Gary Bowyer eager for Blackburn to claim first victory of the season

Rovers have only one point to show from their first two matches

Gary Bowyer (GETTY IMAGES)

Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer is optimistic his team can get their Sky Bet Championship campaign properly “up and running” by claiming victory at Doncaster this evening.

It has been an underwhelming start to the season so far results-wise for the Ewood Park outfit, whose two league games to date have seen them draw 1-1 at Derby and lose 1-0 at home to Nottingham Forest.

Bowyer feels there have been encouraging signs from his men in those matches, though.

And ahead of the fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium, the 42-year-old - quoted by the Lancashire Telegraph - said: "We have a young team at the moment and a lot of new players and I am sure we will keep on improving.

"There were plenty of positives from the Derby game where we were unlucky not to win and if we can combine those qualities with the fighting spirit we showed against Forest then we will have a chance at Doncaster.

"It will be a difficult game but there is no reason why we can't get up and running with a win."

In their only Championship game of the campaign so far, Doncaster - who yesterday confirmed the signing of striker Theo Robinson from Derby - were beaten at home by Blackpool, one of the division's early pace-setters.

The Seasiders have two wins from two matches and, with striker Ricardo Fuller now added to their ranks, will be looking to extend their 100 per cent record on Saturday when they travel to Middlesbrough.

Two more teams have six points at this stage - current table-toppers Watford, who are at Reading on the same afternoon, and Forest, who will be hosting Bolton.

Every other team in the Championship also play on Saturday, with QPR at home against Ipswich and Wigan visiting Bournemouth.

Last season, when the Latics were in the Premier League and the Cherries in League One, they met in the FA Cup third round.

Wigan got through the tie - they would go on to win the trophy - but only with a 1-0 replay triumph away from home after they were held 1-1 at the DW Stadium.

And recalling those encounters, Wigan midfielder Jordi Gomez told http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk: "Last season we played them in two very difficult games - they like to keep the ball and play which made it hard to stop them.

"We went through which was the main thing but they showed that they are a very good team and well suited to the Championship, which is where they have ended up."

Burnley entertain Yeovil, Derby welcome Leicester to Pride Park and in the day's early kick-off there is a Yorkshire derby at Elland Road between Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday, who are yet to register a point.

Two teams also looking to get off the mark face each other at Oakwell in Barnsley and Charlton, while the other sides still without points, Brighton and Millwall, play Birmingham away and Huddersfield at home respectively.

PA