Rovers Under-23s missed the chance to secure the Premier League 2 Division Two title despite an valiant display in defeat to closest rivals Aston Villa.

Jordan Lynden scored the only goal of the game in first-half injury time as they held on to a 1-0 win despite heavy Rovers pressure.

Rovers can still secure the title with victory at West Brom next Monday, with Villa still trailing them by four points with two games to play.  

Damien Johnson made just one change from the side which beat Newcastle United last time out with John Buckley replacing Okera Simmonds.

Villa had beaten Rovers in the Premier League Cup last month and named a strong side.

The first shot of the night came from the boot of Willem Tomlinson with four minutes on the watch. He picked up possession on the edge of the box, shifting it to his right before getting an effort away which Matija Sarkic watched over the bar.

Rovers were enjoying a bright start, Lewis Travis in particular getting forward to good effect. He saw one cross just evade Nuttall, and another well gathered by Sarkic, as the hosts did the early pressing.

They were pushing Villa back, with wing-backs Buckley and Jack Evans playing high up the pitch.

Villa were looking to utilise their pace in attack on the counter, but it was a swift Rovers break in the 22nd minute which brought them a good sight of goal. Travis and Joe Nuttall led the charge before Stefan Mols cut inside his man inside the box, but off balance, could guide his effort on target.

It was excellent stuff from the hosts who cut Villa open once again moments later, only for Joe Grayson’s cross to be just out of reach of Nuttall.

The pair combined to good effect just before the half hour, only for Sarkic to come to the visitors’ rescue. Nuttall rose well to head a Grayson cross towards the corner, with the Villa keeper saving on the line before Mitchell Clark cleared with Mols lurking.

Villa were being crowded out as they looked to link play around the edge of the Rovers box, with Andrew Fisher not forced in to a save in the opening half an hour. He was grateful to a fine intervention from Grayson as Hepburn-Murphy turned the ball goalwards from a dangerous Villa break.

Villa were enjoying their best spell of the half as it ticked towards its conclusion. Hepburn-Murphy picked up a dangerous position on the edge of the box and got a shot away unopposed from 20 yards which Fisher did well to hang on to.

A couple of good blocks, first to deny Magloire and then Platt, from the visitors looked to be the last of the action of the first-half.

But Villa would strike in the one added minute to take the lead. Jordan Lyden found himself unmarked at the far post to volley home a left wing cross, with Fisher left with no chance.

It was harsh on Rovers who had edged the opening 45 minutes but they began the second strongly.

Grayson swung in another dangerous free-kick which has slightly too high for Matty Platt who couldn’t guide his header goalwards.

Mols was providing good assistance to Nuttall and got on the end of a Buckley cross but could only turn it on to the roof of the net.

Pressing hard for an equaliser, Rovers needed to be aware of the Villa threat on the break. And they almost paid the price eight minutes in to the second period when Keinan Davis  held off the attentions of Platt, only to see his shot beat Fisher but come back off the inside of the post.

As the game ticked in to the final half hour, Rovers poured more men forward. That saw them go close twice within a minute. First, Travis saw a shot from Buckley’s cross deflected behind, and from the resulting corner Tomlinson drew a fine save out of a Sarkic with his strike from the edge of the area.

Grayson then blazed over when composure was needed after another Travis break in to the area, before the latter’s thundering tackle looked to put Nuttall clear, only for Sarkic to be quickly off his line to deny him.

It was then superb play from Tomlinson whose one-two on the edge of the area saw him dance in to the area, his quick feet too good for the Villa defence, but his shot deflected agonisingly wide of the target.

They couldn’t have come closer when 16 minutes from time as Platt turned a Grayson free-kick across the goal-line, with substitute Okera Simmonds within inches of turning it home.

The four figure crowd were willing the hosts on, with Villa seeing four players yellow carded for cynical challenges as they tried to halt the Rovers charge.

Lewis Mansell was sent on with nine minutes to play as did well to get on the end of a Grayson ball in, but his glancing header was just the wrong side of the post.

Six added minutes gave the hosts hope of securing the game they needed, but it wasn't meant to be as Villa held out.

Rovers: Fisher, Platt, Magloire (Mansell, 81), Grayson, Buckley, Travis, Hardcastle (Simmonds, 69), Evans, Tomlinson, Mols, Nuttall

Subs: Byrne, Barnes, Wilson

Villa: Sarkic, Clark, Borg, Suliman, Bedeau, Clarke (Prosser, 85), Hepburn-Murphy (Mooney, 81), Doyle-Hayes, Davis (Abdo, 57), Lyden, O’Hare

Subs: Watkins, Blackett-Taylor

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