Tony Mowbray says Reda Khadra is not yet fit to start but can still have an impact for Rovers after starring off the bench against Hull City.

Khadra and Dan Butterworth helped turn the game in Rovers’ favour as Mowbray’s men scored twice in the space of four minutes with the double substitution bringing the team, and crowd, to life.

It was a first outing for Khadra who went unused in the 2-2 draw with Luton Town at the weekend after signing on deadline day on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

His move to Rovers was delayed by over two weeks because of an ankle injury which he has since overcome, Mowbray says the 20-year-old is still short of full match fitness.

However, the manager says that can’t stop him impacting games off the bench to start with before pushing for more regular game-time.

With Leeds United loanee Ian Poveda still to fit into the attacking ranks, along with Ben Brereton and Sam Gallagher, Mowbray feels there is reason to be excitement.

And he believes operating more on the counter-attack could play into their hands having had the least possession of any team in the Championship so far.

“Reda was not ready to start, he's not fit. He's been here 10 days now and we do a fitness test on all players to see where they are in comparison to our team and he's miles short of where our team is in fitness aerobically, and yet technically he's so fast and powerful,” Mowbray said.

“We have to build his aerobic capacity up to be able to run up and down for 90 minutes to help his full back.

“But when we can get him the ball he can do some damage. Again, he's only a young boy but he's somebody we'll give game time to and hopefully he'll help our team on the transition.

“When he can break away with the speed and power he's got it should be exciting with Dolan, Brereton, Gallagher and Khadra breaking away and trying to hurt teams.

“It's a little bit why we're allowing teams to have a little more possession than you feel more comfortable with but the damage can be done on the transition if we use the spaces well. That's what we've been working on.”