Hartlepool United bowed out of the Carabao Cup in the first round after Blackburn Rovers ran out 4-0 winners at Ewood Park.
Blackburn controlled much of the opening exchanges, with Vale and Dolan lively out wide. Tumilty and Paterson marshalled the wingers well, and it was a Paterson block that inadvertently gave Rovers their first big chance.
The ball was swung into the box and Wharton rose highest to plant a header beyond Killip. Minutes later, Wharton almost turned provider. His long pass found Markanday on the edge of the box and the attacker struck the post before Pools cleared.
After the internal, Rovers came out of the traps quickly and doubled their lead as Bradley Dack slid in to turn a cross home. The impressive Dolan was at the heart of everything the hosts were doing, and the midfielder got a goal himself minutes later.
Latching onto a deflected through-ball, Dolan drove towards the box and rolled a low strike beyond Killip for Rovers’ third goal.
Despite a triple-change for Pools, Blackburn continued to dominate and the home side got a fourth goal in the 73rd minute. Dack found Markanday in the box after a slick move, and the forward fired low to give Killip no chance.
Umerah had a sight of goal shortly afterwards, but his strike was just over Pears’ crossbar. That was the closest Pools came to a consolation goal as Blackburn closed out the victory to progress to round two.
Pools XI: Killip; Niang, Murray, Menayese; Tumilty, Shelton (Cooke 68), Sylla (Featherstone 87), Crawford, Paterson; Taylor (Hastie 68), Hamilton (Umerah 68)