ROVERS 3

(Lenihan, 10) (Samuel, 41) (Dack, 67)

EVERTON 0

It was to be a very encouraging night for Tony Mowbray’s men both on and off the field.

News of the pending arrival of Chelsea youngster Kasey Palmer added some extra gloss to a fine all-round performance which saw them beat Premier League Everton 3-0 at Ewood Park.

Much has been said about Rovers’ shortage of options in attack, and the need to strengthen. But those already on the books showed they possess more than enough quality to impress in the second tier.

Also important was the fact the starting XI, which was missing Derrick Williams who sat out with a knock, nearly all came through 90 minutes.

With and without the ball they looked an impressive night, and even when Everton sent on their star names, including new £40m signing Richarlison, they held firm.

Bradley Dack was at his effervescent best, creating the second goal, scored by Dominic Samuel, and adding a solo third midway through the second period.

He went close with a fizzing drive just two minutes in, before his quick-thinking from a corner saw Rovers take the lead. Richie Smallwood provided the cross from which a looping Darragh Lenihan header found the far corner.

Elliott Bennett thumped an effort goalwards, blocked by the legs off Ashley Williams, before the lively Dominic Samuel found the side netting with a 25-yard effort.

There was an aggression about Rovers without the ball, and that helped them to the second goal. The midfield industry was followed by a jinking Dack run, his cross eventually turned in at the far post by Samuel who was deserving of his goal.

All Everton could muster was a tame Gylfi Sigurdsson strike in to the arms of David Raya from six yards out on the one occasion Rovers were caught short in the opening 45 minutes.

Nine outfield changes for the visitors, including new £40m man Richarlison, was always likely to see an upturn in performance from the visitors.

Cenk Tosun drew a flying save from Raya when meeting a Seamus Coleman delivery just eight minutes after the re-start.

But after Bennett had twice stung the palms of Maarten Stekelenburg, Dack missed a golden opportunity from the edge of the area after being played in by Samuel.  

But the home crowd didn’t have to wait long for their star man to add his name to the scoresheet.

It owed much to his skill on the edge of the box, and then his strength to hold off Phil Jagielka, before the inevitable calm finish in to the far corner.

There seemed a determination among the Rovers players to keep a clean sheet, Lenihan blocking well from Kieran Dowell before Charlie Mulgrew made a goal-line clearance.

They were fortunate to see Tosun nod wide an inviting Coleman cross with 15 minutes to go, but they deserved that bit of luck for what had gone before.

Seeing Danny Graham chase back in the closing minutes summed up a strong team performance – with a strong Lewis Travis tackle epitomising exactly that.

Rovers: Raya, Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Bell, Evans (Travis, 82), Smallwood, Bennett, Dack, Samuel, Graham

Subs: Leutwiler, Travis, Downing, Davenport, Whittingham, Tomlinson, Rothwell, Nuttall, Conway, Fisher

Everton first half: Stekelenburg, Kenny, Robinson, Williams, Pennington, Besic, Davies, Sigurdsson, Sandro, Niasse, Mirallas

Everton second half: Stekelenburg Coleman, Baines, Keane, Jagielka, Dowell, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Richarlison, Tosun, Sandro (Vlasic, 79)