BLACKBURN Rovers are placing their faith in local talent as they set their sights on lifting the FA Youth Cup.

Rob Kelly's young guns set up a fifth round meeting with Gillingham after brushing aside West Bromwich Albion in fine style on Tuesday night.

And the most pleasing aspect of Rovers' fourth round victory was not the 6-2 scoreline but the fact that 10 of the 16 players on duty were all from the East Lancashire area.

These days, Academies have to spread their nets far and wide in the search for the best young talent around and Rovers are no different in that respect.

Players from France and Germany have already begun to make their mark in the club's two Academy sides.

But Bobby Downes and his coaching staff have never lost sight of the rich seam of talent in the local community, either, and that was borne out in midweek as seven of the side which started against West Brom were discovered within a goal-kick of Brockhall.

"That's a smashing statistic," said Downes.

"We say that we are not in a great area (for producing players) but it's credit to the recruitment people to get 10 local lads out of the 16 into the youth team.

"That's very pleasing and if we could get them all from the local area then we would do.

"We don't think there's that many out there so to have 10 out of the 16 is terrific."

Five of the six goals scored by Rovers against West Brom came from local players.

Accrington-born striker Keith Barker led the way with a hat-trick and there were further goals for Matt Derbyshire (Blackburn) and Joel Byrom (Oswaldtwistle).

Fellow local boys Andy Taylor, Luke Jones, Clark Walsh (all Blackburn) and Peter Corvino (Padiham) also made the starting line-up, while East Lancashire was strongly represented on the bench, too, in the shape of Zak Jones (Blackburn), Joe Garner (Whalley) and Gary Stopforth (Burnley).

Barker was undoubtedly the star of the show on the night with three goals and an assist.

But Downes was delighted with the performance of the whole side.

"We started very well, which we were hoping to do. We worked on that in training to try and get some tempo in the first 15 minutes and I felt we probably played at a tempo that West Brom found difficult to match.

"Our two front lads, Keith Barker and Matt Derbyshire, did very well. They both worked very hard, they've both got pace, and we knew they'd stretch them.

"For young Keith to get three goals is terrific and there was a blatant penalty on him that the referee decided not to give as well."

Now Rovers face Gillingham in the fifth round on February 24 at Morecambe's Christie Park and although the home side will start as clear favourites, Downes is taking nothing for granted.

"Rob Kelly has seen them and he said they play 4-3-3, they're a big, physical side and they play the type of football which is right in your face.

"But you come up against that type of team in cup competitions and you've got to learn how to deal with it.

"We thought West Brom would have a bit more of a go than they did in that respect but it just depends on the night.

"Gillingham watched us on Tuesday night and it depends whether they come and defend or try and have a go.

"But it's never easy, as we know to our cost.

"Gillingham won at Liverpool in the last round."