Dan Butterworth took just 14 seconds to mark his comeback with a goal in Rovers Under-23s win at Southampton.

Butterworth has been nursing a back problem since featuring for the first-team in pre-season, but the promising attacker was back in action for Billy Barr’s side, and among the goals, in a 3-1 win.

The 20-year-old opened the scoring with just 14 seconds on the watch, and grabbed his second just before the half hour mark.

 

 

That made it 3-0, with Jack Vale on target to double the advantage with a fine touch and finish at the midway point of the first half 

 

 

Butterworth was withdrawn at half-time, replaced by Jalil Saadi, but by then the job was done for Barr’s side who moved up to sixth in the Premier League 2 table ahead of this weekend’s trip to Liverpool.

The hosts did grab a goal back in the second half, Callum Slattery scoring from the spot 10 minutes in to the second half, but it was Rovers who looked more like extending their lead in the second half.

While Barr was pleased to welcome back Butterworth, midfielder Ben Paton was also making his injury comeback after missing much of 2019.

Stefan Mols captained the side which saw midfielder Isaac Whitehall utilised at right back and scholar Sam Burns come in on the right wing for his first start of the season at Under-23s level.

Butterworth will likely step-up his game-time against Liverpool, before a busy November schedule which includes Premier League International Cup ties with Hertha Berlin and Benfica, plus Premier League Cup ties with Middlesbrough and Burnley.

Rovers have won three of their opening eight fixtures and sit sixth in the standings.