Jacob Davenport has been challenged to stay fit enough to contend for a starting spot in the Rovers midfield next season.

Davenport was handed just a sixth start of the season against Birmingham City, having made his first against the same opposition in the opening fixture of 2021.

Injuries have dogged Davenport’s three seasons at the club, his first appearance not coming until the final day of the 2018/19 campaign.

He replaced Bradley Johnson in the centre of Rovers’ midfield which also included Lewis Travis and John Buckley, in for the injured Joe Rothwell.

It is an area of the pitch that Rovers will lose several senior options in the summer, while Tom Trybull will return to Norwich City at the end of his loan spell.

And Davenport and Buckley are expected to see more game-time moving forward, having made just a combined 13 starts this season.

On the two changes he made for the final day win, Mowbray said: “I was pleased with them both. They were both good.

“John should have scored, Davenport does what he does, he kept the ball moving for us, he’s efficient, effective, he’s got some attritional attributes and some silky attributes and I’m very pleased for him.

“He’s had some injury problems during his time at this club but he just needs to stay fit, robust and try and force his way into the starting team.”

There was no doubt who the star of the show was however, Armstrong scoring his third hat-trick of the season to take his tally for the campaign to 29.

But it was his all round performance which most pleased his manager who felt several tight offside calls that went against Armstrong could have resulted in him signing off with more than the hat-trick he did.

“He’s more than a centre forward who can score goals,” Mowbray added.

“Adam Armstrong came short, linked the play, played half in midfield, threatened the space in behind, played it wide, he must have had 15 shots himself, and put the ball in the net three times.

“He’s a brilliant kid, he deserves everything he gets. He’s said to me that he should have had closer to 40 than 30, but that’s good that he’s thinking that and that he’s disappointed he’s not scored more than the 29 he’s got.”