DIFFERENT TEAM SAME PROBLEM

ROVERS may have fielded an almost entirely different team but once again they were undone by the same problem. Namely, their inability to see a game out.

Chris Wood’s winner means Owen Coyle’s side have now conceded goals after the 83-minute mark in six of their last seven matches.

It has cost them four points in the league and now their place in the EFL Cup, too.

When questioned about the worrying statistic after the third-round defeat, Coyle pointed to the nine changes he had made and the fact that injuries and unavailability had forced him to operate a rookie and makeshift defence. He had a point.

But, no matter the personnel, Rovers have to cut out these late lapses of concentration and needless individual errors.

WHO TOOK THEIR CHANCE

DAVID Raya, like his opposite number, kept the game goalless for as long as it did. However he may feel he could have done better than to palm the ball back to Wood to score.

Martin Samuelsen showed glimpses of his undoubted talent and, while he was unfortunate to be taken off, and not Liam Feeney, he was never able to get a trip of the match. Like Jack Byrne.

Midfielder Darragh Lenihan was a leader in the heart of the defence. It was such a shame, then, that his poor pass out from the back led to the only goal of what was a poor game played at a fifth-full Elland Road.

But his centre-back partner Ryan Nyambe, the right-back who came on for fellow 18-year-old Scott Wharton early on, hardly put a foot wrong. He may have to wait for his next opportunity but he certainly did not look out of place.

Lancashire Telegraph:

NO EXCUSES FOR SATURDAY

HAVING rested nine of the players who started the vital victory over Rotherham United, new injuries provided, Rovers should have no excuses for Saturday’s trip to fellow strugglers Derby County.

They should be confident, they should be fresh and they should be ready to test the mettle of a Rams side who have failed to win or score in any of their first four home league matches of the season. They also suffered a home blank in their 3-0 EFL Cup loss to Liverpool.

Given the talent at Nigel Pearson’s disposal surely it will not be long before one of the pre-season title favourites are back at the right end of the table.

But there will be no better time to play Derby and Rovers need to justify their decision to ring the changes against Leeds by taking at least a point from the crunch iPro Stadium clash.