BLACKBURN Rovers’ unbeaten pre-season run came to an end with a defeat which gave the club’s youngsters a chance to press their claims – but which also highlighted the pressing need for Owen Coyle to bolster his ranks.

After a run of two wins and four draws Rovers went down to a not unexpected loss given the age of the squad they took to Meadow Lane for the club’s final friendly of the summer.

Only four players who started the match – goalkeeper David Raya, right-back Ryan Nyambe and midfielders John O’Sullivan and Connor Mahoney – boasted any first-team experience with just 17 appearances between them.

Rovers boss Coyle had admitted after the 1-1 home draw with FC Girona 24 hours earlier that he could ill-afford to risk any of his senior players against League Two Notts County with his team’s Championship opener on the horizon.

That was the sensible and only decision he could make given he currently has just 16 senior outfield players – a figure which includes O’Sullivan and Mahoney – fully fit for the visit of Norwich City to Ewood Park on Saturday given Corry Evans and Craig Conway are sidelined.

Even if, as is hoped, Evans and Conway are given the all-clear to face the Canaries, Coyle still needs the backing to bring in another centre-back, another left-back and another striker at the very least before the transfer window closes on August 31.

Should he strengthen those areas then his squad will look a lot healthier because, with six days to go until the big kick-off, at present, it looks too thin for comfort if injuries and suspensions begin to bite.

It would also lessen the pressure on the promising crop of players from the club’s newly named under-23 side to make the step up before they are ready for the rigours of the Championship.

And besides the majority of the team that took to the field here will be able to aid their development this season in the revamped EFL Trophy where they will face at least three matches against sides of similar standard to Notts County who settled a low-key affair with a fine Adam Campbell finish.

That said under-23 bosses Damien Johnson and David Dunn, who with Coyle watching on from the stands, took charge from the sidelines, may not be able to call on Mahoney given the impression he has made on the first-team coaching staff in pre-season.

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Captain Scott Wharton and Jack Doyle, too, have not done their chances any harm, particularly given the paucity of options Coyle has in defence.

But it remains to be seen whether on-trial striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui will be handed a permanent contract.

Coyle was last night giving consideration to whether El Bakhtaoui can make the leap from the third tier of Scottish football to the second tier of English football.

The former Dunfermline Athletic striker, who won the Scottish League One player of the year award last season after scoring 30 goals in 41 games, played with intent, showed some neat touches, and nearly opened the scoring against the Magpies.

But it is a big leap to the Championship – just as it is from the Under-21 Premier League or, to give its new title, Premier League 2.

Youthful Rovers were punished for switching off in the 27th minute but up until Campbell’s winner they had held their own against vastly more experienced opponents.

El Bakhtaoui clipped the crossbar in the sixth minute after a cross from Mahoney made its way to the forward.

It was one of a number of teasing centres Mahoney produced in a first half in which Lewis Mansell went closest for Rovers with a hooked effort over the bar.

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Moments later Notts County went in front with Genaro Snijders allowed to swing in a cross from the left to the back post which Nyambe failed to deal with.

Campbell punished the mistake as he took a touch before blasting the ball past Raya and in off the bar.

One could have become two had it not been for a timely intervention from captain Wharton and then a brilliant block from Doyle after Rovers were opened up through the middle.

That proved to be the end of the scoring as a raft of second-half substitutions disrupted the flow of what already was a tame encounter.

However O’Sullivan will feel he could have brought Rovers level after being invited to shoot from the edge of the box.

MATCH FACTS

Notts County: Collin (Loach 73), Tootle (Atkinson 67), Dickinson, Duffy (Edwards 73), Hollis (Richards 84), Snijders (Stead 63), Hewitt, Rodman (Smith 67), Campbell, Aborah (Burke 43), Audel. Sub not used: Sharpe.

Goal: Campbell 27.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe, Platt, Wharton, Doyle, Mahoney, Thomson (Rankin-Costello 87), Tomlinson (Travis 68), O’Sullivan, Bakhtaoui, Mansell. Subs not used: Askew, Fisher, Grayson, Magloire, Rittenberg, Howarth, Powell.

Referee: James Adcock.

Attendance: 1,411 (135 away).