TONY Mowbray felt the time was right to start Harry Chapman against Portsmouth because he believed a more open game would suit the strengths of the Middlesbrough loanee.

Chapman had been made to wait for his chance from the start, making 10 substitute appearances in Rovers’ opening 12 league games before his inclusion against Pompey at Ewood Park.

Mowbray has stated that he needed to trust Chapman before including him from the start but was pleased to reward him for his impressive cameos off the bench.

The 19-year-old claimed another assist as it was his run and pass which presented Bradley Dack with the chance to put Rovers 1-0 up seven minutes before the break before being replaced by Craig Conway midway through the second half.

And when asked about his decision to start Chapman, Mowbray said: “I do a lot of shouting at Chapman every day in training and at some point the penny has to drop.

“I have to trust him to put him on the pitch and that’s the same with a few of them really, you have to be able to trust them.

“They all have their part and Harry has been showing that he can change a football match.

“Why that game? Because I felt it was going to be a bit more end to end, a football match like when Harry has been coming off the bench with half an hour or 20 minutes to go it’s a bit stretched and this game was going to be stretched because they were going to come and be positive.

“When they attacked it was about using his pace to break away and that’s hasn’t necessarily been the case at home, teams have been keeping nine men behind the ball and trying to counter attack us.

“Portsmouth have some good players and came here with confidence and the size of the club and support I think they have to play a certain way and I saw it as an opportunity to start Harry because I thought the game would be more stretched.”

Dack netted his third goal of the season in the win over Portsmouth, while Conway became Rovers’ ninth separate scorer in the league this season with his strike late on.

And Mowbray said: “I was delighted for Bradley and for Craig who would have been disappointed not to have started the game.

“He came to see me in the week after having a couple of knocks, his hip was really sore, but he’s feeling fit again and he’s obviously a big player for us and I was delighted he scored.”