Rovers’ bid for a third successive Lancashire Senior Cup ended in round one as they were beaten 3-1 by Accrington Stanley at Brockhall.
Tony Mowbray watched on as new signings Tayo Edun and Leighton Clarkson were named in a starting line-up which also included run-outs for Aynsley Pears, Tyler Magloire, Hayden Carter, Jacob Davenport and Dan Butterworth.
Rovers had won the last two Senior Cup’s and looked well set to progress after Luke Brennan scored inside two minutes.
They had the chance to double that from the penalty spot, only for Dan Butterworth to be denied by the post, before Stanley turned the game on its head.
Two long-range efforts from Stanley new boy Tommy Leigh, and a penalty from Tom Scully, meant it was the Reds who progressed into round two.
Rovers named a stronger than expected line-up, deadline day addition Edun getting an hour under his belt at left wing-back after making his debut off the bench against Barnsley at the weekend.
Liverpool loanee Clarkson was also brought on at Oakwell and came through 90 minutes, as did Butterworth who was unused at the weekend after starring as a substitute in the win over Hull City.
It was also a first run-out for Aynsley Pears who missed the pre-season friendlies with a back issue that sidelined him for the early weeks of the campaign.
He was beaten by long range efforts in either half from Leigh, and also from the penalty spot, with Scully doing what Butterworth failed to do in fining the target from 12 yards.
The penalty miss proved to be a turning point, with Rovers having led early through Brennan as he turned home a Clarkson cross.
Seamus Conneely brought down Brennan in the box to give Rovers a 27th minute penalty, which Butterworth took charge of, but was denied by the post with the keeper beaten.
Stanley then seized the initiative after a strong start from Rovers, a fine effort from Leigh drawing them level eight minutes before the break, before Scully’s penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Leigh doubled his tally, and Stanley’s advantage, with a dipping effort on the hour mark, and bar a Butterworth strike being saved by Toby Savin, Rovers struggled to find a way back into the match.
Rovers: Pears, Harlock, Phillips, Magloire, Carter, Edun (Garrett, 61), Clarkson, Davenport, Brennan (Durrant, 46), McBride (Gilsenan, 76), Butterworth
Stanley: Savin, Moonan, Procter, Conneely (Coyle, 58), Perritt, Nolan, Leigh, Scully, Mansell (Stowe, 81), Mumbongo, O’Sullivan (Patrick, 46)
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