PAUL Downing is happy to be patient and wait for his next Rovers opportunity following his debut at Rochdale earlier this month.

Downing was drafted in by Rovers on deadline day and made his debut for the club the following week in the 3-0 win at Spotland, deputising for the injured Charlie Mulgrew.

But Downing has had to watch from the sidelines in the next two games following captain Mulgrew’s return from injury as Rovers won at Scunthorpe United, before being beaten at home by AFC Wimbledon.

The 25-year-old, who is on loan from MK Dons, says he was happy with his contribution on his debut, and will now await another chance to pull on a Rovers shirt.

“I really enjoyed it,” Downing said of his debut. “I wasn’t expecting it to come so quickly.

“It was good to play with the lads and get the three points.

“I’m now hoping for more chances in the coming weeks.

“There is a lot of football to be played around the corner so I just have to keep working hard and making sure that I’m ready.”

Downing was brought in by Rovers as cover following news that Darragh Lenihan is set to miss at least 12 weeks following surgery on a stress fracture to his fifth metatarsal.

Rovers travel to Shrewsbury Town tomorrow, the first of four games in the next 10 days, with three League One fixtures and a Checkatrade Trophy tie against Bury.

However, Downing will be unavailable for the cup game having already featured in the competition for his parent club in a 2-0 win over Brighton Under-21s, while his other outings for the Dons came in the EFL Cup.

But he insists he is working hard behind the scenes to ensure he is fully prepared and ready when called upon by Tony Mowbray.

He added: “To get in there early and show the fans what I’m capable of was good.

“I’m very hungry this year and looking forward to the season and hopefully I can play a part in a successful season for Blackburn.

“I will stay patient, work hard in training and be ready for when I am next called upon.

“I am working hard away from the training pitch to make sure that I’m sharp and when I come in again I can put in a similar performance to the one I did against Rochdale.”