Tony Mowbray feels Rovers are only going to get stronger as more players become available after their convincing win at Preston North End.

Rovers ended a five-year wait for a win at Deepdale as goals from Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton and Tyrhys Dolan saw them to the three points.

That moved them back into the top half of the Championship, leapfrogging the hosts who were reduced to 10 men after Joe Rafferty sent Sam Gallagher tumbling in the box.

Armstrong found the corner from the penalty spot, his 13th goal of the season, with Brereton adding a second early in the second half before Tyrhys Dolan came off the bench to score against his former club.

And after seeing his side win for the fifth time this season, Mowbray said: “This team are coming together, we have missed so many footballers this season, it’s been a tough period for us but we’re only going to get stronger.

“I think we’re capable of putting in performances like that. We were a bit concerned ahead of the game with eight or nine players unavailable, but the team we picked we were confident could get the job done.

“We were comfortable from the start and it was about getting the goals which came. Obviously the sending off helped, but it’s not a coincidence that three or four teams have had players sent off against us because we have the pace to run through and breakaway.

“We’re pleased with the points and when we can get the injuries and Covid issues out of the way we’ll be a good team in this league and hopefully that’s the start of that.”

Mowbray felt Rovers could come to Deepdale and dominate as they did, the hosts failing to have a shot on target, as  the visitors dominated from the off.

And the manager added: “I felt we were on the front foot and dominant from the beginning. With total respect to Preston, it was a game we came here to win.

“They have been struggling a bit at home this season and the game-plan was to be aggressive, play on the front foot, push them back and ask questions of them.

“They have had some amazing results away from home, but at home they’ve find it tough and we tried to capitalise on that and we did.

“There has to be an expectancy from this team. The young players around the team have to know there’s an expectancy to win and believe we’re going to win from the first kick.

“When we can get our players back we think we can have a really exciting season and cause teams problems.

“We’ve shown that we can score goals and put teams under pressure.

“I’m pleased for everyone and now we’ll rest up and prepare for Barnsley on Saturday.”