DAMIEN Johnson called it the ‘perfect night’ after his Blackburn Rovers Under-21s team made it three wins in their last four matches with a 3-0 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.

The returning Chris Taylor opened the scoring in Monday night’s Ewood Park clash in the 12th minute before fellow first-team midfielder Sacha Petshi doubled the advantage just before the hour mark.

With Connor Mahoney a constant threat down the right Rovers got the third goal their dominance deserved 20 minutes from time when the winger crossed for Anton Forrester to seal a comfortable victory.

Johnson, who runs the U21s with John Filan, said: “I’m really delighted, it was a great performance and result.

“For us, as development coaches, it is about the performance really, and a lot of time you might get the performance but not the result.

“So to get both, and a clean sheet, which we’ve been striving for, was really pleasing. It was a really positive night.

“We were pleased with the first-half display but we felt that we could kick on and score more goals.

“So that was the challenge that we set the lads at half-time, for them to step it up even more, and to be fair to them they did and we could have had more goals.

“Connor Mahoney was outstanding, his confidence was high; Ryan Nyambe was looking like he was getting back to his best, and then there was Scott Wharton and Sam Lavelle, but I don’t want to single anyone out, it was just a pleasing night.

“The lads are all learning the game but it is really important that they put on performances like that on stages like this and impress the first-team staff.

“It was the perfect night for myself and John.”

Taylor broke the deadlock with a fine first-time drive into the bottom corner at the end of a flowing move.

But Daniel Akindayini would have restored parity in the 19th minute had it not been for a stunning save from David Raya, who impressed on his first appearance since losing his position as the first-team’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Raya’s opposite number Joshua Smith gifted Rovers their second goal in the 59th minute, his shocking pass out from the back being seized upon by Devarn Green who squared for Petshi to score.

It was left up to Forrester to make the game safe in the 70th minute, the striker stooping to head home a wonderful cross from Mahoney.

Rovers return to U21s Premier League Division Two action on Friday, October 16 away to Arsenal.

Blackburn Rovers Ladies, meanwhile, make the short trip to Preston North End tonight.

Rovers’ FA Women’s Premier League Cup clash at home to Radcliffe Olympic on Sunday was cancelled after their opponents forfeited the preliminary round tie.

As a result Rovers will host Huddersfield Town in the first round proper.