Rovers U18s record victory on the road with a win against Barnsley in the Professional Development League Cup to finish top of group C.
A third brace in four games from Jack Goodman in the second half made all the difference to see Frank Sinclair’s side take away the three points from the South Yorkshire derby.
The result sees Rovers qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition with the next round due to take place in February 2023.
The hosts were the side to get proceedings underway on a cold, crisp morning in Barnsley, but the majority of the early chances came the way of Rovers with Goodman losing his footing early on when he looked to be one-on-one before Owen Scattergood had the best of the opening minutes.
In the seventh minute of the game, Harry Wood swung a cross beyond the face of goal for Tom Parkinson to pick up and pass into Scattergood who took a touch and fired a shot on the half-volley at the goal that had the keeper beat, but the ball bounced off the crossbar and back into play to deny the breakthrough.
Despite the early pressure, the next 15 minutes saw chances come around sparingly and only then would the next be a half chance after a mix up at the back saw Goodman faced with an open goal, but a defender had a head start on his run and managed to sweep in and clear the ball before the striker had a chance to take aim.
On the half-hour mark, Scattergood had another chance come about from a Wood cross only to see the ball flash past the post.
Closing in on the break, Goodman broke the back line to carry the ball and take a shot on, but it went the wrong side of the post and into the side netting as the score remained level at half-time.
Rovers got the ball rolling for the second-half through Wood but the early chances of the first half were not mirrored and play broke into a spell of end-to-end football without any real opening for either side, prompting a first change of the game for Sinclair’s men on the hour mark.
Owen Scattergood made way for Max Adamson in an attacking change as Rovers looked to apply the pressure and find the opening goal.
Just two minutes later it looked like the move was about to pay off when Parkinson swung in a deep free kick that was put behind for a corner and then that set piece met the head of Will Flint at the back post but he could only steer the ball wide of the mark to leave the opener hidden.
However, just another two minutes on, Rovers found that illusive opener when Adamson played a ball out to the right for Alex Fletcher to drill the ball back into an unmarked Goodman to smash home from a matter of yards out to claim his 12th goal of the season and give Rovers the lead.
The talisman almost immediately claimed his 13th when he stole the ball and attempted to take a lob on which had the beating of the goalkeeper but it strayed off target and went behind.
The Tykes then went long from the goal kick and won a free kick on the edge of the box that Ziggy Kozluk crossed in for an attacker to rise highest and thump the ball beyond the reach of Jake Oram and in off the crossbar to equalise with 35 minutes left to play.
Wood had a chance rise over the crossbar as the visitors looked to get back ahead.
On the 75th minute Goodman linked up with Faris Khan who flicked the ball back over the defence into the striker and Rovers’ leading goal scorer slid the ball into the bottom corner to put his side back in the driving seat and claim goal number 13 of 2022/23.
Rovers then battled away through the final 15 minutes and with minutes to go Will Green replaced Parkinson as Sinclair’s men saw out the final knockings to take victory and group stage qualification.
The youth team look to carry their momentum forward as they take on another cup competition and host Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Youth Alliance League Cup on Saturday, December 10.