Jon Dahl Tomasson feels Rovers will have learned plenty despite the disappointment of exiting the Carabao Cup at the fourth round stage against Nottingham Forest at Ewood Park.

Forest proved too strong as two goals from Brennan Johnson, including a first half penalty, and strikes from Jesse Lingard and Taiwo Awonyi saw Steve Cooper’s side progress into the last eight.

Tomasson made 11 changes from the side that won at Norwich City at the weekend, and had seen his side go into the break level after Scott Wharton, who conceded the penalty, equalised moments before half time.

The changes saw Aynsley Pears, Adam Wharton and Dilan Markanday come in for their first starts since the round three win at West Ham United, while Ash Phillips and George Hirst hadn’t started since October.

Forest on the other hand went strong, making only four alterations from the side that last played in the Premier League six weeks ago.

“It is of course always disappointing to lose a game but this was always going to be a challenge against another Premier League club, one who has invested a lot of money and have a lot of good players,” Tomasson said.

“At the end of the day this journey we have had in the cup has been a good journey.

"We have won games, played very young players and you saw that today and we need to develop players.

“Some of the goals, some of the decision-making, we'll be disappointed after that.

“Especially for the young players, they will learn from playing a Premier League club. You see how focused and concentrated you need to be for 90 minutes.

“You see how quick the players are and the intensity.

“That has been a good journey for those boys and they will learn from that.

“When you are sitting here after losing the game against a very good side, and they were much better than we are it is difficult to take positives always.

“We are always looking at development as well and getting the balance right regarding getting the whole squad right for the upcoming period.

“It is a balance between developing players and getting them ready for a big period.”

Rovers were punished by the Premier League side, with Pears making several key saves to keep the scoreline down, until two late strikes added a greater margin of victory.

Tomasson added: “Afterwards, we are disappointed by the errors but that is football.

“That is why I say you have to be focused and keep concentration for the entire period of the game. Sometimes when you play better players, the head can be overloaded to what you are used to.

“That's what you need to cope with and you saw that at West Ham and some coped better in that game. That's playing against a Premier League and, hopefully, that's where we will be in the future.

“We are dreaming about that as a club but it was good for the young boys to try it and say 'ok, what do I need to become better?' You need a lot and it starts with hard work.”

The game came during a busy period for Rovers, who have an early start on Boxing Day at Sunderland before facing Middlesbrough on December 29 and then Cardiff City on New Year’s Day.

Tomasson had made wholesale changes for the previous rounds, and asked whether he would have done anything different had the fixture come at a different time, he said: “We need to find a balance.

“We have three games in seven days over this Christmas period and we had that in mind.

“It’s a big period coming up and we have to find a balance of playing youngsters, improving players, and trying to get something out of it.

“I think the lads to get this level have done a good job, but coming up against a Premier League side is not easy.”

TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION...

GAIN UNLIMITED AND UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO THE LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH WEBSITE WITH A PREMIUM DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION