TRIALIST Nathan Delfouneso found the net as Blackburn Rovers overcame a buzz-in protest by a swarm of bees to claim a 2-0 friendly win at Oldham Athletic this afternoon.

Supporters were not allowed inside Boundary Park until 25 minutes before kick-off after beekeepers were called to remove bees that had gathered around a temporary goal due to be used for the warm-up.

But the match went ahead at 3pm as planned and it featured a trial appearance from former Aston Villa, Burnley and England under 21 international striker Delfouneso, a free agent after leaving Blackpool.

The 24-year-old came on as a half-time substitute and headed home in the 58th minute after getting free of his marker to get on the end of Craig Conway’s right-wing free kick.

Conway then added a second goal with a fine finish six minutes from time. Ben Marshall missed the game through illness, while Jordan Rhodes, Rudy Gestede, Chris Brown, Chris Taylor, Corry Evans and Darragh Lenihan were sidelined because of injury.

Oldham had the better of the first half, with former Rovers defender Gavin Gunning heading off target during a trial appearance for the Latics.

Attacking midfielder John O’Sullivan played up front on his own for Rovers before half time, with Delfouneso taking up that role in the second period and breaking the deadlock.

Delfouneso also came close to a second goal, heading just wide from another Conway free kick. Conway made it 2-0 in the 84th minute as he surged inside from the left and powered an angled left-foot shot into the top corner form 15 yards.

Rovers: Jason Steele (Simon Eastwood 46); Ryan Nyambe (Adam Henley 46), Shane Duffy, Matt Kilgallon (Grant Hanley 46), Tommy Spurr; Craig Conway (Luke Wall 89), Jason Lowe (Connor Mahoney 62), Willem Tomlinson (Lewis Mansell 74), Lee Williamson, Markus Olsson (Nathan Delfouneso 46); John O’Sullivan.

Oldham: David Cornell; Connor Brown (Jack Tuohy 72), James Wilson (George Edmundson 73), Gavin Gunning, Joe Mills (Jack Truelove 46); Lee Croft (Alen Ploj 46), Mike Jones (George Green 46), Liam Kelly (Tim Dieng 46), Carl Winchester (Trialist 64), Daniel Philliskirk; Rhys Murphy (Rhys Turner 46). Sub not used: Joel Coleman.