Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray praised “single-minded” Adam Armstrong after he netted a hat-trick in the 5-0 thrashing of 10-man Wycombe.
After two defeats in a week, Rovers got off the mark in some style and were three up by half-time courtesy of an Armstrong penalty and tap-in either side of a first senior goal for Tyrhys Dolan in his first ever league start.
Wycombe were reduced to 10 men following Darius Charles’ dismissal and Rovers went for the jugular, with a close range Derrick Williams goal before Armstrong completed his hat-trick late on.
The 23-year-old has now scored five goals this season in all competitions and Mowbray says he is taking his opportunity to play up front.
He said: “A special mention to central defenders, although we scored five goals, the fact they were winning headers, clearing danger, making first contact on set plays was really crucial for us on the set plays.
“And the fact we have Adam Armstrong. He was a bit disappointed after the game. He should have scored more goals.
“The defenders did their jobs and yet I thought the quality of the goals in the first half was fantastic. The clinical way that we could break away and the spaces and finish, was probably missing at Newcastle.
“He (Armstrong) loves scoring goals. He was disappointed he didn’t get away from the guy who brought him down for the sending off and didn’t finish the chance when he went through one-on-one and the keeper made a great save. He wants to score goals, Adam, he’s very single minded.
“Yet he’s such a good lad that when I put him on the left wing for two years, he didn’t moan, he kept cutting in on his right foot and bending it in the top corner.
“Now he’s getting his opportunity to play down the middle, I think he’s almost trying to show me that’s where he plays, that’s what he is and that’s what it’s going to be like moving forward.”
Wycombe’s first ever Championship away game was one to forget for Gareth Ainsworth, who endured a nightmare return to the club he supported as a boy.
He said: “I was totally shellshocked being 3-0 down. They took their chances well. I thought after 10 minutes we were well in the game and then they proved what I’ve been thinking about this league: it’s going to be so tough.
“You’ve got some real clinical finishers, some real good players.
“But at the end of the day it was mistakes from us that cost which was disappointing. I knew this would be a learning curve early on in the Championship, and as long as we learn, we’ll be doing the right thing.
“It’s about analysing what went wrong and how we can be better. A couple of goals were just poor, poor goals. Set plays in there, a counter attack from our own set play.
“We’ve got to be better at these small details. Tactically, I thought we did ok until they started scoring and our heads dropped. But this is going to be a learning curve. But it is a positive from me. It’s happened early enough in the season to learn from and put right.”
