He knew little about the opener in Rovers’ win at Millwall, but that is what Joe Nuttall does, he finds a way to score goals.

From the moment he arrived at the club, netting three in his first match of a trial spell at AFC Darwen in the summer of 2017, the 21-year-old has known where the net is.

And while there was a slice of fortune about the way the ball cannoned off his head and in to the bottom corner at the New Den, the move to get across his man to try and get on the end of Adam Armstrong’s cross showed those striking instincts.

He responded to his manager’s challenge of regaining the hunger which had seen him finish last season as the top scorer in Premier League 2 football with nine in five games for the Under-23s before being handed his chance at Millwall.

The picture with regards to whether he’s at Rovers, or out on loan, come February 1 looks a fluid one.

But Nuttall said after the game on Saturday: “I would like to stay here and play regular football and help the team. That’s ultimately the manager’s decision though.

“It was a great feeling to start the game, I’d have to work hard for it and be patient. It’s about working hard and making sure I’m ready when I get the chance.

“I’ve played some Under-23s games to get my confidence back, and scoring goals, and that has paid off. I’ve always felt confident that when given the chance I could score goals. I showed that last season, and for the Under-23s, so when I get the chance I back myself to score.

“It was a confidence boost when the manager made the changes but I stayed on and managed to get the full 90. We’ve got experienced to come off the bench, so to stay on was a big lift for me.”

Interest is high, from both League One and League Two clubs, for Nuttall, and turning 22 later this month, where at Rovers or elsewhere, he really does need to be playing.

Explaining the process with Nuttall, who started for just the second time this season at Millwall, boss Mowbray explained: “The phone never stops. I will sit down with Joe and his advisors, and unless we bring in a striker of that level of physicality then I think he will have to stay. Hopefully he wants to stay and help the team do well.

“As long as he gets minutes on the pitch, he can do that. The worst case scenario is obviously everyone being fit towards the end of the window and then he struggles to make the 18 again.

“I think he’s at a stage where he needs to play games, score goals, play in front of a crowd, so his personality develops. He’s got amazing attributes, and as you can see, he’s a goal threat. He scores for fun in the Under-23s and the next step is for him to do it at this level.”

Nuttall led the line on his own, but remained on the pitch, moving to a wider role, when Danny Graham and Adam Armstrong were introduced.

“Right from off he got involved and got wrapped up in the football match, which is all you can ask of these players, go to war with the centre half if you have to,” Mowbray said.

“If Joe didn’t dive across that defender then there wouldn’t have been a goal. If he hadn’t made that movement then it would have never gone in, they would have just cleared it. Great credit to Joe, particularly as we pushed him in to a wider area.

“He’s put himself right back in the forefront of my mid. Danny Graham can’t play three games a week and Joe Nuttall gives us a different option who can run in behind, as well as having that physicality.”