Blackburn Rovers walloped MK Dons in League One
BLACKBURN manager Tony Mowbray felt work ethic was the bedrock for his side’s victory as they smashed four past MK Dons.
Derrick Williams’ early opener was cancelled out by Ed Upson, but Charlie Mulgrew’s two goals and Dominic Samuel’s finish sealed back-to-back league wins for Rovers.
And Mowbray revealed the message he has been trying to drive into his side to bring them success in their league campaign.
“That was the foundation for us to win 4-1, the work ethic on what was a hot day,” he said.
“You have to play every game with a work ethic and an intensity because that’s what League One teams do whether they’re as talented as you.
“We’ve just been talking about what’s required from the group and the selection of the team is trying to get what is as athletic as a football team on the pitch as we can to match that up.”
Blackburn took the lead inside two minutes when Richie Smallwood picked out Williams on the edge of the box to fire past Lee Nicholls.
Dons equalised on 25 minutes when Mulgrew’s attempted clearance from George Williams’s cross fell to Upson, who stroked the ball home.
But Mulgrew made amends with a sublime free-kick over the Dons wall. Dons midfielder Aaron Tshibola’s 70th minute free-kick drifted wide and Rovers capitalised when Harry Chapman’s 77th-minute corner was headed back across goal for Mulgrew to nod in his second.
And Blackburn added a fourth through Samuel.
“I thought we were poor,” said Dons boss Robbie Neilson. “A lot of the game, we were caught in two minds. We didn’t give ourselves enough of a chance.
“There’s good players in that dressing room, but I think we need to add a few more to it as well to get better.”