Tony Mowbray felt there were positives to take despite Rovers’ Carabao Cup exit against Sheffield United.
Mowbray made seven changes from the side that beat Middlesbrough several days prior in the Championship and there were debuts for three Academy players.
Dapo Afolayan scored a stunner but Rovers were undone by Tom Cannon and Romelle Donovan either side of half time as the Blades booked their place in the third round.
“Plenty of positives for us,” Mowbray said after the final whistle. “I thought we struggled a little bit first half, we didn't get to grips with the game. I think second half was more like us, I recognised the team more.
“I think there was a lot of positives regarding the young players who've made their debuts, three debuts tonight. I think five or six Academy players on the pitch at the end.
“They were bringing on O'Hare and Phillips, and we were bringing on young boys. But that's fine, it's not the end of the world for us.
“It's a game amongst a lot of games in the next couple of weeks - it's Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday coming up over the next few weeks so lots of games.
“We picked up one or two knocks tonight as well, which isn't great, but hopefully we'll have some help over the next week with the numbers.”
Yuki Ohashi was forced off with an early injury after the Japanese forward pulled up while chasing a ball in behind the backline.
“He'll get scanned and we'll find out,” the head coach explained. “Hopefully, he's not so bad. But obviously disappointing because generally he's very, very robust.”
“Your only thought is for the team and for the supporters of the club,” Mowbray continued. “We've already lost Jorgensen, a front player, through a hamstring injury and now Ohashi looks like it could be a hamstring.
“It was important I didn't put another striker on the pitch, so we played the game without strikers really because we've only generally got one left.
“It's fine, it's football, we'll be OK and hopefully if we get three points on Saturday against Queens Park Rangers, everything will be happy and smiley again.”
Yuri Ribeiro, Axel Henriksson and George Pratt were all missing from the squad and Mowbray explained their absences.
“Ribeiro is injured, he was just unavailable basically,” he said. “I think Pratt is close to securing a loan deal.
“I think there’s a potential transfer with Axel so let’s wait and see. You’ll find out over the next few days, as I will find out over the next few days, I would suggest.”
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