FIRST WIN FOR TONY AS DOM STOPS ROT
Victory is perfect response
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Tony Mowbray challenged his side to adapt and become better footballers after their first win of the season.
Dominic Samuel hit his third goal in as many games to get the pre-season promotion favourites off the mark.
And a relieved Mowbray is now calling on his troops to improve further and start racking up the points.
“I asked for 100 per cent effort, graft and commitment and I think that’s what we got,” said the former Middlesbrough and Coventry City boss.
“I want us to be better footballers, I want us to play to the strikers better, to deliver the ball into the box better in the final third, but generally I could ask no more of them.
“This league is hugely physical and everybody gives everything they’ve got and if you don’t match that then you aren’t going to win many football matches.
“This showed them a lesson really that if we give that effort and desire then we are going to be difficult to beat and will win some matches.”
The struggling visitors started well with Corry Evans shooting just wide and Charlie Mulgrew testing the keeper inside the first 20 minutes.
Rovers had shouts for a penalty waved away on 31 minutes after Bradley Dack went down in the box.
Omari Patrick had a firm shot held by David Raya a minute later during a rare threat from the Bantams.
Tiem Dieng volleyed over the bar at the end of a lacklustre first half.
Samuel’s third goal in three games gave Rovers a 47th-minute lead after he headed home Craig Conway’s cross.
Williams had a 56th-minute shot deflected for a corner, before Nicky Law had an effort saved on 76 minutes as Rovers continued to stand firm.
Alex Jones cracked an effort wide on 80 minutes as Bradford stepped up the pressure.
Matt Kilgallon smashed a volley over the bar on the stroke of fulltime to end all hopes for the home
side of rescuing a draw, as they dropped points for the first time this season.
But boss Stuart McCall felt Bradford deserved to get something from the game.
“We’re disappointed to lose the game. We didn’t do enough to win but I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” he said.
“The goal sums our day up. The lad hasn’t headed it properly, it’s hit Tom (Field) in the face and deflected past Doyley.
“It was a hard day for us to. We were looking for a spark. Charlie (Wyke) lifted the crowd and helped us get up the pitch.
“We’ve got to find a formula to score goals and get through teams. We’ve got to find a way to find holes and get in behind.
“We can’t put everything on Charlie Wyke, but he’s just the type of player that we’ve missed.
“They’ve got a strong squad but I’m not making any excuses. We are what we are, and that’s a work in progress.
“I’m delighted for Omari Patrick getting a new deal, but he’s got to keep working hard. He wants to learn and we’re pleased he’s been tied up.”
Meanwhile, after a couple of early season defeats, Blackburn boss Mowbray added: “My family have suffered the last couple of weekends so I will be able to enjoy the weekend now.
“Football is about winning and the expectation is to win and to be at the top end of the table.
“We have young players and there is a lot of expectation on them that they have to cope with.
“We have to adapt to our new surroundings whether we are young players or more experienced ones.
“We have to build on that now and start getting the points.”