NIKOLA Kalinic made a welcome return for Blackburn Rovers this afternoon but it was the club’s young guns who all the eyes were on at Ewood Park.

The Croatian striker created Zac Aley’s opener in the 2-1 Lancashire Senior Cup quarter final win over Morecambe and, having served a three-match suspension, will return to Steve Kean’s injury-ravaged squad for the weekend’s trip to Chelsea.

Kalinic was withdrawn after 45 minutes though as Rovers took their chance to give their young stars a run out in front of a number of potential suitors from the football league.

Plymouth’s Peter Reid, MK Dons’ Didi Hamman and Karl Robinson and Colchester’s chief scout Andy King were among those in attendance with a number of loan deals expected to be sorted soon.

Midfielder Michael Potts was the pick of the bunch and he capped an impressive all-round midfield display with a stunning second goal - a 25-yard looping volley.

Rovers started the game strongly and were ahead on nine minutes when Kalinic turned smartly on the half way line and released the speedy Aley down the left.

The former Southport man calmly slotted the ball past Morecambe goalkeeper Laurie Walker as Rovers threatened to run riot with a strong first half performance.

Aaron Doran and Aley caused constant problems down the wings while 16-year-old sensation Robbie Cotton, who was on the first team substitutes bench on Saturday, looked composed in midfield.

It was Potts who really impressed though and the watching clubs can’t help but to have taken notice as he doubled the lead with a dipping volley on 16 minutes.

After the break, League Two outfit Morecambe got themselves back in the game and pulled a goal back through Rob Bartley’s header on 51 minutes.

By the end, Rovers should have run out comfortable winners but Doran, Tom Hitchcock and Aley all missed chances to further extend the lead.

Rovers will play either Manchester United or Oldham in the semi finals of the competition.

ROVERS: Fielding, Ramm, Henley, Linganzi, Pearson, Parry, Doran, Cotton (James Knowles), Kalinic (Hitchcock), Aley, Potts SUBS: Urwin, O’Connor, Maclaren