Tony Mowbray rued a lack of quality in the final third as Rovers slipped to a sixth defeat in seven games as they lost 1-0 at home to Preston North End.

Daniel Johnson’s eighth minute goal proved the difference between the sides as Rovers’ post-January slump continued.

The boss felt there was no shortage of effort from his team, who pressed hard for an equaliser in the second half, but the final ball was their undoing.

He said: “I think the attributes of this team are on show, whether we were winning games up to January or losing games since then.

“It’s been pretty much the same to the performances we’ve had all season.

“At this moment we’re not able to turn them in to goals or victories. Performance wise, effort wise, desire, commitment, drive, honesty, they were all there.

“The bit that makes the difference, the quality around the final third, the final pass, the final contact on a finish, that wasn’t there.

“Ultimately, I can’t be too harsh on them. We’re let frustrated.”

Rovers were wasteful with their delivery in to the box, putting in 33 crosses throughout the 90 minutes, with 11 finding a team-mate.

“It would be frustrating for the boy who’s done it as well, there’s no intention to do it,” Mowbray added of the poor delivery.

“You could see the contacts in the box, Armstrong had a great chance at the back post to side-foot it in to the net, but puts it in to the ground and in to the goalie’s arms.

“We had a few decent opportunities to score but didn’t take them.

“The game became a bit bitty. They scored early and then there were too many stoppages.

“I’m conscious about sitting here and criticising the referee, but goodness me, it’s a local derby, you’re allowed to show a bit of commitment and tackle people in my opinion.

“The referee should have given it a bit more leeway I thought, but the game was full of stoppages.

“It’s a frustration from that aspect as well.

“It’s football, we just have to stick together, keep working hard, I say that every week to you. If I could see a drop off in their desire and determination to get results then I would  be more concerned.

“If we find that same level every week then we will win games. For the first six months of the season it was the same effort and generally we came away with victories.

“I don’t see a drop off. At this moment we’ve hit a patch when we can’t win a game. What’s the answer? Keep working hard, keep at it, keep believing in each other and it will turn I’m sure.”

It is six defeats in seven Championship matches for Rovers since January who have slipped to 17th in the table.

Mowbray said: “The players are fully aware of it. If we were getting pumped every week and we thought ‘we were never in that game’ then it would be a concern.

“But that’s not been the case in any of the games I would suggest.

“We could easily have sat here having kept the January run of victories going. They have all been tight games.

“You can throw the stats at me, but we can talk about each individual game.

“They all come across as excuses, but there are no excuses, we’re working hard, the team are performing pretty well, yet we’re not getting results, so we will keep working at the things we believe in. Nothing has changed, we’re in a tougher league this year than last when that performance would have won a game comfortably.

“We’re playing against better players, we’re in a better league, the secret for this football club is to be ambitious in recruitment, not just with players on the grass but with the infrastructure and make it a place that can attract top players and that’s what we aim to start the process of doing this summer.”