Damien Johnson felt lifting the Lancashire Senior Cup was a fitting end to another season of progress – despite being disappointed with the performance in the win over Burnley.

Second half goals from Hayden Carter and Jack Vale decided the game at Lancashire FA headquarters as Rovers won the trophy for the first time since 2011.

Johnson’s side endured a tough start to life in Premier League 2, but rallied after Christmas to finish fifth in the table and reach the last eight of the Premier League Cup.

With a number of his squad having made their breakthrough in to the first team this season, Johnson was delighted with the season as a whole, albeit feeling a little underwhelmed by the performance against the Clarets.

“It was a nice way to end the season for the group and to have something to show for it,” Johnson said.

“I’m always looking for more from them, and I am slightly disappointed with the performance and I know they will be.

“Overall, irrespective of how this would have gone, it’s been a good year for them, collectively and individually.

“They have had to deal with some challenges, results going against them early on and they had to adapt and improve in a new league.

“Since Christmas I can’t really fault them and that’s the terrific thing about the group, they have a fantastic mentality to improve and I really enjoy working with them on a daily basis.

“I’m happy they have something to show for their efforts this year.”

Burnley had the ball in the net just nine minutes in, only for Dan Agyei, who would later come off injured, to be flagged offside.

There was a contrast in styles, with Rovers looking to play the ball out from the back at every opportunity, while Burnley posed a threat from set plays and long throws.

The opening goal came with 17 minutes to play, as Carter turned in from close range after Charley Doyle’s header came back off the bar, before Vale added a second four minutes from the end with a confident finish in to the bottom corner after racing on to a ball over the top.

“All credit to Burnley, they played a certain way and we found it difficult at times to impose our style,” Johnson added.

“That’s how we like to play and when you know a team will come and press you have to find a solution, make good decisions.

“We insisted on them getting on the ball, being brave, making angles for each other and that’s something we do and believe in.

“That was a challenge and we did cause ourselves problems.

“Our performance wasn’t the best, not by any stretch, but we found a way to win and that’s important in a cup final.

“I often say that results aren’t the most important, but in a cup final results do matter.

“You want to be able to develop that winning mentality and we weren’t at our best, and sometimes when you’re not at your best you have to find a way and we did that.

“We had the quality when it mattered and it got us over the line.”

There was extra scrutiny on the game given it was a meeting of the East Lancashire rivals, but given their Category One status, Rovers were always favourites to lift the trophy.

But the opposition made no difference to Johnson, or his preparation.

He added: “We treated it like any other game, approached it no differently, and our mentality was the same as every other game this season.

“It was important we tried to play our way.

“Their style is one you don’t come up against a lot in terms of the division we’re playing in so it was a good challenge for the players and one that they’re not used.

“It’s similar to what they would face in a lot of first team environments, particularly in League One and League Two, so they will be a lot better off for that experience.”