There was no loss of sleep for Thomas Kaminski over his lack of clean sheet as Rovers ended a 16 match wait in the 2-0 victory over Hull City.

Having let a similar two goal lead slip against Luton Town last weekend Rovers held out against the Tigers for a third win of the season, as well as an overdue clean sheet.

At 28, Kaminski is one of the elder statesman of the Rovers side, but he believes a squad smaller in size, and younger in age, can be a strength for Tony Mowbray’s men.

He was one of only four players aged over 23 against Hull, and while Kaminski feels he benefits from experience, he doesn’t see any signs of the club’s young players being overawed.

“I’m 28 and it’s quite old compared to all my team-mates, but maybe it’s a strength of ours, they want to do well and show everyone what they can do and I hope we can keep it up,” he explained.

“As the senior players we have to support them and give them the confidence to do well and keep performing.

“When I got older and more experienced I was less stressed, but that’s personal for me, if you see them performing, Tyrhys doing an action, or running with the ball, he doesn’t look stressed which is good!

“I hope they can keep it up and it’s up to us to support them.”

Kaminski kept clean sheets in three of his first five Championship appearances, but they then proved harder to come by with 11 in total across his 43 matches.

Prior to Tuesday night’s win, Rovers had been without a shut-out since the 0-0 draw with Bristol City in April, but a late Kaminski save to deny George Moncur ensured a first of this season.

“We have played seven games and one clean sheet. I wasn’t losing sleep over it, I was just thinking that the more games we play, the clean sheets will come,” Kaminski added.

“It’s nice that we got a clean sheet, as a goalkeeper and a defence, but the results come from team results and as well clean sheets.

“We have to attack and defend together, maybe that’s a cliché, but I really do believe in that.

“The main thing will be to keep everyone fit to play as many games together so we can have a good feeling with each other but I think it’s going well and we need to keep it up.”

Rovers’ goalkeeping ranks were emptied in 2020 following the departures of Christian Walton and Jayson Leutwiler with Kaminski then one of three additions along with Aynsley Pears and Antonis Stergiakis.

Youngster Jordan Eastham is the other member of the goalkeeping fraternity at the club which has remained unchanged from last season.

That isn’t the case in other areas of the squad however, with 13 players having departed and only five brought in.

Yet Kaminski agreed with his team-mates, and manager, that a smaller squad can bring its benefits.

He added: “It’s maybe a strength that we have a small squad, a togetherness, we have to stick together to get results, no star players, all together, younger guys who are wanting to do well and show the outside that they are ready to play.

“I think we have done alright, we’ve played some good teams and have only lost once.

“If we keep picking up points we’ll do well, the temptation is to say we’re in and around the top six but there’s still 39 games left so it’s a long season.”

Kaminski, a £450,000 arrival from KAA Gent, won the club’s player of the season award in his debut year, impressing between the sticks and also with the ball at his feet.

Last season Rovers played a much more possession-based game and with a higher defensive line, meaning Kaminski was quite often utilised as a sweeper.

However, this season he has been more direct with the ball at his feet, as per the instructions given to him, and the Belgian says it has taken some adapting to.

“They asked me to play a little bit more direct, to not invite pressure,” he said.

“Last season the style of play was a bit different. I had to adapt a little bit again, putting it forward, striking it forward, but I’m working on it and I’ll try to do my best.

“We are playing a little bit deeper, not so expansive as last season, but it is more a passive way of play for a goalkeeper, but if it’s effective then why not?”

Another difference from last season is the return of supporters to the stands, something Kaminski has particularly welcomed.

“It’s nice, it’s better playing with fans. When there are no fans it’s a little bit like a friendly, it’s better and it helps us,” he said.

“It keeps you focused as well.”