Rovers saw a two-goal lead evaporate as they lost top spot in Premier League 2 after a first away defeat of the season at Manchester United.

United scored four times in a little over 10 minutes as Rovers imploded in the final stages to go down 6-4. Rovers had led 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2, but that still wasn’t enough to leave Leigh Sports Village with even a point.

Connor McBride scored twice, including once from the penalty spot, with Sam Barnes and Joe Nolan on the scoresheet.

At that moment, before the hour mark, Rovers were deservedly 4-2, but couldn’t sustain their dominance in the closing stages, as after Corry Evans’ experience departed with 20 minutes to go, they imploded.

Shola Shoretire scored a hat-trick, while Amad Dialloa collected a hat-trick of assists before rounding off the win himself in the final 10 minutes.

TEAM NEWS

Corry Evans played his second Under-23s game of the week after three months out with a hamstring injury as Billy Barr was forced to name a very inexperienced side.

It was the same back four that started against Leicester City, with Under-18s pair Lenni Cirino and Jake Garrett on the left side of the defence, with Dan Pike at right and captain for the night Sam Barnes at centre half.

Evans anchored a young midfield, with Jared Harlock and Joe Nolan either side of him, with Luke Brennan on the right side of the attack, Zak Gilsenan drafted in on the left which allowed Connor McBride to take up his position in the centre forward position.

After 45 minutes against Leicester, Evans came through 70 minutes before being replaced by James Connolly. Rovers made their second change with eight minutes to go as Alex Baker replaced Gilsenan.

MATCH ACTION

13 GOAL Connor McBride intercepts a Dylan Levitt pass on the left edge of the box, hammers a powerful finish beyond the ‘keeper. His seventh of the season, but first since November (0-1)

17 Luke Brennan leads a Rovers attack but can’t keep his shot from distance on target.

20 GOAL Hannibal Mejbri levels for the hosts. Lovely move carves Rovers open before the attacker does the rest, drifting into the box and finding the far corner with a neat finish (1-1)

24 A driving break from Zak Gilsenan sees him impeded on the edge of the box by Charlie McCann who goes in to the referee’s notebook. McBride doesn’t make the most of the free-kick.

29 Corry Evans floats a ball into the box where Gilsenan guides it into the path of McBride, his neat turn works a shooting angle in the box, but it’s straight at the ‘keeper.

32 GOAL. 32 Skipper for the night, Sam Barnes, heads Rovers back into the lead from a Brennan corner. That was won after Jared Harlock was denied by a stunning save after being played through by McBride in Rovers’ best move of the match.

36 United guilty of giving the ball away again, this time to Gilsenan, who from the left edge of the box shoots straight at Mastny.

36 Ball given away, Gilsenan picking the ball up on the left side of the box, shoots straight at Mastny.

37 United threaten, McCann gliding his way into the box, but his shot is too close to Jordan Eastham who saves with his legs.

39 GOAL. The hosts level for a second time. Mejbri sends a ball inside Cirino and Amad Diallo gets into the box where he squares for Shola Shoretire to equalise.

53 GOAL. Connor McBride gets his second of the game to put Rovers ahead for the third time of the night, this time from the penalty spot. Was won by Jared Harlock who was pulled down in the box by Devine after a neat give-and-go.

56 GOAL. Dan Pike does brilliantly down the right to get away from Fernandez before squaring for Nolan to turn home on the slide from inside the six-yard box.

64 Eastham to the rescue as Amad Diallo is clean through but the ‘keeper gets a strong hand to his shot from 10 yards before Cirino is equal to McCann’s follow-up.

73 GOAL Diallo delivers a cross from the right and Shoretime ghosts inbetween two defenders to plant a header into the bottom corner and out of reach of Eastham.

74 GOAL. United level with a second goal in quick succession, Harvey Neville delivers another cross from the right, the striker is unmarked at the far post to head beyond Eastham.

78 GOAL. A third assist for Diallo, and now a hat-trick for Shoretire, as the winger squares it across the box for the midfielder to tap home.

85 GOAL. Diallo gets a goal to his name to add to his three assists, a neat finish from a bouncing ball after Fernandez got to the byline, the pace enough to get beyond Eastham.

VERDICT

Rovers lost top spot, and also their unbeaten away record, having not seen the job through.

While the hosts were never out of the game, nothing could have prepared Rovers for the late rally that saw United go from 4-2 down to 6-4 up.

Amad Diallo had a big say in proceedings, as he should have done with the price-tag he commanded, but equally, Rovers didn’t manage the closing stages well enough after losing the experience of Corry Evans, the midfielder getting through 70 minutes on his return from injury.

They finished the game with four scholars and every player under the age of 19 as United ran riot with four goals in a little over 10 minutes.

There has been a different look to the side this week, with more scholars given a run in the side, and more of the usual names not involved, and that could well be the case moving forward, not least with eight players out on loan.

But there remains plenty to be proud of when it comes to the young prospects coming through the Academy and the way they’re able to mix it with the Premier League elite.