Hayden Carter got some valuable minutes under his belt, as he steps up his comeback from injury, as Rovers Under-21s lost 4-0 at home to their Brighton counterparts.

The 25-year-old defender played the first half at Ewood Park, during which goals from Nehemiah Oriola and Josh Robertson put the south-coast club in a commanding position at the break.

There was little to choose between the two sides in the second half until late on, when on 81 minutes Jack Barrett denied Oriola from the spot, but the Brighton forward made amends moments later, firing home from inside the area after Rovers failed to clear their lines.

Defender Charlie Penman then added a fourth for the visitors from a corner two minutes from time.

It’s now back-to-back defeats for Rovers’ youngsters at the start of the new Premier League 2 season, having lost 1-0 away to Everton earlier in the week.

Ahead of the game, Mike Sheron made five changes to the side that lost at Everton, with Carter handed a 45-minute run-out in the centre of defence, on his return from the hamstring injury he picked up against Accrington Stanley in pre-season.

Elsewhere, Barrett, Jake Batty, Harrison Wood and Joe Boggan came in for Felix Goddard, James Edmondson, Lorenze Mullarkey-Matthews and Harry Leonard.

Just like they did against the Toffees, Rovers made a bright start, with Boggan being played clean through on goal on eight minutes, but the young striker got caught in two minds, which allowed the covering defender to get back and put the ball behind.

A few moments later, Brandon Powell raced away down the left, but his centre for Boggan just had too much on it.

Brighton’s Joe Belmont then dragged a shot just wide of the target, as the visitors registered their first attack of note, before Powell bustled his way through to the edge of the area, but fired over the bar, when perhaps a pass was the better option.

At the midway point in the half, Rovers fell behind. The hosts lost possession on halfway, allowing Robertson to spread the play out wide. Charlie Tasker then played in Oriola, who lifted a shot over Barrett and into the far top corner of the Rovers net.

The Seagulls then doubled their lead six minutes before the break. Powell was adjudged to have brought down Oriola inside the box and Robertson made no mistake from the spot.

Rovers made a double change at the interval, with Max Davies and Frank Vare coming on for Carter and Boggan, and Sheron’s side had penalty shouts of their own soon after. Wood went over in the area, as he looked to get on the end of Lucas Houghton’s cross, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Less than a minute later, Isaac Dunn delivered a pin-point cross to the back post, which was met by Davies’ downward header, but Brighton keeper Steven Hall made a smart save at point-blank range.

Belmont then had a couple of sniffs at goal for the visitors, whilst Zack Stritch saw a strike deflect just wide.

With nine minutes remaining, the referee pointed to the spot for a second time in the game, as Oriola again went to ground under a challenge from Powell, but this time Barrett denied the Brighton forward from 12 yards out and Shane Nti fired the rebound into the side-netting.

Oriola did get his second of the night soon after, stroking into the corner of the net, before substitute Tyler Silsby struck the outside of the post.

There was still time for Brighton to add a fourth, as Tasker cut the ball back from the byline, after getting on the end of a corner, and Penman tapped home from close range.

Next up for Sheron’s side, a trip to Wolves in a week’s time.

ROVERS: Barrett, Houghton, Carter (Davies 46), Atcheson, Batty (Farkas 74), Dunn, Stritch, Wood, Doherty (Sergeant 80), Powell, Boggan (Vare 46).
Subs not used: Honor.

Booked: Powell

BRIGHTON: Hall, Mackley (Silsby 74), Slater, Simmonds, Penman, Albarus, Tasker, Robertson (Owusu 75), Belmont (Keogh 81), Nti, Oriola.
Subs not used: Jensen, Atom.

Goals: Oriola (23, 84), Robertson (39 pen), Penman (88)

Booked: Belmont

Report: Rovers Under-21s 0-4 Brighton & Hove Albion Under-21s