Blackburn’s perceived shortage of firepower was causing a pessimistic new season outlook among the Ewood Park faithful. Fortunately, the kids are alright.
Dilan Markanday, 21, and Harry Leonard, 19, powered Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team to an uplifting opening win after summer sales precipitated by squeezed budgets caused the gloom to descend.
Rovers narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs in May after a season of improvement but finding the net remained an issue and close-season events scarcely helped.
But a one-two punch midway through the opening half still floored West Bromwich Albion, who couldn’t build on the momentum from Matt Phillips’ response early in the second.