Rovers boss Tony Mowbray is excited about his team’s prospects – especially after the debut display of Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott.

That’s despite falling to a second successive defeat as they were beaten 3-1 at Watford on Wednesday night when Elliott was handed his debut.

Elliott played the full 90 minutes, and Mowbray feels he can develop an understanding with Adam Armstrong over the course of the season that will be a threat to any defence.

And having been encouraged by much of his side’s display, the boss feels Rovers will win plenty of matches this season.

After winning two of their first three fixtures it’s now one point from the last nine available for Mowbray ahead of the return to one of his former clubs Coventry at the weekend.

 “I’m pretty excited by the team, I think we’re going to win a lot of football matches this season, ask lots of questions of teams and I’m looking forward to it,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“I think we’re allowed to be disappointed, it felt like we let them off the hook.

“I think the combination of Elliott and Armstrong is something to really look forward to, Elliott stepping in on his left foot and Armstrong running in behind.

“He sees the space and seems to me as if he’s got the quality to drop it into the right areas.

“Defences will have to be on their mettle to stop that combination as they look to develop it, they’ve only had one day working in training but it looked promising.”

All four deadline-day signings were included in the squad to face Watford, with Elliott given his chance from the start.

Tom Trybull got his opportunity from the bench in the second half, while Aynsley Pears and Barry Douglas were unused substitutes.

An injury to central defender Daniel Ayala forced an unplanned substitution on Mowbray which meant the 17-year-old stayed on for the whole game and showed his talent with plenty of close control.

Mowbray added: “We asked him to play 90 minutes, that wasn’t the intention, but the game ran that way.

“Ayala coming off wasn’t something we anticipated but he got 90 minutes and hopefully that will stand him in good stead moving forward.”

Ayala added his name to Rovers’ injury list as he limped off in the midweek defeat.

The central defender was making his third consecutive start for the club since his free transfer move but was forced off with a groin injury midway through the second half.

Scott Wharton came on for his first Championship appearance in more than four years as Ayala headed straight down the tunnel.

Derrick Williams returned to East Lancashire on Tuesday after his period of self-isolation in Ireland after Covid-19 issues within the Republic of Ireland squad during the international break.

After one day of training he wasn’t deemed ready to be involved at Vicarage Road but will come back into the reckoning when Rovers travel to Coventry tomorrow.

Sam Gallagher rolled his ankle in training which kept him out of the Hornets trip, having just returned from a groin problem that saw him miss the opening three weeks of the campaign.

Joe Rothwell is already out of the Coventry game, as he continues his period of self-isolation, with Elliott Bennett, Lewis Travis and Bradley Dack longer-term concerns.

On Williams, Mowbray added: “He’s not injured, he’s been isolating so should be ready for Saturday.

“He’s got a few days training and I’m pretty sure he’ll be there on Saturday.”