SAM Gallagher is hoping a win over Wigan on Saturday, and moving out of the bottom three, will help erase the memories of his Rovers debut at the DW Stadium back in August.

Gallagher was a second-half substitute against the Latics with Rovers already 3-0 down just two days after joining on a season-long loan from Southampton.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But the striker feels Rovers have made great strides under new head coach Tony Mowbray and will go in to the game with confidence.

“It wasn’t a great performance and an even worse result,” Gallagher said reflecting on that August afternoon.

“It was a tough one to take, especially not having the best start. But a lot has changed since then and I think the way that we have been playing has come on leaps and bounds since the first three or four games. We feel confident going in to it and hopefully people see that at the weekend.

“In all aspects, defence, going forward, scoring goals, our general organisation and the way we’re moving the ball, everything about our play has been better.”

Gallagher believes there have been signs of Mowbray’s methods getting through in Rovers’ last two games, despite having very few training sessions under their new boss.

“It’s the same as when it comes to any change, it’s difficult at the start but now I think everyone around the club has adapted well,” Gallagher added.

“There are slightly differently training methods and routines but I think it’s helped us – definitely in the last two games you’ve seen some good performances and four points on the board.

“Tony wants us to be a well-organised passing team who are fluent, and that’s not something that’s going to happen overnight, we’re going to have to work on that.

“We’ve had a lot of games so we haven’t had a lot of time to work on the training ground but from the time we’ve had, I don’t think we could have changed much more.

“With the system and manager we’ve got, I think it’s only going to get better over time.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the improvement.”

Gallagher was back in the starting line-up against Derby, just two weeks after being stretchered off in the defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

He required 12 stitches in a knee wound following a reckless tackle from Sam Hutchinson.

And he added: “It was a sore one, it’s a frustrating kind of injury because it isn’t muscular or anything like that.

“I was sat there thinking there’s nothing I can do. But to get back in the squad for the Burton game and start the other night was really nice.

“Whenever anything happens you always assume the worst.

“I looked up and saw Danny’s (Graham) reaction which didn’t give me much confidence, but when I got down the tunnel and saw the doctor after the game and had it stitched up I knew it was all good.”

The 11-goal striker may just be on loan at the club, but Gallagher is determined to do all he can to maintain the club’s Championship status.

“That’s a massive goal for me,” he added.

“I’ve come here to do well for myself and by doing that helping the club be where they want to be.

“Being around the boys it’s not like I’m here for myself, I want to do it for them, they don’t deserve to be a team that are fighting in League One or getting relegated so it’s doing it for everyone so I’m looking forward to the challenge of pulling ourselves out of it.”