Rovers Under-21s gave their survival hopes a major boost after coming from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in a thrilling Premier League 2 contest at Leyland.

Spurs led 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Romaine Mundle and Lucas Moura.

But Rovers battled back brilliantly after the break, with Ethan Walker scoring two penalties in three minutes at the start of the second half, before Harley O’Grady-Macken headed home a late winner.

The vital victory moves Mikes Sheron’s side up to 10th in the table, five points clear of their opponents in the bottom two, with two games to go.

Ahead of the game, Rovers made eight changes to the side that thrashed Nottingham Forest 6-1 in the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup earlier in thee week, with Ash Phillips, Tayo Edun and O’Grady-Macken the players to keep their place.

There was a star name in the Spurs line-up, as 35-cap Brazil international Moura started for the visitors.

Rovers registered the game’s first chance, on 13 minutes, and it almost resulted in the opener, as Walker’s crisp 20-yards strike swerved and skimmed off the top of the crossbar.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring with their first real attack of the game, on 17 minutes, as Mundle played a one-two with Matthew Craig, before skilfully slaloming past the last defender and coolly slotting past Jordan Eastham in the Rovers goal.

Rovers twice threatened just before the half-hour mark when Harrison Wood’s shot was headed off the line by Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, before Leo Duru swung in a cross from the right, which was headed over the bar by Walker in the centre.

But against the run of play, Spurs doubled their lead in contentious circumstances soon after. Moura’s free-kick was adjudged to have hit a hand in the Rovers wall inside the area and the Brazilian made no mistake from the spot.

Spurs came close to a third just before the break, as a corner from the right was headed goalwards by Marques Muir, which forced Eastham into a fine reaction save and Mundle headed the rebound onto the woodwork.

Rovers made a change at the break, bringing on Sam Burns for Wood, and within minutes the substitute had helped to turn the game on its head.

On 49 minutes, Burns latched onto Eastham’s long goal kick, before being tripped by keeper Alfie Whiteman in the box and Walker made no mistake from the spot.

Three minutes later and Rovers were awarded a second penalty when Georgie Gent was fouled in the area and Walker slotted home his second spot-kick of the game to take his tally to eight goals in his last nine games.

On the hour mark, Eastham made a superb save to deny Mundle, before Rovers quickly regained the upper hand.

O’Grady-Macken hit the side-netting and twice volleyed wide of the target, before popping up with the winner 11 minutes from time. Edun delivered a deep cross from the left and O’Grady-Macken headed home at the back post for his third goal in as many games.

Rovers saw out the remaining minutes without too many concerns to claim three precious points in their fight for top-flight survival.

ROVERS: Eastham, Duru, Gamble, Phillips, Mola, Edun, Montgomery (Wrston 71), O’Grady-Macken, Gent, Wood (Burns 46), Walker (Gilsenan 71).
Subs: Dowling, Pratt.

Goals: Walker (49 pen, 52 pen), O’Grady-Macken (79)

Booked: Edun, O’Grady-Macken, Weston

SPURS: Whiteman, Muir (Sayers 80), Cesay, Dorrington, Lyons-Foster, Craig, Mundle, John (Williams 86), Alonso, Moura, Donley (Ajayi 74).
Subs: Keeley, Cassanova.

Goals: Mundle (17), Moura (33 pen)

Booked: Muir, Whiteman, Cesay

Report: Rovers Under-21s 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s