hedges broke clear down the right, before centring for the unmarked Leonard to fire home first time with his left foot.
A minute later and it was 3-0 as Leonard returned the favour, playing a lovely ball through to Hedges, who calmly slotted home his second goal of a productive pre-season so far.
Travis, who was excellent in midfield, was next to get in on the act – and in some style! The Rovers skipper picked up possession in the middle of the park before firing an outrageous 45-yard lob over the Hartberg keeper and into the back of the net.
There was still time for one last goal and, fittingly, it fell the way of Rankin-Costello. Garrett was brought down in the box and the rampaging Rovers right-back took the responsibility and coolly converted into the right-hand corner for his hat-trick.
It was the perfect way to round off an excellent Rovers display in the scorching Austrian heat.
ROVERS: Pears, Rankin-Costello, Carter, S. Wharton, Gamble, Tronstad, Travis, Garrett, Hedges, Gilsenan, Leonard.
Subs: Eastham, Hilton, Davies, Barnes, Edmondson, O’Grady-Macken.
Goals: Rankin-Costello (32, 52, 65), Leonard (47), Hedges (48), Travis (59)
