MARK Hughes can start planning for another Uefa Cup adventure after Blackburn Rovers secured a return ticket to Europe.

A day that began with the signing of Roque Santa Cruz, ended with Rovers cruising past Lithuanian minnows FK Vetra in some style.

But it was a tried and tested strikeforce, rather than Hughes' latest capture from Bayern Munich, that was ultimately responsible for this goals feast, as Rovers booked a place in Friday's draw for the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg in Vilnius last week, Rovers completed a thoroughly professional job with the minimum of fuss at Ewood after three goals in a devastating seven minute spell shortly after half-time finally killed off a spirited - but limited - Vetra side.

And the chief executioners were Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy, both of whom seemed intent on proving a point to the manager following the arrival of another striker at the club.

During the closing weeks of last season, Roberts and McCarthy showed clear signs of striking up a promising partnership, at one point sharing nine goals between them during a six-game purple patch.

So what better time then for the strike duo to remind the manager what they can do than on the day he broke his own transfer record with the £3.8 million capture of Santa Cruz?

Both players got their names on the scoresheet, and McCarthy's goal in particular - an acrobatic overhead kick - will live long in the memories of those here to witness it.

That strike served to emphasis the embarrassment of attacking riches Hughes will have at his disposal when it comes to naming the side to face Middlesbrough on August 11.

McCarthy and Roberts are already off the mark for the season, and Hughes also has two young tyros in Matty Derbyshire and Maceo Rigters straining at the leash, plus the highly-rated Santa Cruz, who is eager to prove himself in the Premiership.

It's a potentially intoxicating mix and Hughes may well be advised to keep some Anadin at the ready because he's likely to have more than the odd selection headache over the next 10 months.

However, it's a situation the Rovers chief is more than comfortable with.

"That's fine," said Hughes. "It's my problem so I'll have to get on with it.

"I think it's really important (to have competition for places), certainly in the striking department.

"I know when I played, if there was a guy in possession of the shirt then he had to play well to keep me out of the team, and vice versa.

"So competition is always good and in fairness, when it's in the attacking department, it motivates people possibly more than when it's in other areas."

Santa Cruz wasn't at Ewood to see his new charges in action, but if he sees a DVD of this game he will no doubt salivate over some of the silver service that came from the flanks.

All four of Rovers' goals came from quality crosses delivered by David Bentley and Morten Gamst Pedersen, which is manna from heaven for someone like Santa Cruz, whose biggest asset is his ability in the air.

It took a while for Rovers to get into their stride, and they might even have fallen behind had Vetra's Brazilian striker Severino shown more composure when left one-on-one with Brad Friedel.

In the 25th minute, however, Pedersen broke the deadlock, and effectively killed the tie as a contest in the process.

Roberts laid the ball off to Bentley, who promptly delivered a pinpoint cross into the centre, and Pedersen bravely stooped in front of his marker to guide a firm header past the keeper from eight yards out.

Things got worse for Vetra five minutes before the break when their Macedonian international, Dejan Miloseski, picked up a second yellow card for elbowing Stephen Warnock in an aerial challenge.

After that, Rovers ruthlessly exploited their numerical advantage, scoring three goals in seven minutes early in the second half.

Roberts made it 2-0 in the 48th minute, poking home a low Pedersen cross from a yard out.

Then six minutes later, McCarthy grabbed the goal of the game, brilliantly twisting in mid-air to convert another delightful Bentley centre.

Vetra barely had time to draw breath before they conceded again, Chris Samba rising to meet a trademark Pedersen freekick with a glancing header to complete the rout.

Roll on Europe!

Rovers: Friedel, Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Warnock, Bentley, Mokoena, Savage, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts. Subs: Dunn (for Mokoena, 53), Derbyshire (for McCarthy, 57), Rigters (for Roberts, 57) Not used: Tugay, Gallagher, Henchoz, Enckelman Vetra: Zutautas, Miloseski, Botelho, Sasnauskas, Azizi, Usaciov, Skerla, Bozinovski, Panka, Juska, Severino. Subs: Vezevicius (for Juska, 58), Karcemarskas (for Azizi, 74), Raliukonis (for Panka, 82) Not used: Kozyrev, Stankevicius, Celiuk, Butrimavicius Referee: Mr M Weiner (Germany) Bookings: McCarthy, Dunn (Rovers) Miloseski (Vetra) Sendings off: Miloseski (Vetra) Attendance: 11,854