ACADEMY 'keeper Andreas Arestidou was the hero for Rovers as the under 18s defeated Middlesbrough 3-1 at Rockcliffe Park on Saturday.

The 17 year-old stopper made four fantastic one-on-one saves early on to keep Rovers in the game, as a new-look defence took its time to get to grips with the game.

Middlesbrough were made to pay for those missed chances in the first half as Gary Bowyer's side took the lead five minutes before the break, Junior Dadson centred from the left and Michael O'Connor lashed the ball high into the back of the net from just inside the area.

Rovers' young side, featuring eight first year players and a schoolboy, doubled their lead seven minutes after the restart when a Mamadi Keita's shot from the edge of the box took a slight deflection to wrong-foot the 'Boro 'keeper.

Middlesbrough pulled a goal back on the hour mark, hesitant defending allowed the home side to attack down the flank before finishing the move.

Both sides had chances to score further goals but it was Rovers who sealed the game with a strike in the final minute, Juvhel Tsoumou saw his effort saved and strike partner Martin McCubbin was on hand to snap up the rebound.

"We have to be thankful for Andreas as we could have found ourselves out of the game in the first twenty minutes," said coach Bowyer after the game. "However we stuck at it and were clinical in front of goal."

ROVERS: Arestidou, Wille (sub McCubbin 10 mins), Kavanagh, O'Connor, Griffiths, Paterson, Haworth, Roberts, Tsoumou, Dadson, Keita. Subs not used: Somodi, Brierley, Simpson.