ROVERS’ youngsters will need to win their final group game against Oldham Athletic next month to stand any chance of making the knockout stages of the Checkatrade Trophy after suffering a second straight defeat in the revamped and renamed competition.

Shaun Miller fired the League Two high flyers in front on the counter-attack in the 39th minute and that was the way it stayed until two minutes from the end of normal time when debutant Wes Brown brought Cameron Salkeld down in the box and Danny Grainger did the rest from the spot.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The loss leaves Damien Johnson’s side bottom of the Northern Group D standings with Oldham, their visitors to Ewood Park on November 8, and Fleetwood Town above them on three points each, and Carlisle top with six.

But Rovers Under-23 lead coach Johnson, along with his assistant David Dunn, can take positives from what was another encouraging performance against vastly more experienced opponents.

Unlike in the group opener against Fleetwood first-team manager Owen Coyle instructed Johnson and Dunn to include three senior players in the side which took to the field on a clear evening at Brunton Park.

Former England and Manchester United defender Brown was handed his first competitive appearance for the club after signing a contract until the end of the campaign while the fit-again Elliott Bennett and Anthony Stokes were also included in an otherwise youthful line-up.

And it was Stokes who threatened first when he barged past Reggie Lambe and curled the ball into Max Crocombe’s arms from distance.

It set the tone for a high tempo start from Rovers with Connor Mahoney a lively presence on the wing just like he had been in the harsh 1-0 reverse at Fleetwood.

Lancashire Telegraph:

But David Raya was the first goalkeeper to be called into serious action as he made a brilliant reaction save to prevent Miller from turning in Lambe’s cross.

Watched by Coyle and the rest of his coaching staff, Rovers responded with Stokes seeing one effort deflect behind and another crawl past the post. In both instances he was set up by Mahoney.

Then it was the turn of Carlisle to threaten with Jamie Devitt seeing a shot take a nick off the 36-year-old Brown and trickle into Raya’s hands.

Raya was beaten in the 34th minute by Miller only for the linesman’s flag to come to Rovers’ rescue. The striker was not to be denied five minutes later, though.

But before then Crocombe was forced turn a fierce drive from Willem Tomlinson over the bar after the impressive Rovers midfielder played a sharp one-two with Stokes on the edge of the area.

After the resultant corner was cleared the Cumbrians broke down field with former Accrington Stanley winger Devitt slipping in Miller to score past Raya. This time it stood.

Having competed well up until that point Rovers lost their way for the remainder of the first half and on three occasions they went close to falling further behind.

Jason Kennedy whistled a dipping volley past the upright, Luke Joyce, another Stanley old boy, clipped the post, and Shaun Brisley saw a goal-bound header clawed away by Raya.

Half-time came at a good time for Rovers who started the second period strongly with Bennett’s attempt to slide in a pull-back from Stokes blocked by a defender.

However it was Carlisle, one of only two teams in the English Football League yet to lose so far this season, who continued to look the likelier.

Raya kept out a Jabo Ibehre header before Lambe failed to make most of an excellent shooting opportunity provided to him by Joyce.

But as the half wore on Rovers started to pose more problems for the Cumbrians and, after Stokes headed over a Jack Doyle centre, Crocombe back-pedalled on his line to prevent a whipped Mahoney cross from finding the corner of the net.

However there was no way back after Carlisle captain Grainger punished Brown’s foul on Salkeld by sending Raya the wrong way from the penalty spot.

MATCH FACTS

Carlisle: Crocombe, T Miller, Grainger, Ellis, Brisley, Joyce, Kennedy, Lambe, Devitt, S Miller (Wyke 68 (Salkeld 79)), Ibehre (McKee 89). Subs not used: Gillespie, Atkinson, Adams, Brough.

Goals: S Miller 39, Grainger 88pen.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe, Brown, Wharton, Doyle, Bennett, Hardcastle, Tomlinson, Mahoney, Mansell, Stokes. Subs not used: Fisher, Travis, Howarth, Platt, Grayson, Rankin-Costello, Magloire.

Referee: Richard Clark.

Attendance: 1,253 (49 away).