Lancaster City 0 Rovers Reserves 3

ON a wet night at the Giant Axe the Rovers Reserves got their pre-season campaign underway with a comfortable 3-0 win over Lancaster City.

A first half header from O'Keefe was followed in the second period by efforts from Marshall and Marrow saw Rovers dispose of the Unibond Division One side.

The first half was fairly uneventful but Rovers made most of the running, Josh O'Keefe should have done better with a header early on but glanced his effort over the bar after a flowing move.

But O'Keefe redeemed himself on 35 minutes when he gave Rovers the lead. Lively winger Aaron Doran was brought down on the edge of the area, and from Andy Haworth's free-kick, O'Keefe rose to head home at the near post with the 'keeper flat footed.

The usual substitutions began at half time and throughout the second half and the game lost much of its momentum. However, the Rovers rarely looked like allowing Lancaster back in the game and it was the Rovers youngsters who appeared the stronger team as the half went on.

Marshall added a second on 73 minutes when he created an opening on the edge of the area and struck a well placed shot past Mark Thornley in the Lancaster goal.

With five minutes remaining Marrow wrapped up the match with the third goal, toying with the defence on the right he worked a shooting chance from the edge of the box that beat the 'keeper.

A few minutes from the end O'Keefe made a rash challenge on a Lancaster player and the referee offered the Rovers the opportunity to withdraw him rather than red card him.

A comfortable win for a young reserve side.

ROVERS: Nielsen (sub Bussman 76 mins), Bateson (sub O'Connor 72 mins), Flynn (sub Winnard 63 mins), Nolan, Gunning (sub Hanley 72 mins), Doran (sub Marrow 46 mins), Griffiths, O'Keefe, Haworth (sub Hall 72 mins), Clarke, McCubbin (sub Marshall 46 mins).