In the best interests of the heart rates and nerves of supporters, a comfortable evening, with a two or three goal cushion to enjoy, would have been the preferable outcome.

Attentions could then have turned to Sunday’s FA Cup quarter final with Sheffield United as Rovers made light work of a struggling opponent.

Yet the circumstances that led to the eventual victory against Reading are arguably even more beneficial – and definitely more thrilling.

The game might not have panned out how they hoped, particularly after Ben Brereton’s early strike gave them the lead just two minutes in, but it asked something different of them.

Most pleasing, was they had the answer.

How often have we seen such a game this season whereby Rovers’ failure to see off inferior opposition has led to them seeing games out 1-0 in unnecessarily nervy fashion.

It looked to be heading down that road as chances came and went, particularly in the first half of the second period where they were totally dominant.

Though despite going into the game on the back of five successive Ewood clean sheets, it was a different situation this time around after a 68th minute equaliser.

It was a very different scenario this time around.

Although this was their 19th victory in 37 Championship matches, 12 have been to nil.

The struggles when conceding first, with only point collected this season from a losing position, have been well documented.

You have to go back to March 15 2022 for the last time they won when conceding the first goal.

Yet to find an occasion whereby the opposition have equalised, and then Rovers have gone on to win, have been just as rare.

The 3-1 win at QPR in ended a 14 month wait for such an instance, and they have now done it twice in their last four Championship matches.

That is a big box ticked for the mentality of Jon Dahl Tomasson and his squad of players.

Here it required intervention from the bench, with Ryan Hedges becoming only the third substitute to find the back of the net, to claim a priceless three points.

It was a special moment when the Welshman scored with eight minutes remaining, a potentially frustrating night became a winning one, and coupled with the results elsewhere, could prove to be a pivotal one.

Two arguments that would conflict are the concerns that Rovers failed to finish off a team when firmly in the ascendancy, but equally, by not doing so it shouldn’t detract from the football they played.

No-one could begrudge them the win when it did come, but a failure to do so would have seen the focus on the chances that were missed, than the way the team played.

Indeed, the number of opportunities created in recent weeks has been one of the biggest positives, given the issues only a couple of months ago.

The margin of victory could have been far greater had they done better with chances created either side of half time.

While that would be one goal again, but not in the way we had seen previously.

With this Rovers’ final league game before the international break, it is worth taking stock of where they find themselves, and what they have achieved so far, irrespective of what it is come.

They sit fifth in the table, with a five-point gap over seventh-placed Norwich City.

Their 13 Ewood wins are more than any Championship season since relegation from the Premier League, and with still five home fixtures to come.

They have equalled last season’s win tally of 19, with nine games to play, and the 61 points more than five of the last nine completed Championship campaigns.

One of the most pleasing aspects of this season has been how it has been such a team effort.

Different players have contributed at varying stages throughout the season.

Hedges, arguably Rovers’ most consistent performer in the first half of the season, has been on the periphery since the arrival of Sorba Thomas, but came up with the goods when it mattered.

Sam Gallagher produced the assist with an excellent backheel, and while he didn’t make the most of some good opportunities to score himself, his all-round work for the team remains impressive.

Sam Szmodics was named man of the match and linked impressively with the revitalised Ben Brereton.

While Brereton was also going to be key to Rovers’ chances this season, it wasn’t expected that Aynsley Pears, Joe Rankin-Costello or Hayden Carter would, particularly not at this stage of the season, yet the trio are more than playing their part.

That is testament to the togetherness in the squad, and the way that Tomasson has plotted their way through such a packed schedule. One more huge effort is now required before the international break.

The feeling is that Rovers are improving, performances picking up and belief growing.

An inability to respond to setbacks when it mattered most cost them last season, but it has been the backbone of the climb up the table this season.