ROVERS' under 18s got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 4-0 victory at Brockhall on Saturday.

After three matches without a win, the Rovers Academy side put in a superb performance and were full value for the victory. It was a one-sided encounter which the home side dominated throughout and they really should have more goals to show for their efforts.

There were two goals in each half, Phil Jones and Jake Simpson with strikes in the first period, Simpson added a third before a well-worked move saw Josh Morris finish to add a fourth.

Rovers spurned chances to grab further goals, but that didn't detract from such a convincing display by Gary Bowyer's side.

The game actually started with the visitors having the better of the play, goalkeeper Bjorn Bussmann was called into action as early as the fourth minute when a corner to the far post found the Liverpool striker unmarked, but the young stopper got down quickly at his near post to push the ball aside.

But that was a rare attack from the side in red as Rovers then took charge and in such a convincing fashion.

On 13 minutes a corner from the right by Josh Morris was knocked back into the six yard box by Grant Hanley but whilst Jake Simpson got his boot to the ball ahead of the Liverpool goalkeeper, he couldn't keep his flick down and the ball landed on the roof of the net.

Rovers had to wait ten minutes for another chance at goal and it came from another corner on the right, but this time it paid dividends. Morris with the kick to the far post, Hanley nodded down, his effort was blocked but Phil Jones was on hand to fire home from close-range for his second goal in consecutive matches. The linesman ruling that the ball had crossed the line before a defender hacked the ball away.

28 minutes and Rovers doubled their lead, A fine spell of passing play saw the ball worked from right to left then into the middle where Tom Hitchcock threaded the ball through to set Jake Simpson free, and with just the goalkeeper to beat he slipped the ball into the far corner of the net.

It was one way traffic asLiverpool were unable to cope with the Rovers attacks, particularly from high balls into the box. Grant Hanley headed narrowly wide from Jordan Bowen's corner kick, then a minute later Morris arriving at the back post couldn't direct the ball goalwards from another pinpoint cross from Bowen.

Then Jake Simpson should have made it 3-0 when another Bowen cross caused the Liverpool defence problems, but the Rovers forward glanced wide from six yards wide.

Just before the break Rovers thought they had made it 3-0 when Tom Hitchcock followed in John Kennedy's low strike but as the goalkeeper spilled the ball Hitchcock snapped up the rebound only to see the linesman on the nearside raise his flag for offside.

As the half-time whistle blew Rovers knew they should have had more than just the two goals to show for their domination.

But they started the second half where they left off in the first, a long throw into the area from Morris saw Hitchcock turn to tee up Kennedy but his shot through the crowded area was well saved.

Liverpool almost clawed a goal back when a poor clearance fell to an attacker on the edge of the area, but his curling effort went narrowly over the bar. But once again that Liverpool attack was a rare one as Rovers again took control of proceedings and added a third just past the hour mark.

Again the goal came from a set-piece, Bowen with the corner from the left, Grant Hanley headed the ball down, a defender on the line did his best to push the ball away but Jake Simpson was on hand to force the ball home. Both Hanley and Simpson claimed the goal as their own, the defender looked to be well behind the line when he cleared but it is likely that the goal will be credited to Simpson.

A minute later and the combination of Bowen and Hanley almost fashioned a fourth goal, the corner from the left was swung in, defender Hanley connected well powering the ball down towards goal, but the Liverpool goalkeeper made a fine save pushing the ball around the post.

The watching Paul Ince will have been impressed as Rovers continued to pick their opponents apart at will. Midfielders Jason Lowe and John Kennedy both had chances to get on the scoresheet. Lowe firing just over the bar from the edge of the area, whilst Kennedy dragged an effort narrowly wide from a similar position.

But with 15 minutes remaining a fourth duly arrived and once again it was a wonderful piece of passing play that unlocked the Liverpool defence. The ball was worked well down the left, Hall and Morris combining well before Jake Simpson took the ball towards the area, Morris continued his run into the box where Simpson slipped in Morris and he finished in fine style with a shot across goal into the far corner.

Rovers could have added more goals, Tom Hitchcock saw one goalbound strike tipped over the bar, whilst with another attack the young striker fired just over the bar, and whilst further goals certainly wouldn't have been undeserved, the healthy following showed their appreciation at the final whistle of a job well done by the young Rovers team.

ROVERS: Bussmann, O'Connor, Hanley (c), Jones, Hall, Bowen, Kennedy, Lowe, Morris (sub Banton 77 mins), Simpson, Hitchcock.

Subs not used: Morrissey, Swann, Parry, Brierley.