Sam Burns hit a hat-trick as a Rovers XI ran out 6-0 winners in a pre-season friendly at Darwen FC on Tuesday night.

Burns got his pre-season campaign off to the perfect start by scoring Rovers’ first three goals at the WEC Anchor Ground.

The striker finished the season on loan at Scunthorpe United, scoring twice for the League Two side as they failed to avoid relegation to the National League.

Burns, who played for the first-team in pre-season last summer, wasn’t part of the 28-man squad that travelled for the week-long training camp in Portugal.

But he put his case forward for involvement in the upcoming friendlies with three goals against the Salmoners.

Rovers’ newly-appointed Under-23s assistant manager Mark Burton was in charge on the night, his first match with the side, with Under-23s boss Mike Sheron away with the first-team in Portugal.

The majority of Academy players not in Portugal got minutes under their belts, with the Under-23s having another friendly on Saturday when they travel to Workington.

Burns’ brace had Rovers ahead at the break, and he followed that up with a third just before the hour.

George Chmiel was introduced as a half time substitute and made it 4-0 midway through the second half.

A trialist made it 5-0 with still 14 minutes to play, while Dominik Biniek joined fellow Poland youth international Chmiel on the scoresheet by adding a sixth moments later.

The squad was a mixture of scholars and Under-23s regulars such as Burns, Jared Harlock and Jalil Saadi.

Lenni Cirino, who missed the second half of the season with a hamstring injury, was introduced in the second half as he continues his return to full fitness.

Rovers will playing Premier League 2 football for the fifth consecutive season in 2022/23 after a fine end to the last campaign saw them finish in ninth place.

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