DARRAGH Lenihan secured Rovers a 1-1 draw with Port Vale in their second pre-season friendly of the summer.

A Charlie Mulgrew own goal gave the home side an early lead at Vale Park but Lenihan headed home an equaliser midway through the first half to ensure it ended honours even in the Potteries.

Tony Mowbray gave 21 players game time as his side prepare for the start of the Championship season in three weeks time.

Senior players Bradley Dack and Elliott Bennett were given an hour while new signings Joe Rothwell and Jacob Davenport played the second half.

Striker Danny Graham and goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler missed out with knocks but both should return in time for Thursday’s Ewood Park friendly against Liverpool.

Mowbray started a strong side at Vale Park and after an even opening period, the home side took the league in comical fashion on 10 minutes. Elliott Bennett was forced into a high switching pass to Mulgrew who went to head the ball back to goalkeeper Fisher only to float it over the young stopper, who had advanced a few yards, and into the corner.

It’s not one either player will want to watch again.

Rovers struggled to build up any fluidity in the opening stages and were reduced to hitting long diagonal balls in the direction of Samuel.

The frontman had the visitors first effort of the match when he harried Vale keeper Scott Brown into a poor clearance. Bennett and Dack worked the ball back to Samuel but his shot was blocked on the edge of the box.

Rovers struggled to find their groove in the opening quarter but from their first swift, incisive attack Craig Conway won a corner and his floated set piece was met by Lenihan who headed home the equaliser.

Rovers improved after the leveller with Conway beginning to find plenty of space on the left.

But clear cut chances remained at a premium. Dack was the main source of creativity for the visitors, he worked himself a yard of space with some quick feet but saw his shot blocked before he clipped a sumptuous pass over the Vale backline for Conway to run onto but the ball just ran away from the Scot and through to Brown.

Vale threatened sporadically with Pope and Worrall miscuing volleyed efforts as the sides went in at the break level.

Rovers made six alterations at the break and reverted to a back four.

It was one of the starters who made the first impression with Dack fizzing a 25-yard effort pst the post before his attempted chip was comfortable for new Vale keeper Sam Hornby.

Dack was among four Rovers players to depart on the hour with Lewis Travis the only starter remaining on the pitch.

The flurry of subs disrupted the flow of the game but once all changes were complete, Rovers came close to taking the lead. Willem Tomlinson’s effort looked to be creeping in only for Vale full back James Gibbons to chase the ball down and clear onto his own crossbar from a yard out. The rebound fell to Joe Rothwell but he blazed his effort over and the chance was gone.

Rovers were neat and tidy in possession with both full backs playing high and wide and Jacob Davenport moving the ball quickly from his deep lying midfield position.

But clear chances were at a premium for both sides.

Rothwell spurned another opportunity when he led a counter attack from a Vale corner but, with Tomlinson sprinting into space on the left, the former Oxford man took a heavy touch and the hosts were able to clear their lines.

That proved to be the last meaningful action of the match as it ended all square.

Next up  for Rovers, a visit from Champions League finalists Liverpool on Thursday night.

Rovers: Andrew Fisher (David Raya 60), Derrick Willilams (Amari’I Bell HT), Darragh Lenihan (Scott Wharton HT), Charlie Mulgrew (Paul Downing HT), Elliott Bennett (Willem Tomlinson 60); Richie Smallwood (Jacob Davenport HT), Lewis Travis, Corry Evans (Peter Whittingham HT), Craig Conway (Ryan Nyambe HT), Dominic Samuel (Joe Nuttall 60) Bradley Dack (Joe Rothwell 60)

Port Vale: Scott Brown (Sam Hornby HT), James Gibbons, Rory McKeown, Nathan Smith, Connell Rawlinson, Luke Hannant, Luke Joyce (Brendon Daniels 62), Manny Oyeleke (Danny Pugh 48), Dave Worrall (Idris Kanu HT), Louis Dodds (Harry Benns 79), Tom Pope (Scott Quigley HT)

Attendance: 962 (245 away)