James strikes again as Leeds beat Blackburn

Dan James scored his seventh Championship goal of the season to put Leeds ahead before the break

Daniel James grabbed his third goal in three games as in-form Leeds United made it six Championship wins from seven with a clinical performance at Ewood Park.

Rovers, who have now lost six league games at home already this season, improved after the break and started to create chances, notably when Hayden Carter headed over.

But the impressive Crysencio Summerville wrapped up a victory that closes the gap on second-placed Ipswich to four points, before the afternoon kick-offs, with a clever, chipped finish as he ran through on goal.

Follow Saturday's EFL action

James' fine low strike - his seventh of the season - was the first and only effort on target during an even first half low on clear-cut chances.

Blackburn, whose boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was absent from the dugout serving a one-game touchline ban for his red card in their defeat by Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, won seven corners, but they could not trouble keeper Illan Meslier, with James Hill's looping header as close as they came.

Predictably, Rovers' top scorer Sammie Szmodics was their most likely source of a goal, narrowly failing to get on the end of a Harry Pickering cross and then heading wide after James put the visitors ahead.

Leeds, who are now unbeaten in seven matches and have won nine from 11, had the better first-half chances, Joel Piroe unlucky to see a curling free-kick deflected wide and Georginio Rutter firing an effort past the post.

Rovers played with greater purpose after the interval, having penalty shouts waved away when the ball hit Pascal Struijk's arm in the area and Callum Brittain shooting into the side netting.

But Summerville's ninth goal of the season, from Arche Gray's delightful pass, doubled United's lead and ended any realistic hopes of a Rovers win which would have put them into the final play-off spot.

Leeds held on despite continued late home pressure which saw Meslier make a stunning save from substitute Arnor Sigurdsson and referee Bobby Madley wave away more claims for a spot-kick when Jake Garrett went down in the box as he tussled with Ethan Ampadu.