TRAFFORD’S pre-season campaign came to an end on Friday night when they were defeated 3-1 by an impressive Blackburn Rovers side.

The hosts should have taken the lead in the sixth minute when right-back Ally Brown crossed and Aaron Burns flashed a header wide of the near post from six yards.

Burns and Kyle Jacobs then combined to release Chris McDonagh, who screwed his shot wide of the far post .

The game was turned on its head in the space of 60 seconds when, in the 29th minute, Rovers striker Lewis Mansell broke clear in a seemingly offside position and clipped the ball past the oncoming Russ Saunders.

Then almost immediately, Saunders was adjudged to have fouled Mansell as the ball was running out of play and Willem Tomlinson drove the resultant spot-kick inside the left-hand upright.

Craig Robinson then produced a superb goalline clearance as Rovers pushed for a third but that goal duly arrived in the 54th minute, again in controversial circumstances, when Mansell caught Trafford centre-back Josh Granite with a flailing arm, and with the home skipper writhing in agony on the ground, the referee allowed play to continue with Mansell sweeping a low cross home from close range.

To their credit, Trafford continued to play with lots of spirit and in the 65th minute they reduced the arrears when substitute Mark Derbyshire coolly placed the ball past Josh Askew after a neat move down the right.

McDonagh then saw his header cleared off the line by Jack Doyle following a right-wing corner and Derbyshire was fortunate not to concede an own goal when his attempted clearance rebounded into play off the post.

Four minutes from time Trafford should have scored a second but Granite glanced his header just wide after a Kinsley Williams free kick.

Trafford get their Evo-Stik First Division North season getting under way on Saturday when they entertain Burscough at Shawe View, kick off 3pm, and then on Tuesday night they travel to play Glossop North End (7.45pm).