Tony Mowbray has told his young attackers they must take their chance when it comes – and has used Tyrhys Dolan as an example for them to follow if they’re to become regulars in the side.

Loanees Reda Khadra and Ian Poveda, and Academy graduate Dan Butterworth, are all waiting in the wings for possible starts this weekend with Rovers facing the prospect of having to change their entire forward line.

With Dolan (tonsillitis) and Sam Gallagher (hamstring) injury doubts and Ben Brereton ruled out because of his international commitments, spots are opening up in an area of the pitch where opportunities have previously been hard to come by.

Butterworth was primed to start against Luton Town last month, only for Brereton’s FIFA ban to be lifted after a resolution was reached with Chile, and while Khadra has been used off the bench in the last five matches, Poveda has made just three appearances.

And Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I hold Dolan up as an example of a young player who just keeps going, working as hard out of possession as in possession, and other young players need to look at that and see what it takes to try and impact our team because it’s a fine balance between the quality and the work ethic.

“It’s a lesson for a few players, what it takes to get in our team, and I talk to them regularly about that and hopefully the penny is dropping and as we move forward they have a desire to get into the starting line-up.

“Sometimes it comes through injuries of course and when they’re in the team they have to try and cement their place.

“There’s an opportunity with Ben Brereton’s situation and potentially Sam Gallagher’s situation and Tyrhys’ situation so let’s see what the forward line looks like.”

Mowbray has always stressed that his attackers must contribute to the team out of possession, something he has never had to question with the likes of Dolan, Gallagher or Brereton.

He added: “Khadra and Poveda are hungry, anxious, they’re here on loan and they want to play.

“I’m trying to lay down the ground rules about what’s expected and what it takes to play in our team, it’s not just about talent, it’s not just about what you can do in possession, they have to work hard out of possession and they have to be part of our structure, our team and how we work.

“Danny Butterworth is a young player who missed two years of football with a back fracture that young players sometimes get and he has to continue building up his aerobic capacity.

Poveda started away games at Middlesbrough and Barnsley, as well as coming off the bench at Huddersfield, but is still waiting for his home debut.

While Khadra and Butterworth starred off the bench in last month’s win over Hull City, the Brighton loanee is yet to start for Rovers, while Butterworth hasn’t made a senior start for the club.

“They need to stay strong the young lads if they haven’t been playing or getting 10 minutes here or there, they have to be mentally tough and it’s all about their learning of what it takes to be a professional footballer,” Mowbray added.

“It doesn’t always go rosy and you play 90 minutes every week, the fans signing your name, sometimes you have to bide your time, work hard in training, bide your time, and when your chance comes you have to grab it.

“If you’re a forward who gets an opportunity you have to try and score a goal because then it’s hard for the manager not to put you in the team and it’s hard for me to leave them out when their confidence is high.”