GARY Bowyer has been left excited by the way Blackburn Rovers ended the season in a blaze of goals.

But Bowyer admits his free-scoring side must tighten up at the back if they are to build on the progress they have made in 2013-14.

Rovers rounded off their campaign with a thrilling 4-3 home win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday which stretched their unbeaten run to 12 games.

During that sequence of six victories and six draws the Ewood Park outfit netted an impressive 31 goals, putting four past Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town as well Wigan while netting three times against Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton and Watford.

But during their unbeaten run – which is the club’s longest in all competitions in 13 years – Rovers also conceded 20 goals and it was their inability to hold on for wins against Wednesday and Brighton which ultimately cost them a top-six place.

Rovers did keep 15 clean sheets over the course of the season but just three of those came in their final 15 matches.

And Rovers boss Bowyer said: “The amount of goals we have been scoring is exciting.

“It’s been at the forefront of our play at the back end of the season.

“But what we’ve got to do is stop giving silly goals away, like we did against Wigan on Saturday.

“We must do that next season as well as keeping our threat going forward.”

Rovers, spearheaded by prolific strike duo Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede, who shared 38 goals between them, ended the campaign on 70 points.

And when asked whether Bowyer would have liked the campaign to gone on just a little longer, he said: “Yes, of course, given the form that we’re in and the type of football that we’re playing.

“The confidence levels are very, very high but we know it’s a 46-game season. We go into the summer break with optimism.”