Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe looks at five talking points from the home win over Portsmouth.

PRESSING PAYS OFF

Rovers play better when they’re on the front foot and key to that is their pressing and intensity out of possession. 

The return of Paul Downing allowed Rovers to play higher up the pitch and in turn, the likes of Richie Smallwood and Elliott Bennett were able to go and hunt down the ball much more in the opposition half.

Danny Graham acted as a first line of defence with a good shift upfront, while Harry Chapman showed he can do the work off the ball as it was his tenacity out of possession which allowed him to create the opening goal for Bradley Dack.

Bennett was also involved in the third goal scored by Conway, which came from some aggressive play, and an excellent tackle, on the halfway line.

It is finding that intensity in all matches that has evaded Rovers so far, but when done well, brings the best out of them and is certainly appreciated by the crowd.

GOAL GETTERS

In scoring Rovers’ 19th league goal of the season late on, Craig Conway also became their ninth different scorer.

Tony Mowbray challenged Conway to add more of a goal threat to this game and he responded with an excellent finish late on to get himself up and running.

Fifteen of the 24 League One sides have a top scorer with a higher tally than Dominic Samuel’s four for Rovers, with Oldham and Fleetwood both having two players above that figure.

While still early days, Rovers appear to be sharing their goals around, with Bradley Dack having joined Marcus Antonsson on three with his first-half strike.

Danny Graham netted his second of the season in the second half and is the man most likely to challenge the top scorers list come the end of the season, but Rovers will need to contribute goals from all over the pitch if they are to prosper.

NO THREE GAME RUN

For the third time this season Rovers didn’t allow their winless run to stretch to three games.

The win at Bradford on August 19 followed defeats to Southend and Doncaster, while the victory over Rotherham last month came after a loss to AFC Wimbledon and draw at Shrewsbury.

Consistency will be key for Rovers if they are to challenge at the top end of the table throughout the course of the season, with accumulating points key. 

That means that avoiding long spells without a win will be vital and in what seems to be a league where anyone can beat anyone, three points can go along way as Rovers saw moving to sixth win a victory having started the day in 10th.

CHAPMAN’S CHANCE

Thirteen may be unlucky for some, but not Harry Chapman, as his enterprising performances off the bench were rewarded with his first league start in Rovers’ 13th game.

The question was whether the young winger could replicate the form shown in his substitute showings when starting matches.

Against Pompey he showed signs of his direct running and came up with another assist for Bradley Dack with an excellent piece of play driving in from the wing.

He didn’t neglect his defensive duties, working back to help out Ryan Nyambe, but he didn’t always show the same level of confidence to run at his man as he does when used as an impact substitute.

That may well come with his time, but adding another matchwinner to the team from the start helped put the opposition more on the back foot and gave them an extra dimension to think about.

TESTING CONDITIONS

Had the game lasted much longer then it may have given the officials a decision to make such was the heavy rain in the final stages.

Splashes were clearly visible when the players kicked the ball which was struggling to run true on an Ewood Park pitch that had been subjected to a deluge of rain.

Thankfully for Rovers by the time the worst of it arrived the game was as good as won and they could just play the percentages, take few chances, and look to play a little more direct.

For Pompey, searching for a way back in to the game proved almost impossible as they struggled to find the target with their crosses in to the box and were particularly wasteful throughout.

And what great tenacity shown by Conway in the final minute to make the loose ball his and round off a good afternoon’s work for Rovers in testing conditions.