Rovers Under-23s saw their four game winning run come to an end against Derby County at Leyland.

The Rams proved clinical in front of goal, striker Cameron Cresswell scoring twice, with Calum MacDonald scoring an excellent third, in a 3-1 win.

Rovers had reduced the arrears to one goal on the hour mark, when Jack Vale headed home, but it was a tough evening for Damien Johnson's side, despite enjoying plenty of possession.

Rovers were without Joe Nuttall, because of first team involvement, while there was only a second Under-23s appearance since September for midfielder Willem Tomlinson.

There was an early warning from the hosts, as full back Sven Karic curled a 20 yard free kick on to the crossbar in just the three minute.

The first half, for large spells, belonged to Rovers however as they dominated the ball, regularly getting in to good positions in the final third.

They struggled to make the most of them however, despite going close from a 40 yard Matty Platt effort after Derby keeper Josh Barnes was caught out of his goal.

Platt then headed over from a Joe Grayson corner as Rovers continued to look the more likely of the two teams.

John Buckley, operating in a more advanced position, was getting in to some promising positions, and fired a shot just wide from the edge of the box on the half hour.

But the sucker punch came six minutes before the break as Derby scored on the counter. Rovers had a corner, but when cleared, found themselves outnumbered on the break. The visitors worked it well, playing in striker Cameron Cresswell who made up 60 yards to sweep home beyond Andrew Fisher.

The Rovers response was almost immediate, Hayden Carter firing too close to goalkeeper Barnes on the turn from the edge of the area.

The wing-back had a clearer sight of goal just before the break, but from a wider angle, after good work from Buckley. This time his shot was dragged wide of the target.

Rovers had the first effort at goal of the second half, as Lewis Thompson tried his luck from distance, but couldn’t direct it on target.

And Derby, and striker Cresswell, proved their clinical edge in front of goal, as he turned home a Aaron Eyomo cross to double the visitors’ advantage.

Rovers were given a deserved route back in to the goal on the hour mark though, as Jack Vale peeled away from his marker to head home a Lewis Thompson cross at the far post.

The momentum seemed to have fizzled out though, as the visitors negotiated the next 10 minutes without any concerns, continuing to look lively on the break.

Rovers made a second attacking change, sending on Okera Simmonds, but Jayden Mitchell-Lawson almost put the game beyond doubt when firing in to the side netting after getting away from Thompson.

A third goal not long in the waiting though. Calum MacDonald was the scorer with a peach of a free kick, from 25 yards out, finding the top corner with his left-footed strike.

Vale almost made it an interesting last 10 minutes though, heading just wide from 10 yards out after another well-worked move down the Rovers right.

Derby almost added a fourth before the end, with Andrew Fisher saving well to deny Kyle McAllister.

The win leaves Rovers second bottom of Premier League 2. 

Rovers: Fisher, Platt (Simmonds, 71), Magloire, Grayson, Carter, Tomlinson, C Doyle (Rankin-Costello, 58), Thompson, Mols, Buckley, Vale

Subs: Winterbottom, Paton, Saadi