TONY Mowbray doesn't believe now is the time to thrust Joe Nuttall in to the first-team scene as he backs his current crop of strikers to fire.

Nuttall has enjoyed a stunning start to the season for the Under-23s having netted 12 times in just nine starts and also scored for the senior side in their Checkatrade Trophy win over Stoke City Under-21s in August.

And with Rovers having struggled for goals of late, there have been calls for the 20-year-old, who joined the club in the summer from Aberdeen, to be handed his chance at first-team level.

But Mowbray is cautious not to push the striker in to the first-team picture too soon as he prepares to feature for Damien Johnson's side who travel to Newcastle United in Premier League Two Division Two this evening (7pm).

“Joe is a good lad and his record of goals when he goes on the pitch is there,” Mowbray said.

“But when I look at Joe’s attributes at this moment it’s too big a gamble to give up on Danny Graham, Dominic Samuel, Bradley Dack and Marcus Antonsson, they all have experience and goals in their lockers and to throw a young boy in, I don’t think we’re at that stage.

“He needs to keep developing, trying to score goals and wait his opportunity, an opportunity comes at unexpected times, whether it be suspension or injury.

“I’m delighted that he seems to have found the right place to develop and grow in to the player he wants to be.

“I don’t think you can use a three month spell of scoring goals and thinking that he’s the finished article because it can damage players if you put them in too soon. I’m not suggesting that it is too soon but we do have strikers within our ranks that to be fair to them have scored some goals.

“Danny Graham is starting to get up to speed, I think that was his best appearance the other night (against Plymouth), the most effect on the game that he’s had and Bradley scored again.

“So let’s keep going, Joe’s time will come but whether it be through injury or suspension we will wait and see but all the kid can do is what he’s doing and keep putting the ball in the net at the level he’s playing at.”

Mowbray is yet to name an unchanged side so far this season and has tried a number of different systems in a bid to get Rovers firing.

And the Rovers boss says he will continue to look for the best options for each game ahead of tomorrow's visit of Portsmouth.

He added: “You have a squad of players, you have to trust them all.

“If you pick the same 11 every week then there are seven or eight who are disappointed and it’s difficult to come in every day, work really hard to stay fit and be ready to play, you have to keep your squad going.

“Football is about a squad of players.

“There an unbelievable amount of games, cup competitions and the rotation isn’t a problem, the problem is if you don’t win you get asked questions about personnel and the shape.

“All we’re trying to do is win the next game really and whatever personnel and shape we pick it’s only meant to try and win the game.

“I would say that if I was a manager who never changed the system or the players then you become the manager who hasn’t got a plan b, that’s the sport and industry we’re in.”