BLACKBURN Rovers boss Tony Mowbray said tonight’s draw with Fleetwood Town felt like a defeat.

Joe Nuttall scored on his Football League, but it was not enough to fire Rovers to a home win after they were twice pegged back by the Cod Army.

After a goalless first half, Bradley Dack made the breakthrough with his third home goal in a row, but Fleetwood’s Burnley loanee Aiden O’Neill equalised after replacing Bobby Grant at the break.

Nuttall, who has 10 goals for the Under 23s so far this season, was given his chance to shine for Mowbray’s men. And soon after coming off the bench for Danny Graham he celebrated his first senior goal.

But there was another equaliser from another Fleetwood substitute, with Wes Burns making it 2-2 in the 82nd minute.

“It feels like a defeat,” said Mowbray.

“It’s a disappointed dressing room. We worked hard to get our noses in front twice against a team that’s very resilient, put a lot of men behind the ball and make it difficult to create chances. I thought we created enough to win the game.

“It’s very unlike us to lose goals of the nature that we did. A straight punt up the middle of the field and then a corner. Goodness me. We’ve defended them pretty well this season but it’s really disappointing for just a floated ball into the box to end up in the net.

“We played against a really difficult team. They make life difficult. They don’t make it an open expansive game, it’s a very closed game, it’s very difficult to get in behind them and very difficult to create chances against them.

“All that matters on a night like tonight when you’re playing against Fleetwood is that we get the result and unfortunately we didn’t get the one we wanted.”

Nuttall’s contribution did provide a positive, however.

“Joe’s got a lot of great attributes – he’s 6ft 3, he’s fast, he’s mobile, his record for the Under 23s – he’s shouting out that he deserves a chance and so we put him on and he scored a goal,” added Mowbray.

“He’s got a knack of being in the right place at the right time, which he did for his goal. I’m delighted for him. The result ultimately over-rides what Joe did. But we’re pleased, it’s a great start for him and I’m sure he’ll be getting more opportunities as we move forward.”