ROVERS eased in to the semi-finals of the Lancashire Senior Cup after a comfortable win over Morecambe at the Globe Arena.

Damien Johnson's side, playing their first game for a month, dominated from the first whistle to the last to progress in to the last four. 

Matty Platt opened the scoring early in the second half before Lewis Hardcastle slotted home the second from the penalty spot after Dan Butterworth was fouled.

Morecambe were reduced to 10 men in the process and Rovers eased to victory, adding a third through Callum Wright just before the final whistle. 

Rovers were on the front foot from the first whistle and went close in the 11th minute when Matty Platt failed to turn a Joe Grayson corner goalwards.

Moments later it was a Grayson ball forward which fell to Lewis Mansell on the edge of the box, but on his left foot, he could only blaze over.

Dan Butterworth was keen to show his talent, with two good runs forward ended with him first firing wide of the target and then seeing Niall Maher tip behind after Olly Crankshaw turned the cross towards his own goal.

Jack Doyle fired wide midway through the first half as Damien Johnson’s side continued to enjoy the majority of possession on a difficult Globe Arena pitch.

Grayson’s delivery continued to prove a good route to goal for Rovers, with his 33rd minute free-kick being glanced wide by Charley Doyle.

Butterworth looked the most likely player on the pitch to create an opening and he went close again seven minutes before the break. Cutting in from the right he got a left foot shot away which took a deflection to loop over Maher but narrowly wide.

The hosts didn’t have much of the ball in the opening half but did manage an attempt on goal after springing in to life on the counter in the 42nd minuute. Steve Yawson led the charge before Luke Jordan shot straight at Andrew Fisher.

The second half wasn’t five minutes old when Rovers got the breakthrough their play deserved. Good work down the left between Callum Wright and subs Joe Rankin-Costello allowed Matty Platt to roll the ball in from inside the six yard box.

That lead was doubled from the spot in the 59th minute after Dan Butterworth was felled by Ben Ingham. The defender was sent off for his protestations before Lewis Hardcastle picked himself up to fire in to the corner. 

Just before their two quickfire goals Maher made an excellent save to deny Jack Doyle with a point-blank save. 

The pattern of the game continued with Rovers enjoying plenty of possession but failing to make that count on the scoreboard.

But a fine move three minutes from time saw Rovers finally get the third goal their play deserved. Rankin-Costello sent Lewis Travis clear down the right and his cross was headed goalwards by Wright and despite his inital header being saved, he was there to sweep in the rebound. 

Maher was having an excellent game in the Morecambe goal and made one more save before the end, denying Travis after he was played in by Hardcastle. 

Rovers: Fisher, C Doyle, Platt (Magloire, 88), Grayson, Travis, Hardcastle, Buckley, J Doyle (Evans, 61), Butterworth, Wright, Mansell (Rankin-Costello, 48)

Subs not used: Dillon, Thompson