ROVERS’ young guns went down to defeat in their Checkatrade Trophy opener despite a superb second-half performance in which they laid siege to their League One opponents’ goal.

A goal on the stroke of half-time from Devante Cole, the son of former Ewood Park hero Andy, was enough to separate the sides on a mild night at the Highbury Stadium.

But impressive Rovers, led by the outstanding Connor Mahoney, did enough, particularly after the restart, to earn at least a share of the spoils.

 

It was a shame, then, that just 392 supporters watched the Northern Group D clash after Fleetwood, whose chairman Andy Pilley is vehemently against the changes to the Trophy’s make-up, made it £20 for adults to get in.

Rovers had to name six players under the age of 21 for the club’s first outing in the revamped and renamed competition.

But, in the spirit of the English Football League’s decision to invite 16 Premier League and Championship clubs with category one academies to participate in the Trophy, Damien Johnson’s and David Dunn’s starting line-up comprised 11 players aged 20 and under.

And, to their absolute credit, Rovers more than held their own against a strong Fleetwood side featuring players with more than 1,700 senior first-team appearances between them.

True they failed to threaten Cod Army keeper Chris Neal in the first half.

But they were always in the game and, with better decision making in the final third, they may have gone in front before Cole struck.

That said it was Fleetwood who had the better chances in a competitive opening period with the first coming in the second minute.

Bobby Grant swung over a corner to the near post where Martyn Woolford’s firm header was kept out by David Raya, one of four players in the Rovers side with limited first-team experience.

Two others, Mahoney and Ryan Nyambe, then exchanged passes with Willem Tomlinson to set up an opportunity which Connor Thomson snatched at.

But at that stage it was the Cod Army who were looking the likelier with Raya saving brilliantly from Michael Duckworth before the vastly experienced Woolford was a whisker away with a sweetly struck shot which was teed up by ex-Accrington Stanley striker Grant.

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At the other end Tomlinson and Thomson failed to pull the trigger when well placed while captain Scott Wharton, fresh from his first-team debut and goal, was unable to turn in a Mahoney cross.

But just when it looked like the half was going to end even Fleetwood broke free down the right with Ashley Hunter firing over a cross which Cole converted from inside the six-yard box.

Rovers had the chance to equalise straight after the restart after Tomlinson’s volleyed pass sent Lewis Mansell clear.

But, with Neal racing off his line, the striker got his lob badly wrong.

Hunter then went close from distance as the Cod Army attempted to double their advantage.

But it was Rovers who were now doing all the running and they had more than enough openings to restore parity.

Mahoney, who gave Fleetwood left-back Joe Davis a torrid time, dragged wide before Lewis Hardcastle blazed over from the edge of the area at the end of a flowing move. He should have hit the target.

And so should Thomson after another clever through pass from Tomlinson.

Joe Rankin-Costello then tested Neal who later made the save of the contest.

Mahoney, again, was the creator, twisting this way and that before standing the ball up to the back post where Mansell’s header was turned over the top. He should have scored.

Undeterred Rovers, watched by the first-team coaching staff, kept piling forward, primarily through their man of the match.

Mahoney firstly curled over a cross which bounced inches past the far post before he beat Davis for the countless time and drew a stop out of Neal.

Then it was the turn of the excellent Raya to be called into action, saving smartly from substitute Ricardo Kip.

But it was Rovers who finished the stronger with substitute Dean Rittenberg going desperately close to a last-gasp leveller after Tomlinson had burst into the box and blasted wide.

MATCH FACTS

Fleetwood: Neal, Duckworth, Davis, Eastham, Bolger, Jonsson (Glendon 32), Dempsey, Woolford, B Grant (Nirennold 68), Hunter, Cole (Kip 61). Subs not used: Cairns, Haughton, Deacon, Sowerby.

Booked: Grant.

Goal: Cole 45.

Rovers Under-23s: Raya, Nyambe, Platt, Wharton, Doyle, Thomson (Rittenberg 87), Hardcastle, Rankin-Costello, Tomlinson, Mahoney, Mansell. Subs not used: Fisher, Askew, Travis, Howarth, Grayson, Magloire.

Booked: Wharton.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Attendance: 392.