"They are receptive to information" - Tony Mowbray has seen pleasing signs from Blackburn Rovers players

Mowbray arrived at Rovers as head coach on Wednesday and had just one full session with the players ahead of Friday night’s 1-1 draw at Burton Albion.

But Mowbray was happy with the way the players had taken on board his methods, particularly in a first half that they thoroughly dominated at the Pirelli Stadium.

Rovers now have 14 games to try to stave off relegation to League One, with Mowbray taking charge of his first game at Ewood Park against Derby County on Tuesday.

And he will be eyeing his first three points since taking charge as they look to close the gap to safety in the Championship.

“For me, it’s a longer picture, but I know the short-term is that we have to win some games,” Mowbray said.

“The good thing is that they are receptive to information.

“I can see in their eyes that they want to get better, they want to learn, know how to win and I have to try and put that across to them.

“That’s why I was impressed with the group.

“Their ability to take on the knowledge was quite impressive, I would have to say, and that shows me that they have some quality.

“You need your experienced players to run the game for you, make the movements that you ask them to and make it happen on the pitch.

“Generally they took them on board very well.

“It was a very difficult session on Thursday, with Storm Doris blowing around our ears as we were going through things.

“But we showed for long periods of that game that we were pretty good at it.”

Rovers’ failure to keep a clean sheet denied them the three points at the Pirelli Stadium. Marvin Sordell’s strike was the 50th goal conceded by them in just their 32nd league outing.

But Mowbray added: “Maybe that is a common theme that we have conceded some goals that we shouldn’t have done.

“But I didn’t think their goal was anything of our making.

“We were disappointed that it wasn’t a 1-0 win, but we will take that and move on.”