Where have the goals gone at Ewood? While 18 goals from 11 Championship matches is a healthy return, five of those came in the demolition of Wycombe in their opening Ewood fixture.

In the 10 matches since, only one, the 3-1 win over QPR in November, have Rovers won by more than a one goal margin, with injury-time winners needed against both Millwall and Rotherham United. 

Seven times they have failed to score in the first half, while the cup shut-out against Doncaster is the eighth time they have failed to score in all competitions.

While an Ewood double-header on the horizon should offer real optimism, things haven’t been straightforward at headquarters since the Wycombe demolition, and are unlikely to be in their next two.

That’s owing to the opposition, with Stoke City (12) and Swansea City (13) having kept a combined 25 clean sheets this season, having also stopped Rovers from scoring in their previous fixtures.

In 11 away matches, Stoke have conceded five, and Swansea eight, and will present a big challenge to Rovers’ attacking credentials on what will be an even more testing surface as time goes on.

After that? Well it’s an away trip to Middlesbrough, another of the sides to have kept a clean sheet against Rovers this season and the best defensive record at home of any team in the division.

When Bradley Dack was denied from six yards out, a chance we're so used to seeing him gobble up, you knew it was unlikely to happen for Rovers infront of goal.

The introduction of Harvey Elliott offered them a lift, and the 17-year-old has so often been the go-to man, and him, alongside a fully fit Dack in the weeks to come, will hopefully give Armstrong back-up, as well as supply.

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Rovers have now lost eight of Rovers’ 18 cup matches under Tony Mowbray.

Doncaster became the first lower league opposition since Coventry City in 2008/09 to knock Rovers out of the competition and ensured a fourth straight exit at the third round stage.

Within those 18 matches there have been 5-1 and 4-1 beatings of Carlisle United and Lincoln City in August 2018, though there have been less convincing wins along the way.

They trailed 1-0 to Barnet at half time in the FA Cup in November 2017, before scoring three unanswered second half goals, while Crewe Alexandra came from 3-0 down the following month to earn a replay against 10-man Rovers.

Two injury-time goals were needed to see off Oldham Athletic in the EFL cup in August 2019, so Rovers haven’t been without their scares prior to the Doncaster defeat.

It should be noted that Premier League opposition knocked Rovers out of the Carabao Cup in each of the last three seasons, and in the FA Cup in 2018/19.

The cup certainly hasn’t been kind.

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The team that was selected included players who needed game-time.

Aynsley Pears hadn’t played since the 0-0 draw with his former side Middlesbrough in early November, his error which led to the Doncaster goal meaning he has conceded from seven of the 13 shots on target he’s faced in what has been a tough baptism of fire.

John Buckley has found his opportunities limited in midfield, with his chances having come at right back as Ryan Nyambe continues his period of self-isolation.

Tom Trybull got the nod in central midfield, with Jacob Davenport unfortunate to miss out. With Lewis Travis back, although his display here showed he still has some way to go to get fully up to speed, the Norwich City loanee faces an even bigger challenge for a place that he’s yet to nail down since signing.

Should Rovers add in central defence this month, there’s Bradley Johnson to add to that particular mix too, leaving the German in a tough spot. After a bright start, he faded here.

Stewart Downing was the pick of the midfield three, his first start since re-signing and came after seven substitute appearances.

Tyrhys Dolan made his first start since the Middlesbrough draw, while after 383 days away, Bradley Dack was named in a Rovers starting line-up, albeit in a false nine role which limited his impact on the game.

Another player given an opportunity was Amari’i Bell, preferred to Barry Douglas at left back, but he missed a real chance to put down a marker with a lacklustre first half display that saw him replaced at the break.

And that was a theme that ran through the team, opportunities presented, but not taken, and little to give those afforded a rest any concerns that they won’t be straight back in.

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