Rovers Ladies defender Rhiannon Roberts has been rewarded for an excellent season at club level with a first call-up to the England Women's Under-23s.

Rhiannon, Rovers' Young Player of the Year, is included in Brent Hills' 17-player squad for an FA-hosted mini-tournament which will welcome the USA, Sweden and Norway to these shores early next month.

Rovers' goalkeeping duo Danielle Hill and Krystal Parker have been placed on a standby list for the round-robin competition, which will take place at the University of Warwick from 7th-12th July.

A product of the club's Centre of Excellence, Rhiannon made her Rovers debut in October 2008, but became a permanent fixture with the first team during the second half of last season.

A string of impressive displays - most notably in the 1-1 draw against champions Arsenal at Ewood Park - helped Rovers secure a seventh-place finish in the Premier League and have elevated her alongside some of the top female footballers in the country.

The 19-year-old said: "I've had a good run in the side since Christmas and have been pleased with my performances on the pitch, but this has still come as a massive shock to me.

"I'm really looking forward to joining up with the squad and I'm sure it will be a good experience."