Tony Mowbray felt his side stood up and didn’t allow themselves to be bullied to record a second successive away win that moved them up to ninth in the table.

Joe Rothwell scored with his final touch before being replaced as Rovers claimed a 1-0 win at the Riverside to make it seven points out of nine in 2021.

Rovers struggled for fluency up until the goal, a fine move finished off by Rothwell, and the introduction of three attackers shortly afterwards could have seen them win by more.

The main talking point, which left Boro boss Neil Warnock fuming, saw Dael Fry taken off after sustaining a serious facial injury when caught by the high boot of Jarrad Branthwaite.

That went unpunished, leaving Warnock furious and taking up his protestations with the Everton loanee at the final whistle.

But Mowbray said: “I’m proud that our young team stood up to it and saw the game out.”

Warnock felt his side should have had a penalty for the incident which saw Fry replaced, but Rovers kept the hosts out, not least thanks to an excellent Thomas Kaminski save in the second half.

On the game’s main talking point, Mowbray said: “I didn’t see it, and I don’t think Neil had seen it either until his analyst or someone showed it to him.

“I’m not the referee, I can’t sit here and say this or that shouldn’t have happened.

“I didn’t see it. I’ve managed a long time and managed in dugouts against Neil for a long time and he will shout up for everything and anything.

“If this kid has gone to hospital and it’s a bad one then no-one wants to see that.

“Branthwaite is a young boy starting his career in football, no malice in him, the referee gave the decision and we just had to get on with the game.

“Did it overshadow the game? I don’t think so, it was still blood and thunder for the rest of the game, every challenge and header was contested.

“Probably towards the end we could have broke away and scored again, it was a similar game to Birmingham, they’re not for the football purist but you have to find a way to win them otherwise teams will bully you.”

Victory sees Rovers take advantage of there being just four Championship fixtures this weekend to move up to ninth in the table.

They host Luton Town where they will look to complete an unbeaten January, and while it wasn’t a game where Rovers played the free-flowing football Mowbray would ideally want, finding a way to win was pleasing for the boss.

“It’s our second win away from home with a clean sheet in a row,” he said.

“I don’t enjoy those games, I’d prefer to play a nice game of football and both teams pass it and attack.

“It felt like a war of attrition, a lot of free-kicks, every challenge was shouted for like it was a foul, but it was a game that I prepared the team for.

“I’d had plenty of time to study Middlesbrough, they played man for man all over the pitch apart from the spare centre half and you have to stand up against them otherwise they’ll impose themselves on you.

“We were a very young team and we dealt with that, they stood up to it and got the job done.”