Rovers remain the closest challengers to Manchester City at the top of the Premier League 2 table after Sam Burns scored twice in a comprehensive victory over Southampton at Leyland.

Billy Barr’s side cemented second place with a 5-1 victory as Rovers raced into a three-goal lead inside the first half.

The visitors scored what even at the time felt a consolation given Rovers’ domination, with the three-goal cushion restored with 15 minutes to play as captain for the day Louie Annesley tapped home a fourth.

Sam Durrant then capped off his fine personal performance, and a team display, by adding a fifth in the closing stages.

Rovers had to without captain Sam Barnes who missed out through suspension, with Jalil Saadi taking his place in central defence, but there was a boost with the returns of Dan Pike and Connor McBride following their spells with the first-team set-up.

McBride started from the left, with Burns leading the line, and he was quickly into the game to give Rovers the perfect start. Just five minutes were on the clock when Durrant drifted in from the right, found Nolan whose throughball put Burns in the clear, and he made it two in two games with a fine finish across the ‘keeper.

It was all Rovers, a procession of chances coming and going, as McBride hooked wide at the far post after more good work down the right from the combination play of Pike and Durrant. Pike himself went close to a goal, sliding in at the far post to meet a Lenny Cirino cross, his effort saved on the line by Saints goalkeeper James Bycroft.

A second goal had been coming and it arrived in the 24th minute. Again Durrant got clear of his marker down the right, and although Burns couldn’t turn home his pull-back, Nolan was there to neatly flick home his fourth of the season.

It was looking like a procession for Rovers as they found a third goal 10 minutes before the break. Burns could have had a hat-trick by the time he got his second, that coming from his own industry, blocking the attempted clearance of Bycroft as the ball nestled into the back of the net.

It was no less than Rovers deserved however, their dominance clear all over the pitch.

There was some respite for the Saints as the half-time whistle approached, the visitors finding a way back into the game moments before the break. Jake Garrett was robbed of possession by Ethan Burnett inside the Rovers half, the ball played through for Jayden Smith who neatly lifted the ball over Jordan Eastham and into the corner.

There were few signs of a comeback at the start of the second half though as Rovers regained their control of proceedings, though without the regularity of chances as the first half.

The fourth did arrive, and Cirino had an assist to back up his impressive display as a short corner saw him cross for Gibraltar international Annesley to tap home unmarked at the far post with 16 minutes remaining. 

The search for a fifth goal was then on, good play down the left opening up a shooting angle for Isaac Whitehall, with Bycroft moving across to his left to stop the midfielder’s strike finding the bottom corner.

The pair would come face-to-face seconds later, Durrant sliding the ball through for the advanced midfielder, who from closer in, was denied by an excellent save from the ‘keeper.

It soon arrived though, with Durrant making, and scoring, the fifth. He continued after initially being fouled by his full back to break into the box, working a shooting angle on his left foot to find the corner.

By the end, Rovers spurned several more chances, Pike thumping an effort wide after sub Jared Harlock was denied shortly after coming on. 

Rovers are next in action when they travel to face Arsenal on Friday night.

Rovers: Eastham, Pike (Connolly, 90), Saadi, Annesley, Cirino, Garrett (Harlock, 82), Whitehall, Nolan, Durrant, McBride, Burns

Subs: Dowling, Baker, Gent