Rovers got their season back on track with an impressive 4-1 win at Preston North End, a first on the road since January and only a third victory in their last 16 matches.

Here are the talking points from the game.

 

FOUR-MIDABLE

A return to a back four, and four goals for Rovers, who did the double over North End for the first time since 2000/01.

Rovers started with a back four for the first time since November, and while Tony Mowbray said it wasn’t a big call to make, it was a definite shift away from how Rovers have been playing so far in 2022.

There was a return to the midfield trio of Lewis Travis, John Buckley and Joe Rothwell, and to see two of them score, with 50 per cent of Rovers’ goals from midfield this season coming in this game.

This was the fourth time that Rovers have scored at least four goals this season, and ninth time since the start of the last campaign, and means they have now chalked up seven goals in their last two visits to Deepdale, though this was the first victory infront of fans since November 2015.

 

BACK TO THEIR BEST

Pressing as a unit, competitive and organised out of possession and playing with an energy and movement in attack to trouble the opposition, stretching the game with runners in behind, this was Rovers at their best.

This team have looked burdened by the pressure in recent weeks, playing with fear not freedom, and while this was a must-win match in terms of keeping their play-off hopes alive, they played as if they were given licence to express themselves, while still having a competitive edge which made them look like they want it more.

There is undoubtedly a question of where had that been, but much of that was put down to pressure. That in itself is something that Rovers must address moving forward, and it seems it is a mentality shift as much as anything else which has stopped them taking that next step.

 

GALLY’S GOAL TRAIL

Sam Gallagher is up to nine goals for the season and chasing double figures for the first time since his loan spell in 2016/17.

Most pleasing from his recent displays is that his goalscoring instinct has matched his workrate, helped by playing as a central striker.

While his goal came from a set piece, he reacted well to the loose ball to bravely head in, and his willingness to run in behind cause Preston all kinds of problems, as well as opening up spaces for the midfielders behind him.

In the same way that Brereton stepped up to the mark after Adam Armstrong’s departure, similar could be viewed for Gallagher should the Chilean move on this summer, and there have been promising signs of late, with three goals in his last seven appearances.

 

DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’

As the Rovers fans sang their way into the concourses, with the home stands long since emptied, Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ blared out of the Deepdale speakers.

Was it a sign, with Rovers now three points off the play-off spots with two more games to play.

While the performance was excellent, the best of the season, with Bournemouth away the best result, there is still an uphill battle if they are to make the top six.

It will likely take two more wins to be in with a chance, and the concern would be that should the pressure come back on, how would they react this time?

But at least there is a chance, courtesy of a performance and night that should be savoured.

 

SQUAD STRENGTH

It may well have come too late, but Rovers’ squad is looking now as strong as it has at any point of the season.

The strength is often determined by those not included, with Ryan Nyambe, Bradley Johnson, Jacob Davenport, Joe Rankin-Costello and Ryan Giles all not making the bench, with Reda Khadra and Dilan Markanday the two players injured.

With Ian Poveda back in the squad for the first time since November to add depth in attack, Deyovaisio Zeefuik an option at full back after six weeks out, things are looking stronger for Rovers.

But most pleasing was the impact of Ryan Hedges on what was only a second start since signing in January.

Rovers’ January recruits have found it tough, Hedges in particular restricted to only 155 minutes of action before his Deepdale selection.

New signings have often had to be patient under Mowbray, Khadra and Poveda testament to that theory this summer, but after a period of integration into the squad and how the team functions, Hedges slotted in just nicely.

He pressed well out of possession, took up some intelligent positions going forward, and complemented the rest of the Rovers attack.

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