Tony Mowbray says Lewis Travis can take great heart from what has been a ‘great learning curve’ in the Championship this season.

Travis has started 13 of Rovers’ last 15 matches and become arguably first pick in the centre of midfield.

It has been some rise for the 21-year-old who had looked destined for a loan move in January, only to since establish himself in the Rovers side.

The 21-year-old came up against Jack Grealish who was being watched from the stands by England boss Gareth Southgate, while his run of starts also saw him feature in both FA Cup ties with Newcastle United.

“It’s a learning curve for him, a great experience,” Mowbray said of Travis.

“You have to go through these experiences in football, but he wasn’t fazed, competed extremely well and kept the ball moving for us.”

On coming up against Grealish, as well as Scotland international midfielder John McGinn, Mowbray said: “It was a great challenge for young Travis to play against such players. I’m sure it’s a big plus for him.

“I told him that whichever player he came up against, one is a pocket dynamo who can roll you with his body and moves it on to his left.

“The other is sheer class with the ball, picking the right pass time and time again.”

Travis was partnered by Elliott Bennett, who was moved in to the centre in a bid to try and contain the powerful running of McGinn.

The 30-year-old was booked in the first half before being replaced on the hour mark by Southampton loanee Harrison Reed.

Mowbray felt the partnership of Grealish and McGinn were the best Rovers have come up against this season, leaving him with plenty of food for thought as to his pairing.

The boss added: “Undoubtedly. You could feel their quality on the pitch.

“I picked Bennett in central midfield because of his athleticism and desire, knowing what was coming. But we couldn’t get near them really.

“Benno plays with his heart on his sleeve.

“He was in there for his athleticism and his legs.

“He’s an experienced player now and I knew their quality in midfield could potentially give us problems.

“I was thinking of going with (Jack) Rodwell in there who might have got on the ball a bit more, but I thought Reedy did that very well when he came on and moved it around for us.”

Corry Evans didn’t travel with the squad because of a hamstring injury picked up in the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on March 16 which also kept him out of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifiers in the international break.