TONY Mowbray is hoping a strike duo of Bradley Dack and Dominic Samuel, which proved so successful for tomorrow’s visitors Gillingham, can prove just as big a hit for Rovers.

Tuesday’s win over Rotherham United was just the second time this season that Mowbray went with Dack in his favoured number 10 role, playing just off Samuel.

The pair are close friends off the pitch, and have a good understanding on it, after their time at the Gills in the 2015/16.

That campaign ended with Dack winning the League One player of the year award after netting 15 times, while Samuel found the net on seven occasions during a loan spell from Reading as the Gills just missed out on a play-off spot.

Dack comes up against his former club for the first time tomorrow, after Rovers splashed out an initial £750,000 to bring him to Ewood Park in the summer, while Samuel joined from Reading for £500,000.

And Mowbray believes the pair have plenty of potential as two cogs in the Rovers frontline.

He said: “I was very aware of not trying to burden two 23-year-old boys to fire us out of this league.

“It’s a big ask, which is why Danny (Graham) and (Marcus) Antonsson, who was very good the other night, will both have a big part to play.

“But I do think that Samuel and Dack were brought here for some money that we had to spend and in the long-term help this club progress back up the leagues.

“They will show, as they play more and get fitter and feel a part of the football club, that they will be good signings.

“They are still young boys finding their way in League One football but I think the quality and signs are there that it will be a good combination.”

Samuel scored four times in his opening six Rovers games, but hasn’t found the net since his late strike in the 4-1 win over MK Dons on August 26. He was unfortunate not to end that run against Rotherham in midweek, hitting the crossbar and post within the opening 15 minutes of Tuesday’s win.

But Mowbray has been impressed with the 23-year-old’s all round game in recent weeks as he targets back to back wins before the international break.

He added: “Samuel was so unlucky (on Tuesday), one hit the bar, he hit the post, he needs a goal but he’s working hard and his hold-up play is improving every game.

“I’m happy the fans saw a victory at home and let’s try and follow that up with another positive result and performance at home and go into the international break happy.

“When we play the games that we have missed then hopefully the league will start to look a little more even for us.”