Over the course of the last month there has been a sense of change in Tony Mowbray’s demeanour.

The Rovers boss, as he was post-match, remains an affable, passionate and emotional guy whose love for the game shines through. But there is a steely determination and desire to move Rovers forward, a more ruthless streak seems to be rearing its head.

A season of ups and downs in the Championship ended as it started, with an entertaining 2-2 draw.

What this season has done, with Rovers finishing 15th with 60 points, has given them a platform to build on, but one they must take advantage of going in to one of the biggest, and most likely busiest summers, post-relegation from the Premier League.

Question marks remain in some areas, not least in goal where Mowbray again went with Jayson Leutwiler over David Raya, while Mowbray has branded the goals against column, which stood at 69 after 46games as ‘ridiculous’.

But in recent weeks Rovers have shown promise, both individually and as a collective, and a spirited second half showing will have sent the fans home with a sense of excitement at what could unfold next season.

There are players whose stock has risen, not least Joe Rothwell and Lewis Travis, as Rovers finished with arguably their most consistent team selection of the season.

Mowbray’s challenge now is to now construct a team able to build on what this group, whose strong spirit the boss will be keen not to erode, has created.

It is not just personnel that Mowbray is looking to change, with Rovers shifting to a more progressive style. But how far they have to go in those stakes was shown up at times by a free-flowing Swansea side in the first half, while in the second, they proved their high intensity can see them trouble teams at this level. 

A relaxing opening saw neither side threaten, and when the opening goal arrived, in the 21st minute, it owed much to a goalkeeping error. Not once, but twice, Kristoffer Nordfeldt flapped up the high ball under pressure from Darragh Lenihan, with the ball eventually finding its way over the line.

But from the moment Elliott Bennett went down needing treatment, before subsequently being substituted, Rovers lost all sense of shape and control.

Swansea attacked while Bennett was off the pitch to cross from their left as Courtney Baker-Richardson’s flicked header equalised three minutes later.

Ten minutes before the break, the Swans led as Rovers afforded Oli McBurnie the freedom he needed to casually head home a Matt Grimes free kick.

Continuing to attack down that flank, Baker-Richardson should have made it three, only to drag his shot wide, before the young attacker, Wayne Routledge and George Byers were all queuing up, only to see their efforts blocked, as Rovers hung on to half time.

Rovers needed up their intensity to throw the Swans off their rhythm and did just that to equalise two minutes in to the second half. They pressed the visitors in to a mistake, before Derrick Williams fed Danny Graham who intelligently let the ball run for Bradley Dack who was never going to miss from eight yards.

Playing on the front foot, Rovers were dominating as a Dack flick from Armstrong’s cross came back off the post.

There was a moment for sentiment midway through the second half as Craig Conway was given a great reception when brought on for his 200th appearance for the club as he took over the captain’s armband.

Rovers were trying to turn their dominance in to a third goal, which would have come had Armstrong been able to connect with a Joe Rothwell cut-back.

Jacob Davenport went even closer as his thumping volley from 25 yards was clawed away by Nordfeldt who was well placed to deal with Armstrong’s effort after an excellent Conway switch.