BLACKBURN Rovers manager Gary Bowyer lavished praise on Jason Lowe for rising to his challenge in magnificent fashion on Saturday.

Going into the Ewood Park clash with managerless Middlesbrough Bowyer told Lowe it was high time he found the net after 95 games without a goal.

The ever-improving midfielder certainly got the message as his stunning 76th-minute strike ensured Rovers ran out 1-0 winners.

Bowyer said: “Full credit to Jason. He works very, very hard to improve his game – and adding goals to it was an area for improvement.

“It wasn’t a bad way to open his account!

“He’s a great example to any young player in our academy or any young player up and down the country at what can be achieved when you work as hard as him.”

Bowyer also hailed his defence after they kept out a Boro side who are the fifth highest scorers in the Championship.

“Middlesbrough have scored a lot of goals this season,” said Bowyer, who was delighted by the performance of Josh Morris – and fellow substitutes Chris Taylor and Ben Marshall – after he replaced injured left-back Tommy Spurr early on.

“They are a tough, tough team to play against with the pace and the power that they have.

“But I thought we were magnificent in our defensive work.

“I was delighted for the goalie (Jake Kean) for keeping a clean sheet and I thought Todd Kane did ever so well against a tough opponent in (Kei) Kamara and stuck at it.”