After Rovers managed to stave off a potential Barnsley comeback to beat the Tykes, 2-1, Tony Mowbray discussed his side’s victory over the relegation-threatened side. The boss also praised his team and the supporters for their collective efforts in picking up the three points.
“Tonight, was a hard-fought game, but we got the win, which is what matters. I’d like to put on record that I think Barnsley are a really decent football team. They’ve got some good players and have a coach (Poya Asbaghi) who’s really brave. I hope they find a way to win games and I know they’ve had a tough start under their new coach, but they showed tonight that they’re young, athletic and full of enterprise and yet, we’ve got a team, who are at the top of its game, at this moment in time. We matched their athleticism, youthfulness and drive, tonight.
“I have to credit the supporters, tonight, because in my opinion, Ewood Park sounded like a Premier League stadium. The Blackburn End looked full, and it felt like the crowd were wrapped up in the game and were believing in this team and willing them on. It was great that we found a way to win the game, for them. Our hope, of course, is that we can keep doing okay and that the fans keep getting behind the team like they did tonight, because it makes a difference and helps you get over the line in tight games. It was probably one of those nights where we needed the support to spur us on. How many chances did we create, tonight? I was really disappointed that we weren’t coming in at half-time, three or four goals up, yet we found ourselves level. And yet, you can feel the desire in the team. They have a great desire about them, they’re collectively, very determined and they were very determined to win the second-half which they managed to do. The game should have probably been a bit more comfortable, than 2-1, but we have to give Barnsley great credit.
“We’ve been here for nearly five years as a coaching staff and we’ve always talked about finding ways to win games, even when we’re not at our best. That’s the kind of idea we talk to the team about. Football is about winning matches, however aesthetically pleasing your team may or may not look, you have to try to find a way to pick up the three points. I think we’ve found a way of playing that suits the players that we’ve got. They look a real threat, as I said and although I’m not sure of the number of shots we had tonight, in total, I’m sure we could have scored a lot of goals. But we’ll take the win and move onto Sunday’s game, here, against Huddersfield Town.
“Ben Brereton Díaz deserves all the praise that he gets. He came in at 18-years of age and he had a couple of really difficult years. We had some experienced players in the dressing room, and he was a young boy. The fans hadn’t seen the best of him and yet, he’s matured into a man. I would question myself at times, when talking to the media, because I’d be saying: ‘You have to give Ben time, because he’s an immature kid’, and yet, you can see how he’s developed into a man. He’s got the confidence, the belief, the power and the strength and I’m delighted for him. He deserves what he’s getting, because his work-rate is phenomenal.
“If he was a striker that stood around and the team made the goals for him, I’d probably just say, ‘he’s a great finisher’, but this is a kid who works his socks off every game. His running stats are up there, every week. He’s a warrior and a brilliant player who cares about the team. I can’t speak highly enough of him, really and I’m delighted that he keeps banging the ball into the back of the net and looks a real threat. He’s not playing as a centre-forward right down the middle, but he gets in the box, he carries the ball, and he gets into the right areas. He’d be disappointed that he hasn’t come away from here with a hattrick, tonight. The main thing I’d say about Ben, is that he’s a brilliant guy to have in your dressing room. I’ve said this before, but he’s a brilliant footballer and a brilliant human being; a fantastic lad who works hard for everybody else and he’s getting the fruits of his labour.
“The challenge ahead of us is a big one. I believe that Fulham and Bournemouth are going to get stronger, despite the fact they’ve had a rough patch of games, but they’ll come out of it because they have the quality. We have to try and hang on and be around them when the real ‘nitty-gritty’ games come along, so we just have to keep accumulating points and keep trying to win games. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to continue working hard for ourselves and for the fans. Collectively, the support base and the team got the result together, tonight and it was amazing to see that stand so full, and it wasn’t one little corner or cluster doing the chanting and the singing, it was the whole stand. It created a brilliant atmosphere, and the players were talking about it in the dressing room, how special it felt. Let’s hope we can continue that through onto the end of the season, and I’m sure it will, if we continue to win matches.”
