Tony Mowbray happy with young players after emphatic win against Peterborough

Tony Mowbray praised the mentality of Blackburn’s “exciting young team” after they thumped Peterborough 4-0 to move within a point of the play-offs.

They had the game wrapped up after racing into a 3-0 lead by half-time through Harry Pickering’s looping header, Ben Brereton Diaz’s tap-in after Tyrhys Dolan retrieved possession, and Darragh Lenihan’s emphatic far-post header.

Brereton Diaz’s 16th of the season gave Rovers a fourth on the hour as they recorded their fourth win in six games.

Mowbray put the win down to going into the game with the right mentality.

He said: “I think it was important that we got the intensity right, that we got the adrenaline levels right.

“It was a game that if you don’t approach it with the right mentality, they can be banana skins for you. Really pleased with the attitude and the approach, and the desire and commitment of the team.

“We scored some good goals, we worked extremely hard. Delighted for the goalkeeper and defence that they kept a clean sheet. It was a good professional performance. We got the balance right between aggression and composure.

“What is good about this football team at the moment is that we have some amazing human beings who love football. They want to learn, ask questions, watch all of their clips.

“They are brilliant kids. They want to learn and get better. It’s great to work with them and see them improving.

“It’s an exciting young team. Made of the right stuff.”

Peterborough remain 22nd and Darren Ferguson said something has to change after losing their third successive game without scoring, extending their wretched away form to three points from a possible 30.

He said: “Very disappointing result. Very disappointing performance. Something has to change.

“You’re very much in the game, and then first goal, the boy runs across our centre-half and heads it in. Second goal is a stupid mistake, whereas the other ones, I’ve seen before. Third goal, set-piece. You’re well in the game, we nearly equalised at 1-0, and then 2-0 and then before you know it, 3-0. And you’re seeing the same thing. A set-piece goal.

“I thought we started the game well but I’m repeating myself. Another game we haven’t scored a goal. Another game we haven’t kept a clean sheet, another away loss.

“They’re stacking up now, so obviously something has to change, in particular away from home, for us to start climbing the table.

“This is the thing, you can set up, tactically do A, B and C, but you can’t concede goals like we are doing.

“We’re suffering at the moment.”