Dan Butterworth’s time will come, despite his not showing his ‘wow’ factor on his first Rovers start, according to Tony Mowbray.

Butterworth finally got his opportunity from the start as the 22-year-old was named in the starting line-up at QPR after nine substitute appearances since his debut in 2018.

A succession of back injuries have hampered the progress of the Academy graduate who Mowbray has remained an admirer of, including him in every matchday squad so far this season. The talented attacker starred off the bench in the win over Hull City last month but has found opportunities hard to come by since.

His best chance to impress came against QPR on Tuesday night where Mowbray named him as part of a front two alongside Ben Brereton, and Butterworth did manage two efforts at goal, including Rovers’ sole shot on target.

However, he couldn’t have the influence they would have wanted at the head of their attack and was replaced at the midway point of the second half after picking up a booking for throwing the ball away.

On his performance, as well as Rovers’ attacking struggles, Mowbray said: “Was Butterworth wow? He can be wow. He’s an amazing footballer who can score off both feet and can really be positive in the box and his time will come.

“I felt it was the right sort of game for him to work really hard out of possession, wait on the transition and score one of the type of goals we know he can score.

“We didn’t carve out many chances, and they didn’t either.

“Brereton has been half ways around the world at great expense of the club. Why? Because he’s scored 10 goals for us, you can’t keep doing it every week. Brereton is a really good player with high confidence.

“His time will come to have a breather and that’s why we’re looking for more options because we only really have three strikers at the football club.”

Butterworth has scored 31 times at Under-23s and Under-18s level having signed for Rovers as a teenager following his release by Manchester United.

His progress hasn’t been the smoothest because of a succession of back injuries, although he did enjoy regular involvement in pre-season and has been around the first-team squad since.

He will aim to keep his place for the weekend visit of Reading, where Rovers could welcome back loanee Reda Khadra from illness, with Tyrhys Dolan and Sam Gallagher both aiming to earn recalls.

Posting on social media, Butterworth wrote: Really happy to have made my first start for Rovers. Not the result we wanted but the boys gave it everything Time to put it right at weekend. Thank you to the travelling fans.”