Rovers reporter Rich Sharpe picks out four talking points from the win at Bristol City. 

BEST WIN OF THE SEASON

Bristol City started the day in fourth, meaning they were the highest-ranked team Rovers have beaten. And this really was a stand-out victory.

On the road they have beaten Hull, struggling at the time, Stoke and Reading, and lost at the previous top three, Leeds, West Brom and Fulham.

But to go to Ashton Gate, make six changes, come away with three points, a clean sheet and such a comfortably victory is a statement.

Christian Walton barely had a save to make, and while Bristol City did pass up some good opportunities in the first half, in the second half, they barely mustered a chance other than Famara Diedhiou being unable to turn home a Jack Hunt cross.

It was a first clean sheet on the road since August and seven points from the last nine on their travels. If the away form is to define Rovers’ season, then the signs are promising.

 

FAST STARTERS

When Bradley Johnson struck, it was Rovers’ eighth goal inside the opening 15 minutes of matches, with no team in the top four division of English football.

Indeed, seven of those goals have come in 11 away matches, after early strikes at West Brom, Reading, two at Preston, Stoke, Swansea and now Bristol City. As Tony Mowbray pointed out post-match, it’s by no means a fluke.

Most of those have come from pressing high up the pitch, catching their hosts' off guard, whereas this came from quick-thinking from a corner after good closing down from Ben Brereton. 

It helped settle a much-changed Rovers side down, and to come from a well-worked set play that had been crafted on the training pitches in south Wales would have been even more pleasing for the Rovers coaching staff.

 

MOWBRAY RINGS THE CHANGES

There is ringing the changes and then there is making six in one game after a run of four consecutive unchanged teams. Mowbray had hinted as much, with Rovers’ turnaround so quick from the Wednesday night draw at Swansea and concerns over Danny Graham, Stewart Downing and Corry Evans with Bradley Dack suspended.

In from the cold came Amari’i Bell and Bradley Johnson, while Ben Brereton made a first league start since April and only fourth outing of the season.

Elliott Bennett, Lewis Holtby and Sam Gallagher were all recalled, and all played their part in an excellent all-round performance.

Mowbray knew the criticism that would land at his door given the number of changes, but he too knew that some of his players had little more to give after the midweek draw at Swansea.

But the main thing was keeping together the central defensive pairing of Darragh Lenihan and Tosin Adarabioyo who have now helped Rovers to 16 points from the last 18 available.

And how pleased Mowbray will have been to see another of his substitutes, Adam Armstrong, come off the bench to make sure of the points late on, the fourth substitute to score in the last eight games.

 

AWAY DAY IMPROVEMENTS

Rovers have now taken more points in their last three away matches than they did in their opening eight.

Mowbray’s men lost six of their opening eight matches but have improved on their travels of late, with wins at Stoke and Bristol City, and a 1-1 draw at Swansea City.

Most pleasing has been their defensive application, conceding twice in those three matches and looking more assured.

They came under pressure at times in all three matches, but being able to seeing it through shows there is a learning element to Rovers this season.

They showed maturity in each of those matches to see it through, as we saw in the closing stages at Reading in September.