How good are this Rovers team, and how far can they go? Who knows - but it could well be a fun ride finding out.

They have surpassed all expectations so far, and done so with a unity and togetherness, a consistency of approach and performance and a maturity that is defying their tender years.

The most pleasing thing from the opening nine matches, in which they have lost just once and accrued 16 points, is the different attributes that we’ve seen. They’ve shown the ability to scrap and fight when required, but a clinical edge has ensured they are taking a greater percentage of chances than last season.

Tony Mowbray admitted this week he had almost had to ‘bin’ last year’s plan because of the lack of finances to recruit the players to operate in such a way.

What has assembled is a group of young and hungry who will play a high energy brand of football, but with a workrate and willingness to put in the hard yards when required.

That is what made this win, the fourth time they have netted five goals in a little over a year, the most satisfying of the lot. They didn’t have it all their own way, but blew the Bluebirds away in a half an hour spell either side of half time that was as dominant as we’ve seen them.

Again they spent longer without the ball than would be comfortable for some, but drawing on opponents has given them the option of using their blistering speed on the break which they did to devastating effect here.

Built around an impressive goalkeeper and two central defenders who have shown the necessary aggression and assuredness to give those around them confidence, a midfield that gets through an enormous amount of work and whose first thought is to play forward, it gave the front three the chance to exploit Cardiff’s gigantic backline.

Were it not for a Ryan Nyambe clearance off the line, denying Sean Morrison after Thomas Kaminski had saved from an Aden Flint header, it may well have been a different game. From then on, Rovers dealt with the Cardiff set piece on all but one occasion, their consolation goal just before the hour, aided by Daniel Ayala’s 12 clearances.

From the moment Sam Gallagher collected a fine John Buckley pass, a cushioned touch before a finish across Dillon Phillips, 24 minutes in, Rovers never looked back.

Ayala hit the frame of the goal with a header from Joe Rothwell’s corner, as Rovers went in search of a second.

Playing with an energy that Cardiff couldn’t live that arrived when Tyrhys Dolan skipped beyond Aden Flint before delivering an inch-perfect cross onto the right foot of Ben Brereton. Would he have had the confidence previous to take it on first time? His finished was with authority from the man in the form and confidence of his life.

By this stage Rovers were rampant, Gallagher thumped an effort wide from distance and another strike from just outside the box forced the backpeddling Phillips to save.

When you’re luck is in, you need to cash in, and Brereton did for his second, a mazy run that started just inside the Cardiff half ended with him bundling the ball over the line as two defenders, and goalkeeper Phillips, tried in vain to keep the ball out.

A Cardiff response was always expected, two substitutes were sent on, but it was Rovers who grabbed the game’s fourth goal. Harry Pickering, with yet another solid display at left back, sent a ball down the flank for Brereton whose cross was cushioned into the path of Dolan by the head of Gallagher, the teenager on his 50th appearance applying the finish.

This allowed Rovers the luxury of not risking captain Darragh Lenihan any further, the hope being the precautionary substitution after complaining of a tight groin will enable him to lead the side out at Huddersfield Town on Tuesday.

The visitors did hit back soon after, the lively Ryan Giles delivering a corner that was flicked home by Morrison, Rovers’ quest for a third successive clean sheet ended.

The next half an hour was a sequence of Rovers failing to take advantage of the counter-attacking opportunities, while continuing to repel the Cardiff aerial threat, Hayden Carter providing a solid cameo in central defence.

Rovers clicked into gear in the closing stages, Brereton close to his hat-trick when denied by a flying Phillips save after trying his luck from a tight angle when played in by Buckley.

He demonstrated his confidence and status as Rovers’ man for goals when picking the ball up in the final minute after Reda Khadra had been tripped in the box by Phillips. The ball would then be going home with the Chile sensation as he tucked home the penalty and celebrated infront of his adoring fans.

The connection between the supporter base and this team is growing, and a crowd showing just over 10,000 Rovers fans it may have been, but they were revelling in what they were witnessing from their side.

Tough days will lie ahead for a team that is a work in progress, which is why ones like Saturday must be enjoyed.

They are very much flying under the radar, typified by the goalless draw at Barnsley that moved them into the top six, but there was nothing quiet about hitting Cardiff for five to maintain that spot a week later.

After all the talk of a play-off push last season, how refreshing it is to live in the moment with this team who are very much taking it game by game, and not getting carried away.

It feels as though they have learned from the mistakes of last season in so many ways, and with no ego, have started the season in impressive fashion.

The smile on Brereton’s face as he walked away with the matchball was that of a player enjoying his football alongside team-mates who value his contribution both on and off the ball.

The latter is the minimum expected and what you have been guaranteed from this side. They’re improving, and giving it everything, and no more is being asked.