Mowbray wants Blackburn to find another gear

Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2019 by PA

Tony Mowbray has called for improvements from Blackburn despite seeing his side win at Hull.

Rovers have responded to losing their first two games of the new Championship season with back-to-back 1-0 victories.

Derrick Williams’ first goal for two years was the difference at the KCOM Stadium and Mowbray now wants his side to go up another gear.

“It has been a good week. In modern-day football, you lose a couple of games and people are trying to create a problem,” the 55-year-old said.

“I thought we played well at Fulham away, deserved to get something, and we totally dominated Charlton on the opening day and got nothing.

“The last two games are OK for us, we had to find a way to win really. We haven’t scored lots of goals yet, we could have scored more tonight, and they could have scored too.

“I don’t know whether it was a good game or not, for us it was a nervous game to the point where we have to be better and control the game more. But I am happy enough with the points.

“I get a bit frustrated because I want us to be a bit better really.

“I want us to dominate the game more, score more goals and yet we were playing against a Hull side who had a great result against Reading and a great result against Brentford.

“Happy enough, but we move on to Cardiff at the weekend and see how it goes. It is very early in the season and we have a way to go to get better and improve.”

Hull forward Jarrod Bowen missed a penalty, with Christian Walton producing a fine save in the 12th minute, before the woodwork was hit four times during a thrilling first half.

Winger Kamil Grosicki fired against the post for the Tigers, as did Rovers counterpart Stewart Downing, while visiting midfielder Bradley Johnson hit the bar twice.

Williams netted the winner in the 62nd minute, heading home Downing’s inviting free-kick.

Hull had chances to salvage a point as Bowen volleyed a Josh Magennis knockdown wide and substitute Leonardo Da Silva Lopes lashed over.

Tigers boss Grant McCann felt aggrieved that his team were not awarded a second spot-kick late on and also questioned whether Williams’ goal should have stood.

“We should have had a penalty, a blatant penalty,” the Northern Irishman said.

“I thought the referee was disappointing for both teams, a little bit stop-start.

“There was maybe a block (by Williams), but we didn’t see it at the time. You don’t know, but definitely a penalty at the end with Josh Bowler.”