ADAM Henley made his return from injury as Blackburn Rovers Under-23s were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle United on Monday night.

The Rovers right back played 60 minutes for Damien Johnson’s side as he steps up his fitness following three months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Wes Brown, Anthony Stokes and Jack Byrne all got valuable match action under their belts with the trio completing 90 minutes but they couldn’t help Rovers to victory at Leyland.

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Second half goals from Stuart Findlay and Callum Roberts secured the points for the Magpies.

“Obviously we are disappointed with the result,” said boss Johnson.

“In terms of the performance, between the boxes we were good, it was just that final third where we were poor in terms of our final cross, too many times it was in the keepers’ hands or it struck the first man and that is the last little bit that is important.

“We started the second half poorly and it was disappointing to concede from a set-piece, there was some good play from us but the goals were disappointing.

“When we needed that little bit of quality at the end we just didn’t have it.”

Byrne and Connor Mahoney were bright for Rovers in the opening period with both having chances to open the scoring while at the other end Andy Fisher denied Luke Charman.

But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the re-start when Findlay headed home at the second attempt after the returning Henley had blocked his first effort on the line.

Rovers looked to respond but failed to create too many clear cut chances with Byrne denied by Magpies keeper Freddie Woodman and Stokes firing wide.

Newcastle then wrapped up the result six minutes from time when Roberts curled home.

There was still time for Rovers to find the net but Lewis Mansell’s finish, after Connor Thompson’s initial effort had hit the bar, was ruled out for offside.

ROVERS: Fisher, Henley (Tomlinson 57), Doyle, Travis, Platt, Brown, Mahoney, Hardcastle (Mansell 76), Stokes, Byrne, Rankin-Costello (Thomson 80). Subs not used: Magloire, Powell