ROVERS Under-23s moved top of their Premier League Cup group with a comprehensive 6-1 win over Watford at Leyland.

A brace from Callum Wright had Rovers infront at the break before goals from Lewis Mansell, Jack Doyle, Scott Wharton and Dan Butterworth gave the scoreline a one-sided look in the second period.

Rovers were without a number of their regular starting XI, with Joe Grayson, and Stefan Mols injured, while Willem Tomlinson served the final match of his three-match ban. Joe Nuttall wasn’t included due to his first-team involvement, though Scott Wharton continued his comeback from an ankle injury by starting the game.

Damien Johnson’s side went in to the game after a 3-3 draw with Cardiff City in their opening group fixture, while Watford beat Southampton in their first game of six in the round-robin group stage.

Rovers had two goalbound attempts in the opening 10 minutes, with Joe Rankin-Costello curling a free-kick over the bar, while Charley Doyle failed to hit the target when he met a Wright corner.

Another injury blow came midway through the first-half when Connor Thomson was replaced by John Buckley, with Watford threatening soon after when Michael Folivi curled an effort over the bar.

But it would soon become the Wright show as he opened the scoring just after the half hour mark with a neat finish after being played in by Rankin-Costello.  Moments later he produced a moment of magic, cutting in from the left before arrowing an effort in to the top corner.

With a 2-0 lead, Rovers looked to build on that before the break with Lewis Mansell seeing an effort palmed away.

Mansell would however get his goal six minutes after the re-start as he rose to meet a Jack Doyle cross to put Rovers fully in control.

Wright, who had played 90 minutes for the Under-18s in their win over Tranmere Rovers on Wednesday, had the chance to wrap up his hat-trick before the hour mark when he stepped up to take a penalty after Lewis Travis was fouled.  However, his effort was saved, but Jack Doyle was on hand to sweep home the rebound to make it 4-0.

And Rovers were to make it three goals in 10 minutes as Scott Wharton scored a fifth on 61 minutes.  A clearance from a Rankin-Costello went up rather than away, with Wharton rising highest as his header went in off the bar.

Wright’s chance of scoring his hat-trick ended when he was replaced by Dan Butterworth who within two minutes would get himself on the scoresheet.  It was somewhat fortuitous how it came about, with a clearance ricocheting off him and over the keeper in to the back of the net.

Rovers weren’t done there, going in search of even more goals, with Travis teeing up Butterworth who fired over the bar with 18 minutes to go.

But with nine minutes to play Watford grabbed a consolation, with Folivi tapping home from close range after good work from Alex Jakubiak.

The hosts’ bid for a seventh goal, and restoring their six goal lead, saw Rankin-Costello see a shot come back off the post while Mansell saw an effort deflected wide.

Rovers: Albinson, Travis, Magloire, Platt (Hardcastle, 67), Wharton, J Doyle, C Doyle, Thomson (Buckley, 67), Rankin-Costello, Wright (Butterworth, 61), Mansell