BLACKBURN Rovers academy manager Phil Cannon insists his under 18 side have “ a lot more to come” despite seeing them cruise into the FA Youth Cup fourth round with an 8-0 win at home to Thurrock.

Playing under the Ewood Park floodlights, the Essex non-league outfit were never a match for Rovers’ young guns despite their valiant efforts.

But, as they wait the fourth round draw later this month, Cannon believes they have to improve to progress even further.

He said: “It was a comfortable victory but we didn’t play as we could to be honest, even though we won 8-0.

“If we had taken our chances and really been at the top of our game we could have hit double figures.

“It was obviously a big occasion for Thurrock and they worked very hard, but people should not forget it was a big night for our boys as well.

“This was the first time a lot of our guys have played on such a big stage and it can only stand us in good stead if we draw a bigger club in the later stages.”

Rovers’ captain Ryan Edwards opened the scoring on just five minutes, with striker Osayamen Osawe doubling the lead soon after.

Jack O’Connell then missed from the penalty spot but he redeemed himself on the stroke of half time as he made it 3-0 from close range.

A quick fire Curtis Haley brace after the break put the game out of Thurrock’s reach, as the visitors began to tire under Rovers’ constant pressure.

Haley then turned provider as he squared the ball for Osawe to complete his double.

It looked as though that would be the end of the scoring until, in the 89th minute, substitute Danny Laverty saw a cross turned into his own net by George Light and fellow replacement Ryan Humphreys completed the rout in injury time.