The Rovers Academy is proving itself to be, pound for pound, one of the best in the country.

Three graduates started Friday night’s defeat to Brentford, with Ryan Nyambe, Darragh Lenihan and John Buckley all named in Tony Mowbray's XI, with Lewis Travis among the substitutes. A fifth, David Raya, started in goal for the Bees.

Rovers are now approaching 550 consecutive games of having at least one Academy graduate in their matchday squad, and with the numbers of players being produced, Joe Rankin-Costello only missing out to give him a rest after starting the previous two matches, that shows no signs of slowing down.

While those are matters at first-team level, by the time they kicked off in their Sky Sports showdown with Brentford under the Ewood lights, the Under-23s were already three goals to the good at Arsenal.

Billy Barr’s side were thrashed 6-0 in the reverse fixture, an uncharacteristic off night against a Gunners side who included Emile Smith-Rowe and Folarin Balogun in their starting line-up. On Friday, Balogun was joined by two more players with first-team experience in Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah.

Counter that with the Rovers side, captain Louie Annesley the only player over the age of 19, while Lenny Cirino and Jake Garrett are both still second year scholars.

There has been a move in 2021 for the Rovers Under-23s group to become even younger, regulars in the side such as Joe Grayson and Brad Lyons loaned out in January, while Harry Chapman was also a regular in the first half of the season.

Left back Lewis Thompson has given way to Cirino at left bac giving a much younger look to Barr’s side.

However, they continue to produce the results, and sit second in the Premier League 2 table. Results aren’t the be-all-and-end-all at that level, but Rovers are producing players as well, with two graduates in Hayden Carter and Tyler Magloire earning rave reviews out on loan, while performances, even in games they haven't won, have been to an excellent standard.

This too, a Rovers side put together from players brought through the Brockhall ranks from a young age or snapped up along the way from other Academies when released, with Annesley the one point of difference, brought in from Gibraltar side Lincoln Red Imps in 2019.

As value for money goes, it has to be right up there.

Rovers continued their impressive form, backing up a 5-1 win over Southampton with a 10th win in 18 games against the Gunners. Only Manchester City are ahead of them, two points clear at the top, while the chasing pack behind them includes Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United, who last month included Amad Diallo in their starting line-up, a player acquired for 10 times the amount Rovers spend to run their Academy each year.

Connor McBride took his tally to 11 for the season with a confident spot-kick in the 29th minute, while before the break, Sam Burns got his now customary two goals for the third game running.

For the first time since replacing Damien Johnson, Barr was able to name an unchanged team, and was rewarded with another fine display, able to bring on scholars Jared Harlock, Georgie Gent and Alex Baker for some Under-23s experience.

These two sides will meet again next week, albeit it at Under-18s level, as Rovers play hosts in the FA Youth Cup fourth round. They look to replicate the 4-1 victory in the quarter-finals of last season’s competition.

Then they reached the last four, alongside both Manchester clubs, and Chelsea. Once again, the Rovers Academy is proving to be worth every penny that’s being spent.