AS the superb Sam Gallagher swept in a pass from the magnificent Marvin Emnes to get the goal his display deserved a sense of elation and relief swept over a sun-kissed Ewood Park crowd who had more than played their part in Rovers’ first league win of the season. And you know what? It felt brilliant.

The victory was long overdue. It has to be the first of many. It was not perfect. And it does not mean the major issues facing the club will disappear overnight.

But, after a second successive seven-game barren start to a Championship campaign, wasn’t it great to see the fans and players smiling again after they combined to potent effect.

As Owen Coyle made crystal clear before the match this was a ‘must win’. That his side achieved their objective to move off the bottom of the table was satisfying enough.

But it was the manner of their performance, both stirring and spirited in equal measure, which gives hope they can build on it.

Naysayers will point to the calibre of the opposition. And it is true a Rotherham team who have now conceded 14 goals in four winless away league games were, certainly defensively, the poorest to have visited these parts this season.

But at the same time the Millers, prompted by impressive on-loan Chelsea youngster Isaiah Brown, carried a genuine goal threat. In the end, though, they were simply outgunned by Rovers’ fabulous front four.

Gallagher grabbed his third goal in six starts since signing on-loan from Southampton but in truth he could have gone home with the match ball given he saw two earlier efforts saved, one deflect just wide and another hit the woodwork.

But it was fitting when he eventually did score that it was his strike-partner who laid the ball on a plate for him.

Emnes was unplayable as he made it two goals in as many matches with a crisp finish from the perfect Craig Conway pull-back before setting up Ben Marshall to open his account for the campaign in style.

Lord knows how the sponsors decided on who to give the man-of-the-match award to given Conway was every bit as good and influential as Rovers’ majestic front two. Rock-paper-scissors perhaps?  

Lancashire Telegraph:

Indefatigable, tireless, unstinting; we’re running out of superlatives to describe Conway’s work-rate. But his quality should never go unnoticed as he suitably demonstrated with a stunning third goal and fifth assist of the campaign.

Marshall, Conway’s fellow winger, also has quality in spades; it’s just we have not seen it enough this season. There is no question Marshall has been affected by the rejected bids and the time it took for the club to offer him a new contract. However once he bent the ball beautifully into the far corner of the net, 20 seconds after the restart, he looked back to his best.

But the whole side deserve credit for the way they reacted to gifting the Millers the lead as well as the second goal which threatened to set up a nervy finish.

So do the supporters. They were inspirational throughout but particularly after Danny Ward doubled his tally for the afternoon seven minutes from the end of normal time.

The blue and white army drove their team over the line, and in the moments leading up to Gallagher’s contest-killing strike, it felt as if they were sucking the ball into the net at the Ronnie Clayton Blackburn End.

Cue that elation and relief…