DELIGHTED Blackburn Rovers under 21s boss Eric Kinder said his improving side deserved their weekend off after returning to winning ways in style.

Rovers bounced back from their first defeat of the season to power to an emphatic 5-2 victory over Stoke City at Leigh Sports Village on Friday.

Kinder said: “I’m absolutely delighted with them. To think that we can go and beat a Premier League side 5-2 is magnificent.

“With the age of the side that we’ve got we are going to have down days and we are going to have performances when we are not on top of our game.

“But the important thing after that is what happens in our next game and we have bounced back with character.

“I’m absolutely chuffed to bits with them, they’ve deserved their weekend off.”

Connor Mahoney and Dean Rittenberg bagged braces and Modou Cham was also on target on Friday as Rovers swiftly banished the memory of their 3-1 loss at Middlesbrough four nights earlier.

Fit-again winger Mahoney broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when he headed in a cross from impressive left back Jack Doyle before Rittenberg put the hosts back in front from the penalty spot three minutes before the break.

The visitors equalised, for the second time, straight after the restart.

But moments later Rovers restored their advantage when Mahoney crossed for Rittenberg to net his second of the night.

The striker then turned provider for lively winger Cham to get the goal his performance deserved before Mahoney rounded off the scoring late on.

It was the perfect send off for Mahoney before he joined up with the England U18s squad ahead of their game against Italy in Venice on Wednesday.

First-team midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe played 66 minutes of Friday’s match for Rovers.

The on-loan Fulham midfielder was ineligible to face his parent club in Saturday’s Championship encounter at Craven Cottage.

Rovers return to U21s Premier League action on Monday week when they welcome Reading to Ewood Park (7pm).