Rovers signed off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win at Blackpool – with Tony Mowbray assessing the final run-out as ‘okay’.

Mowbray had hoped to secure Premier League opposition for Rovers in pre-season, as they had done last summer with games against Liverpool and Everton.

This time of around, there were games against League One trio Rochdale, Bury and Blackpool, League Two Mansfield and non-league Barrow, as well as the trip to Rangers.

Rovers were unbeaten in all their close season matches, but when asked for his verdict on the Bloomfield Road win, Mowbray said: “It was okay.

“We played against a team who knew how we play, Simon (Grayson) has been to our last three games.

“In an ideal world we’d have played a Premier League team to give us a test out of possession but Blackpool did at times.

“We gave it away a bit cheaply at times and weren’t as fluent as we were against Bury but it was okay, fine.

“It highlights a few things we have to improve and get better at.

“The season is nearly upon us but I think you’re still building up your fitness and sharpness six to eight weeks in to the season.

“We’re looking forward to Charlton. This was a good work-out for everyone and let’s keep this week’s training going and get ready for Saturday.”

Rovers kept their second successive clean sheet, and were generally comfortable against the Seasiders who squandered their one clear cut chance when Armand Gnanduillet blazed over the bar when unmarked from eight yards.

“The team looks as if it’s okay. I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with it (against Blackpool),” Mowbray added.

“Against Bury, while they have some problems, we made them look like a team that wasn’t in our league.

“I didn’t like them (Blackpool) having shots at our goal or getting through once or twice.

“I feel if we have the ambition of taking this club where we want to this season then we have to against League One teams make them feel like we are on a different level and they can’t compete.

“I thought Blackpool worked hard and gave us some problems but ultimately we were in control.”