Rovers Under-21s’ hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of the Premier League Cup were dealt a blow, as they lost 2-0 away to West Bromwich Albion.

Both goals arrived in the second half, as Cole Deeming fired the hosts in front with a crisp low drive on 54 minutes, before Reece Hall stabbed home from a corner 18 minutes from time.

Mike Sheron’s side must now beat Sheffield United in their final group game next month – and hope other results go their way – if they are to advance to the last 16.

Rovers fielded a very young starting XI at Keys Park, with 10 changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Crystal Palace in Premier League 2 last time out.

Full-back Leo Duru was the sole survivor, with 15-year-old schoolboys Rory Finneran and Igor Tyjon both getting starts, along with scholars Nic Michalski, Brandon Powell and Rhys Doherty.

Irish forwards Zak Gilsenan and Tom Bloxham were the only starters with limited league experience to their name.

The Baggies started brightly, creating the game’s first opening inside three minutes, as Layton Love cut inside two Rovers players on the edge of the area, before blazing over the bar.

The hosts had another big chance to open the scoring at the midway point in the half, as Love played in the unmarked Oliver Bostock, but Michalski came off his line to make an excellent save.

Rovers were restricted to efforts from distance in the main, with West Brom keeper Ben Cisse making comfortable saves to twice deny Charlie Weston, who then saw a flicked effort from an acute angle find the side-netting on 36 minutes.

Less than a minute later and the Baggies ought to have taken the lead. Michalski played a pass straight to Fenton Heard, who then saw his shot cannon against the stanchion with the goal gaping.

Rovers’ best chance of the half arrived right on the stroke of half-time, as Tyjon played in Gilsenan, but his lifted shot over the advancing keeper didn’t quite have enough power on it to cross the line and the covering defender got back to clear.

The Baggies made a triple change at the break and it was one of the new arrivals who played a key role in the opening goal on 54 minutes, as substitute Harry Whitwell broke down the left before teeing up Deeming on the edge of the area and his low strike flew into the bottom corner.

The hosts looked to extend their lead soon after, but Michalski made a superb save at full stretch to tip over Kevin Mfuamba’s dipping effort from distance, before the young keeper denied Deeming and then Love with smart saves from carbon-copy strikes either side of the hour mark.

West Brom did double their lead on 72 minutes as Rovers failed to clear a corner and Hall’s stabbed effort goalwards squirmed over the line.

Bloxham was denied by Cisse, as Rovers looked to halve the deficit, before Michalski made two more impressive saves to keep out stinging shots from first Love and then Whitwell, as the Baggies pushed for a late third.

WEST BROM: Cisse, Williams, Shaw (Kirton 46), Mfuamba (Mandey 71), Kelly (Harper-Bailey 46), Hall, Nelson, Deeming, Love, Heard (Whitwell 46), Bostock (Sule 71).

Booked: Mfuamba, Bostock

Goals: Deeming (54), Hall (72)

ROVERS: Michalski, Duru, Olson, Doherty, Powell, Finneran, Weston, Biniek (Boggan 70), Gilsenan, Bloxham, Tyjon.
Subs not used: Khan, Stritch, Shaw, Shorrocks.

Report: West Bromwich Albion Under-21s 2-0 Rovers Under-21s