GARY Bowyer believes Grant Hanley will continue to get better and better after the centre back’s extraordinary contribution to Blackburn Rovers’ victory at Millwall.

Hanley has impressed as a regular in the Rovers defence this season and marked his return from a two-match ban with an unexpected 60-yard solo run to win the decisive penalty at the Den on Tuesday night.

Rovers caretaker boss Bowyer worked with Hanley as a youngster, in his previous role as a youth team coach, and knows the 21-year-old has the potential to keep progressing.

Hanley made his competitive debut for Scotland last month, marking it with a goal against Wales, and has formed a partnership with Scott Dann in central defence for Rovers this term.

“I’ve known Grant since the under 16s and every year he has got better and better,” Bowyer said.

“It was an awesome run for the penalty on Tuesday. It typified his performance. He was magnificent.

“He played for Scotland in their last game and took to that very well.

“He’s just got to keep going, he’s got areas of his game he still wants to improve on and he works hard and gives everything he’s got.

“He cares passionately and he’s developing very well at the moment.

“We’ve got Scott Dann who is leading us tremendously at the moment and Grant alongside him is learning all the time from him. The two of them are a formidable partnership and I don’t think they you can find a better pairing in the Championship.”

News is expected tomorrow about the extent of the injury suffered by Colin Kazim-Richards at Millwall. He is expected to miss the final two games of the season after dislocating his right shoulder early in the game.

David Dunn is expected to miss Saturday’s home match against Crystal Palace after sustaining a gash late in Tuesday’s match.

Markus Olsson came off at the Den with a tight hamstring.

Some questioned whether the Rovers squad had the stomach for the relegation battle after a recent 11-match winless run but Bowyer believes they have shown their character – particularly with the way they responded to Saturday’s 4-0 loss at Watford.

“A lot of things have been said about us, even after Saturday’s game – woeful, shambolic, shocking, alarming – and the players have just bounced back,” he said.

“We’re not going to get carried away but they’ve stuck together.

“They were hurting in the dressing room on Saturday and didn’t feel they did themselves justice.

“But they’ve shown how much it means to them and how much they care.

“The lads were magnificent in the second half. That was a hell of a performance. But we’ve got to keep going, we’ve got two more games.

“We’ve picked up some injuries and we have to go again to make sure we’re mathematically safe on Saturday.

“We’ve just got to keep concentrated and stay level-headed and try to get over the line on Saturday.”