Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out five talking points after the 1-1 draw with Rotherham United. 

DACK TO THE RESCUE

Bradley Dack scored his 10th goal of the season in his 15th appearance.

That's the quickest of any Rovers player since Jordan Rhodes took 14 games in 2013/14, while Rudy Gestede did it in 16 in 2014/15.

Dack spent much of the game with Semi Ajayi close by as the defender took on a man-marking job on him just as Massimo Luongo had done for QPR seven days earlier.

The 24-year-old, who’s gaining an increased profile by the week, will have to get used to this treatment, and managed just 36 touches during the 90 minutes.

Only Danny Graham (24) of the Rovers starting outfield players had fewer touches.

That being said, Dack twice went close before levelling with a close range finish and carried the fight for Rovers in the closing stages as they went in search of a winner.

He just might need to come that bit cleverer to the growing attention he’s getting.

FIRST HALF STRUGGLES

Rovers have only once, on nine occasions, scored in the first half of home matches this season.

Adam Armstrong went close here, hitting the underside of the bar with a dipping effort, while Amari’i Bell also had an excellent chance.

But once again it was in the second half, when Rovers stepped up their tempo and intensity, that they looked the most threatening, firing off the majority of their 26 shots.

The goal-less first halves are something that has continued from last season, but the difference this year is the step up in level that Rovers are facing.

It is hard to criticise, after just one defeat in 29 home matches, but they must start quicker to help improve stats that see them as the lowest scorers at home in the top half of the division.

MASKED MAN

Just two weeks on from being stretchered off in the draw at West Brom, and fears he may not be seen again until Christmas, David Raya pulled on the Rovers No.1 shirt.

He did so with a protective mask which he will wear for the next six weeks, with surgery on his nose having delayed until the summer.

In the first 60 seconds he came flying off his line, taking a whack from Ryan Williams, and generally looked comfortable under the high ball, of which there were plenty.

The goal he conceded, there may be question marks over whether he could have got done quicker to keep out Michael Smith’s header.

But given the reception he received, there was no doubt he handed Rovers a boost with his sooner expected return.  

17 GAME STANDING

This is Rovers’ seventh season outside the Premier League, six of which have been in the Championship.

They could have mirrored their best start at this, achieved in 2012/13, with victory against the Millers.

Then they picked up 28 points from their first 17 games, with seven wins, seven draws and three defeats.

An eighth draw of the season leaves Rovers on 26 points, one fewer than in 2014/15 and two behind 2012/13.

There is clear progress from their previous Championship campaign in 2016/17 where they had already lost nine times and had only 16 points on the board.  

PATCHING PEOPLE UP

Rovers now head in to a two week international break with several players carrying knocks who will benefit from a period of rest.

Captain Charlie Mulgrew and defender Derrick Williams were both unavailable through injury and won’t travel with their national teams, despite being called up by Scotland and Republic of Ireland respectively.

Harrison Reed came off at half time with a knee injury, though Tony Mowbray expects all three to return in time for the Preston trip on November 24.

Several other players have been carrying knocks, and this break should help heal a few of those wounds, with Mowbray admitting his squad have been ‘at full throttle’ of late.