TONY Mowbray admits he will take an ugly win at Burton Albion tonight in his first game in charge of Blackburn Rovers, but believes he has the players at his disposal to help the club climb the table.

Rovers travel to the Pirelli Stadium second bottom in the Championship table and three points from safety.

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Burton sit six points higher up the standings in 20th but have played two games more than Mowbray’s men meaning the Ewood head coach’s opening assignment is particularly pivotal.

And he admits points will prevail over style.

“If you go to Burton it is not going to be open expansive football,” said Mowbray.

“We have to realise the league we are in and the teams we are playing against.

“We have to be resilient, we have to be tough. Lets make the game a bit stodgy sometimes, it might not be the greatest spectacle and if we win it 1-0 with a set play then lets take that and improve as we go along.

“So that when we don’t have three games in a week then lets put down some patterns of play and spread out how we are going to play.

“At this moment lets try and win.”

Mowbray is expecting the clash with Nigel Clough’s side, who have picked up seven points from their last four matches, to be as tough as Rovers’ last game - a 2-1 FA Cup fifth round defeat to Premier League giants Manchester United.

But having watched that cup clash on the television, Mowbray feels Rovers have more than enough in to beat both Burton and the drop.

“I watched Rovers play Man United last weekend and I thought they were heroic on the pitch,” he said of what proved to be Owen Coyle’s final game in charge. “I thought there were fantastic performances. That is your level. If you can get to that level then why should we fear relegation?

“Burton are going to be every bit as tough as playing Man United, a different football game of course. United being a team with possession and great talent and great quality, Burton being a team that ask questions of you that get the ball in your box, that get it wide and put crosses in.

“It is a different type of game but you have to find a way to win in football and that is what we hope to do over the coming months.”

Mowbray revealed that Sam Gallagher, Corry Evans and Tommie Hoban all trained yesterday but the game is set to come too soon for them.

Elliot Ward remains absent while Hope Akpan and Elliott Bennett are both suspended but Lucas Joao is available having been cup tied for the United defeat.