LEE Williamson has never scored a competitive goal for Blackburn Rovers, but he was on target in a 2-1 pre-season defeat at Rochdale.

Williamson, whose contract was extended for the 2015/16 season earlier this summer after a clause was activated in his existing deal, has not found the net in 78 competitive appearances for Rovers.

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The 33-year-old holding midfielder had a notable pre-season for the wrong reasons a year ago when he was shown a red card for a wild tackle in a match at Bury, but this time he was gaining attention for the right reasons as he raced forward and fired powerfully into the bottom corner to put Rovers in front.

Ian Henderson levelled the match though before netting a winner late on, by which point all of Rovers’ first-team squad members had been substituted.

Rovers named a starting line-up without a recognised striker, with attacking midfielders Ben Marshall and John O’Sullivan playing up front.

Rudy Gestede instead featured in a behind closed doors match against Crewe Alexandra earlier in the day, scoring twice on his return from a knee injury.

Jordan Rhodes (ankle) and Chris Brown (knee) did not play in either game, while new signing Bangaly-Fode Koita was a spectator at Rochdale hours after completing a deal to join Rovers.

Fellow new signing Sacha Petshi was among those to play in the behind closed doors game with Crewe along with Jason Steele, Simon Eastwood, Matt Kilgallon, Tommy Spurr, Corry Evans and Ryan Nyambe.

Chris Taylor (groin), Darragh Lenihan (back) and Anton Forrester (hamstring) were sidelined but there was a return from injury at Spotland for Jason Lowe, making his first appearance since February after a stress fracture of the foot.

Rochdale are managed by former Rovers player Keith Hill and they started brightly, with Henderson swivelling and firing a shot against the foot of the post in the sixth minute.

Rovers were wearing their new red away kit – due to be officially released on July 30 - and Marshall forced a save out of Josh Lillis with a smart curling free kick.

Gary Bowyer’s side were ahead in the 19th minute when Williamson won the ball in midfield before surging into the box and firing low into the corner from 15 yards.

O’Sullivan then had the first of three first-half opportunities, rounding the goalkeeper before seeing his shot cleared off the line by backtracking midfielder Matthew Lund.

But Rochdale bagged an equaliser in the 32nd minute as Adam Henley’s poor pass was intercepted by Jamie Allen, who capitalised on a defence that was out of position to provide the pass for Henderson to slide home.

O’Sullivan twice came close to restoring Rovers’ lead – lobbing the ball just wide before rocketing a blistering 20-yard effort against the post.

Rovers brought on an entire team of young players for the final 15 minutes and Henderson turned in Rochdale’s winner from close range with seven minutes left, after collecting Reuben Noble-Lazarus’ left wing cross.

Rovers: David Raya (Andrew Fisher 76); Adam Henley (Lewis Travis 76), Grant Hanley (Matthew Platt 76), Shane Duffy (Mark Edgar 76), Markus Olsson (Jack Doyle 76); Connor Mahoney (David Carson 66), Jason Lowe (Willem Tomlinson 46), Lee Williamson (Connor Thomson 76), Ben Marshall (Luke Wall 76), John O’Sullivan (Jordan Preston 76).

Subs not used: Modou Cham, Joe Grayson.

 

Rochdale: Josh Lillis; Andrew Cannon, Oliver Lancashire, Jimmy McNulty, Scott Tanser; Donal McDermott (Lewis Alessandra 69), Peter Vincenti (Calvin Andrew 69), Matthew Lund (Callum Camps 53), Jamie Allen, Joe Bunney (Reuben Noble-Lazarus 76); Ian Henderson.

Subs not used: Jonathan Diba Musangu, Joe Rafferty, Michael Rose, Tom Kennedy, James Hooper.

Referee: Andy Haines.