AFTER a fourth consecutive home game without a win, and a third in which they conceded inside the opening 15 minutes, Tony Mowbray feels Rovers have been playing with a nervousness at Ewood Park.

So as they head to Molineux this afternoon (3pm), the Rovers head coach is hoping his side can play without pressure as they look for a second away win in the space of eight days.

Rovers ended their long wait for a victory on the road at Nottingham Forest on Good Friday, collecting three points on their travels for the first time since November.

That was just a third away success of the season, and first under Mowbray, but he believes Rovers can flourish on their travels.

“I think sometimes at home we probably feel as if we have to play with the ball better and that’s why sometimes the backwards and sideways passes get the odd groan,” he said.

“Away from home there are no groans because you’re keeping the ball and taking the sting out of the game and the opposition can’t attack you when they don’t have the ball.

“Sometimes at home there’s an impetus to go and get it forward so away there’s less pressure to do that.

“Away from home we can keep the ball, we can go across the back, go out wide and come inside and do some of the things that we work on because it is more difficult at home.

“Sometimes it is easier to play away from home, yet we aren’t saying we want to play every game away from home because it’s very difficult to win football matches away from home.

“Molineux is a big ground with a passionate support and they will be fully behind their team and we have to try and quieten them down and ask questions of them.”

Mowbray is also well aware of the importance of scoring the first goal, something his side have struggled to do in recent matches.

Rovers never recovered from a poor start against the Tykes, and Mowbray added: “Going 2-0 down inside 10 minutes as we did against Barnsley doesn’t help anything and I think supporters are well within their rights to be disgruntled when that sort of thing happens.

“Then we lost a relatively early goal again (v Bristol City) and certain young players find that difficult when they haven’t been through that experience and emotion of the crowd who are expectant, and rightly so.”

Rovers have played six games away from home under Mowbray, four of those coming against sides in the top eight.

They earned draws at Norwich and Fulham, before suffering defeats at Brighton and Reading in their first two games after the international break.

When asked if a first away win in five months would give Rovers added belief on their travels, Mowbray added: “I’m not sure – I think the boys know that they have been playing well away from home.

“I can give you circumstances of why we lost 3-1 at Reading, but generally the performances have been decent.

“For an hour at Burton we were exceptionally good, Norwich was two points dropped in a game that we should have won, Fulham was a good football match and second half we came on really strong, so I think there’s no fear going away from home with this team.

“We know we can be solid and still create chances and deny space for the opposition.”