Work on corner kicks during the international break proved key for Rovers in the victory over Leeds United.

Danny Graham and Darragh Lenihan both scored headers from corners to earn Tony Mowbray’s side a second home win of the season.

Mowbray praised the work of first-team coach David Lowe, and goalkeeping coach Ben Benson, for their efforts on set plays which saw Charlie Mulgrew in the middle, rather than taking them.

Harrison Reed delivered the right wing corner for Graham to head in, while it was substitute Craig Conway who put in a left wing delivery for Darragh Lenihan to head in.

Reflecting on an excellent win, Mowbray said: “It’s a big three points but every three points is big for us in this league. It was hard earned against a good Leeds side.

“There are positives and negatives in the international break, the positive being that you can study the opposition and their strengths and weaknesses and implement it.

“Thursday and Friday we spent two intense days on the opposition and I think it paid off, from the set plays it definitely paid off.

“Great credit to David Lowe and Ben Benson who I delegate set plays to. They recognised that Leeds have two huge headers of the ball in Jansson and Cooper and we manage to extricate them.

“We got Danny Graham free to score and Lenihan did that in the second half so it paid dividends.

“It was a competitive 90 minutes, I thought we could have scored more in that first half. Bradley was denied by the keeper and I thought we had a couple of other good opportunities.

“We played against a top team, you can see how talented they are breaking through. They move the ball out wide, get it in to your box, a high quality team, their physical stats are the best of any team in the league so it was a big test for us but one we came through.

“We will put the points in the bag and move on to Tuesday night.”

On the decision for Mulgrew not to take set plays, at least from the right, Mowbray added:  “It’s always a dilemma.

“From the day I walked in, Mulgrew scored from a corner against Burton.

“I remember the first training session and saying ‘why on earth aren’t you taking corners with your left foot?’

“I remember when he played for Aberdeen and I was manager of Celtic and he was whipping in these amazing balls.

“There’s the dilemma, because he’s 6’4” and can head the thing in, but the plan was because they only have two dominant headers of the ball, and we have Mulgrew, Lenihan and Graham, the plan would be to take them away from the danger area, and leave the other guy to try and go through the middle of a big space.

“That’s what happened and we scored a couple of goals from it.”

Adam Armstrong was named man of the match on his return to the side as he gave Gaetano Berardi a difficult afternoon.

Mowbray admits that was also a plan, given Leeds were without regular right back Luke Ayling through suspension.

“They might argue that both of their full-backs who play regularly are unavailable, that’s part and parcel of football,” Mowbray said.

“I would have to say that having watched Leeds, Ayling the right back was probably their best player, so it was probably a plus for us that he wasn’t playing.

“Adam made hay while the sun shined. His ability to keep going and then his bursts of energy, it takes a lot of energy to be a wide player in our team.

“It was fantastic for him.

“He wants to play centre forward but what an asset to have, that pace in the wide areas, and if he’s benefiting the team by doing that then it’s what we will continue to do

“Danny Graham takes the weight off the team up against the centre halves and allows Bradley to pick up those spaces.

“Let’s keep going. It was a big physical effort from everyone, we will be in tomorrow and assess the knocks and niggles and then prepare for Swansea.”