Disappointment was the over-riding emotion for Rovers Under-23s boss Billy Barr despite his side extending their unbeaten start to the Premier League 2 season.

Rovers were within a matter of minutes from making it a hat-trick of wins to start the campaign, only to be denied by a late Joe Hugill tap-in.

The 16-year-old opened the scoring for United inside 70 seconds, but inbetween his double Rovers were the stronger side and can count themselves unfortunate not to have backed up wins over Manchester City (2-1) and Leicester City (4-0) with another success.

Boss Barr was disappointed his side weren’t able to make the most of their second half opportunities, particularly after Brad Lyons put them 2-1 up on the hour mark.

Connor McBride had earlier equalised for Rovers from the penalty spot, as Barr made nine changes from the side which beat the young Foxes in convincing fashion on Monday.

“Disappointment. It feels more like a defeat than a draw,” Barr said of the game.

“If you compare the games, Monday and Friday, they were a real contrast. For 25 minutes in the second half I thought it looked similar, we had good control of the game, good chances to kill the game, but bad decision-making and bad timing of passes, and if we get them right then the game is comfortable.

“Manchester United will always carry a threat and (Anthony) Elanga will be a player I think, looking at him over the course of the games that we watched before this and he caused us a threat with his pace.

“Late on it was his cross that was deflected to their lad (Hugill).

“We kept giving the ball away, it was knowing when to control it and not to risk, do the simple things and ask questions of the opposition and keep them penned into their own half.

“It’s disappointing in the end.

“We’ve fielded nine different players from the game on Monday, maybe that’s something, but we’ll look at it, debrief it, and be better for it.”

Rovers top the Premier League 2 at the early stages, on goal difference, and along with Spurs are the only two teams in  the competition yet to taste defeat.

Barr says there’s reason to be optimistic, despite the late setback, and was happy to be able to hand minutes to a host of players across the two games this week.

He added: “That’s the positive, we’re three games unbeaten to start the season.

“We’ll do our work and come up with something for our next game.

“Maybe on reflection and then on Sunday when we’re back in there will be smiles on faces because it is a positive out of the first three games.

“As a collective as the week has gone, whether it be our players or some from the first-team, have played 90 minutes.

“Whether that be a sub coming on and starting, or starting the other day and come on, and I bet it’s a long time since that’s happened that the whole group have benefited from it in competitive games.

“We’ll look at it and do our work going into our games after the international break.”