Alan Shearer congratulates Ireland international Sammie Szmodics on Blackburn feat

Szmodics is the first Blackburn player to reach 30 goals in a season since Alan Shearer during the 1995/96 campaign. 

Blackburn Rovers' Sammie Szmodics celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game against Leeds. Picture: Jess Hornby/PA Wire.

Sammie Szmodics scored his 30th goal of the season for Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. It was an important one as well, the sole goal in a victory over Leeds.

The Ireland international hit the net in the 82nd minute after Tyrhys Dolan swivelled, passed and found him in the box. Szmodics was typically clinical. 

The 28-year-old is the first Blackburn player to reach 30 goals in a season since Alan Shearer during the 1995/96 campaign. 

"30, yeah, not bad," Shearer said in a video posted on Blackburn Rovers's social media channels.

"Congratulations, mate. Keep up the great work."

24 of Szmodics's goals have been scored in the Championship. The other six were scored in the FA Cup. 

Wow!! Thanks a lot @alanshearer 💙 https://t.co/JCYdG2q5x7

— Sam Szmodics (@SamSzmodics) April 13, 2024

The win puts Blackburn 17th in the Championship. They are now five points clear of the relegation zone. 

"It was a wonderful finish," said Blackburn manager John Eustace.

"I have spoken about other people being clinical and we're waiting for them to step up to it although we've looked dangerous.

"Sammie, without his goals, we really would have been in trouble. He is a fantastic player and the rest of the group deserves credit too for creating the chances for him.

"He has taken them but it's been a group effort as well."

https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1779136416674414986

Eustace added: “To come here where nobody thought we would win apart from the group in the dressing room, it was really pleasing.

“The work rate, the effort and the desire to keep the ball out of the net, we had really good shape and we knew the game plan.

“We knew Leeds would take more risks the longer the game went on. It was important to not go toe-to-toe straight away because we’re playing against Premier League quality.

“There were 35,000 fans wishing the ball into the net, but our fans today produced a fantastic turnout and you could see they really believed in the group.

“The longer the game went on, I thought we’d get an opportunity and, when the ball falls to Sammie in that position, there’s only one thing that’s going to happen.”