A Dom Biniek penalty counted only as a consolation as Rovers Under-21s signed off their Premier League Cup group campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Peterborough United Under-21s at Leyland.

The Polish youth international made no mistake from the spot with 17 minutes remaining, but it counted for little having arrived after two quickfire goals from the visitors.

In a goalless first 45 minutes, the game come to life just a moment into the second half when Johnson Gyamfi slotted home a penalty for Peterborough, who sat a place and five points below Rovers in Group D prior to kick-off.

Already out of the competition, the game counted for little, but that meant the shackles were off Posh, who went in search of a second of the afternoon and got it through substitute Reuben Marshall on the hour mark, just a few minutes after he entered the action.

That was to prove the match-winning moment for Ryan Semple's visitors, and although Biniek's finish did give the hosts hope of taking something from the game, the youthful team, which featured a number of Ryan Kidd's Under-18s, couldn't quite create enough quality in the final minutes of the contest.

Rovers began brightly and Junior Nsangou poked just wide only 11 minutes into the contest, with Ashton Fox getting a vital touch on Leo Duru's inviting cross before it reached the Rovers frontman, who was stretching for the effort.

At the other end, the lively Gyamfi sent a strike whistling past Aidan Dowling's left-hand post just after the half-hour mark as the opener remained elusive in a half that lacked too many moments of quality.

Rovers went in search of breaking the deadlock with seconds of the half remaining, but Ben Lakin was well-placed to beat Kristi Montgomery's stinging drive away for a corner kick in what was the final action of the first 45 minutes.

However, the breakthrough did arrive just three minutes into the second half from the penalty spot and it came Peterborough's way. James Edmondson was adjudged to have brought down Gyamfi in the box, and the Posh attacker stepped up to fire into the right-hand corner, despite Dowling going the right way.

Scoring once was good for the visitors, but their day was made better just 15 minutes later when substitute Marshall made an instant impact from the bench when he found the net from close range just five minutes after entering the action, which put the visitors 2-0 up on the hour mark.

Rovers reduced Peterborough's advantage on the 73rd minute with a penalty of their own after Brandon Powell flew forward and was tripped in the box. Biniek stepped up confidently and sent Lakin the wrong way from 12 yards to set up a grandstand finish.

However, that never arrived, despite Rovers huffing and puffing, with Lakin largely untested. Ultimately, the result mattered little, with Rovers securing progress to the next round prior to the game, with a trip to Huddersfield Town in the last 16 of the competition up next on Tuesday night at the John Smith's Stadium.

Report: Rovers Under-21s 1-2 Peterborough United Under-21s