JACOB Davenport made his return from injury - but couldn't stop Rovers Under-23s from falling to a last minute defeat at Brighton on Friday night.

Things had looked promising for Damien Johnson's men as they took a third minute lead through a fine Okera Simmonds free kick.

That lasted until the 56th minute when the hosts, who like Rovers were promoted to Premier League 2 last season, levelled through an Aaron Connolly header.

And just as Rovers looked to be taking home a fourth point of the season, hosts' skipper Tom Barclay headed in an 89th minute winner.

The result leaves Rovers winless at the bottom of the table, with three points from their opening eight games ahead of a home match with Tottenham on October 29.

Summer signing Davenport, who was yet to feature this season after two separate injuries, played 60 minutes of the defeat before being replaced by Stefan Mols.

The 19-year-old could be given a further chance to push forward his claims for first-team inclusion when Rovers host Blackpool in the Lancashire Senior Cup on Wednesday.

Lewis Travis featured in midfield alongside Davenport in midfield, with Joe Grayson captaining the side.

After Simmonds handed Rovers an early lead, former Ewood 'keeper Jason Steele denied Dan Butterworth shortly afterwards.

Davenport then freed Butterworth, but his shot was too close to Steele as Johnson's side enjoyed the better of the first half.

The hosts made a double change at the break and soon levelled as Connolly headed home a left wing George Cox cross.

A mistake by Andrew Fisher wasn't punished when Anders Dreyer fired wide from close range, before John Buckley drew a smart save from Steele, while Butterworth fired just wide as Rovers looked to regain the lead.

An entertaining game was finely poised going in to the final stages, with Albion nicking it in the dying seconds as Barclay glanced home a left wing corner.

ROVERS: Fisher, Doyle (Vale, 90), Evans, Davenport (Mols, 60), Carter, Grayson, Buckley, Travis, Simmonds (Candlin, 82), Butterworth, Lyons