ROVERS' Under-18s were forced to settle for a point after they saw a number of chances go begging in this goalless draw with Stoke City.

Gary Bowyer's young charges dominated for long periods of the game but failed to make their superiority count when it mattered in the final third.

Nevertheless, there were still plenty of positives to take from the performance, not least a welcome clean sheet.

Gary said: "We were delighted with the clean sheet because it was our first for a while.

"We'd worked hard on the defensive side of our game in midweek and it was pleasing to see that pay off.

"However, we need to start converting more of the chances we are creating. In the last three games we've created enough opportunities to have won each game comfortably, so we've got to learn to be more ruthless in front of goal."

Rovers had the lion's share of possession in the first half, but Josh Morris and Jason Lowe both failed to convert presentable chances from Jordan Bowen crosses.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Rovers firmly in the ascendancy, but they struggled to deliver the knockout blow.

Rovers finished the game with two Under-16s up front in Tom Hitchcock and Micah Evans - the latter making his debut at this level - and both had chances to snatch the winner.

The best opportunity fell to Hitchcock, who hit the inside of the post from another Bowen cross.

Rovers also had a late penalty appeal turned down after Michael Potts was brought down in the area, which summed up the visitors' frustrations.

ROVERS: Arestidou, O'Connor, Hall, Jones, Hanley, Parry, Simpson (Potts 67), Lowe, Hitchcock, Bowen, Morris (Evans 67).
Subs not used: Urwin, Morrissey.