MATT DERBYSHIRE

ROSSENDALE UNITED ...0

Blackburn Rovers ...3

MATT Derbyshire struck twice as a young Blackburn Rovers side won their friendly at Dark Lane.

And their fitness proved key as Rovers took control to cruise to a comfortable win in the final 20 minutes.

But UniBond First Division side Rossendale can be proud of the way they played against their Premiership opponents, with new forward Lucky Njie and strike partner Ian Barker causing plenty of problems for the Rovers defence.

Barker won almost everything in the air while Njie showed some nice touches and plenty of pace which kept Alex Bruce and Alan Morgan on their toes all evening.

But it was the visitors who almost opened the scoring as early as the third minute, when Jerome Watt's 20-yard volley from 20 yards crashed against the top of the crossbar. At the other end Njie floated a cross over for Stuart Cartridge, but Steven Drench in the Rovers goal dealt comfortably with his looping header.

Dale stopper Andy Speight then produced two superb reflex saves, one from Watt and another from Morgan's point blank header, but their was little he could do in the 17th minute as Matt Derbyshire raced clear to slot the ball past the advancing keeper to give Rovers the lead.

After Chris Clark hit the woodwork with a free kick at the end of the first half, Dale were on top straight after the break.

Robbie Smith had a shot deflected wide and Njie tried his luck with another shot from distance which flew narrowly wide.

Rovers took the game by the scruff of the neck as the clock ticked down and former Great Harwood striker Derbyshire doubled his tally on 73 minutes, taking the ball round Speight before sliding it into an empty net.

Neil Danns completed the scoring four minutes later, volleying home at the back post from a well worked corner.

OEDale,s second pre-season friendly ended in defeat, but once again they were more than a match for their opponents for long periods of the game. It was only in the final twenty minutes when the extra fitness of the Blackburn players started to play a big part and they took over the game.

As half time approached Njie went close with a couple of shots from the edge of the box and Bruce was fortunate not to score an own goal, his flick header from Chris Clark,s free kick cannoning into the post.

Numerous substitutions affected the flow of the game in the final half hour, an as the game wore on

Neil Danns shot just wide after a good run down the left and Derbyshire should have doubled his tally but shot wildly after a good turn on the edge of the box.

The former Great Harwood striker did double his tally on 73 minutes

Team: Speight, Craig, Whittaker, Clark, Perkins, Rispin, Smith, Brooks, Barker, Njie, Cartridge, subs Hoyle, Flynn, Booth, Sarasini, Forsyth, Rock