Danny Graham admits he was surprised Rovers didn’t bring in a striker in January but doesn’t feel as though he is assured of a starting spot.

Graham was initially due to be on the bench for the midweek win over Wigan before a change of heart boss Tony Mowbray.

The 33-year-old repaid his manager’s faith with two goals which took him past 50 goals for the club.

Rovers were keen to add competition to Graham, who has started 29 Championship matches this season and scored 14 goals, but saw their efforts thwarted.

Graham, who will hope to shake off a slight hamstring injury to start at Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “I don’t think it was for a lack of trying. I think the gaffer and Veno (assistant, Mark Venus) were looking at other options.

“I was a bit surprised and do think we need another striker, whether it be January or in the summer.

“I think if we are going to move forward then we do need another striker in the building.

“I was quite surprised that no-one was brought in.”

Joe Nuttall is the most like-for-like replacement for Graham in the squad, and replaced him just after the hour against Wigan.

Graham rarely starts every match in a three game week, but such is his importance, at both ends of the pitch, he is expected to start should he be passed fit.

And despite the lack of a new face in January, Graham doesn’t feel as though he has a starting spot nailed down.

He added: “I wasn’t in the team on Tuesday at the start of the day.

“I always feel that I need to be on my toes and think the gaffer knows how to get the best out of me now and he does it very well.

“I always feel that I have to work hard in training and make sure I work hard on the pitch otherwise I will find myself on the bench.

“I don’t think I’m a certain starter by any means. If you’re a striker and you’re scoring goals you obviously think you will stay in the team but you look at Sheffield United, Billy Sharp has scored loads of goals and has found himself on the bench recently.

“I’m always on my toes and willing to give my best for the football club.”

Graham scored a first hat-trick in 10 years against the Owls in December. He was unable to add to his brace against Wigan when substituted just after the hour.

But understanding the decision, he said: “I was tight. My left hamstring tightened up in the second half and I didn’t want to make it worse with the Sheffield Wednesday game so close.

“I think it was the right decision to take me off. Joe came on and he’s a big boy, he can handle himself up there, and I felt he did well when he came on.

“Joe is a good option to have.”

Rovers ended a seven game winless with victory over the Latics, which also brought a first clean sheet since January.

Asked why things had gone awry in the last few weeks, Graham said: “We have been on a very bad run of form. As players we hold ourselves responsible, it wasn’t good enough.

“We put it right on Tuesday against Wigan which was pleasing, 3-0, a clean sheet, and a much needed three points.

“It was quite strange what happened. Maybe we didn’t know how to deal with it? We lost four in a row which was something new under the gaffer.

“We have been trying to put it right in the previous games, and maybe with the rub of the green the results might have been different.

“I think we showed great character, we had a lot of young boys in the team the other night as well, so that was pleasing that we came out of it with a clean sheet and the three points.”