Blackburn Rovers secured a 3-1 home win over Millwall, but the most telling subplot at Ewood Park had nothing to do with the goals or the final scoreline. It was the reappearance of Hayden Carter in the starting XI that gave observers the clearest signal yet of what this squad is capable of when fit.

A player who raises the bar

Carter, 26 and approaching his 27th birthday, returned to Tony Mowbray's side as part of a three-man central defensive unit. His absence the previous week, during a defeat at Preston North End, had left Rovers visibly makeshift at the back, with Tom Atcheson suspended and Carter himself not fit enough to start.

According to BBC Radio Lancashire's Andy Bayes, Carter's combination of physical presence and technical quality is virtually unmatched within the current squad. The statistics underline the problem: Carter has started just 27 of Blackburn's past 99 Championship games. That is a ratio that tells its own story about a career repeatedly interrupted by injury.

If Rovers are to sustain a serious challenge in the second tier, keeping Carter on the pitch is as important as anything that might happen in the transfer market. Availability at Championship level is not a luxury; it is a basic requirement of competing across a 46-game season.

Afolayan and the goals that settled it

On the pitch, Dapo Afolayan was the standout performer. The winger opened the scoring four minutes before half-time, flicking home a Sam Morsy delivery to reward a first half in which Rovers had operated without a recognised centre-forward.

Millwall levelled through a Lyndon Dykes penalty early in the second period, but Afolayan responded with a goal of genuine individual quality, collecting possession inside his own half and driving forward before finishing with composure. Skipper Todd Cantwell's selfless run created the space. It was the kind of Championship moment that often decides where a campaign ends up.

Millwall had a goal ruled out in the second half, a decision their manager Alex Neil found difficult to accept, and the contest remained edgy at 2-1. Andri Gudjohnsen settled it late in stoppage time, converting a swift counter-attack to complete the scoring.

For the first time in several weeks, Mowbray was able to make meaningful substitutions and Rovers benefited from the depth those options provided. The international break now offers the prospect of further players returning from injury. The hope, Bayes notes, is that a free agent or two can also be added to a 23-man squad that has been stretched throughout the opening weeks.

An ownership appearance, and a chilly reception

Off the pitch, the visit attracted attention of a different kind. Balaji Rao, part of the family that has owned Blackburn for the best part of 16 years, appeared in the Jack Walker Stand during the first half. The reception from supporters was hostile, a response that, press-release language aside, reflects a fractured relationship that has been building for years.

Whether the appearance signals a genuine shift towards greater engagement with the fanbase, or amounts to what some supporters will call a symbolic gesture, is not yet clear. The reaction inside the ground suggests most are not yet willing to extend the benefit of the doubt. Clubs, as anyone who follows this division knows, are not merely assets on a balance sheet: they carry the weight of a town's identity, and Blackburn's supporters have grown impatient with what they regard as prolonged underinvestment.

One more before the break

Blackburn now sit two points better off at this stage than they were at the same point of the previous campaign, in which they managed a meagre 42 league goals. Mowbray's side already looks considerably more threatening going forward, and the evidence from this performance suggests the squad has genuinely bought into his methods.

A trip to Portsmouth follows before the international break. Win that, and the opening portion of the season will look considerably more promising than it did during the injury-hit run that preceded it. Carter, most of all, needs to come through that fixture unscathed.

Frequently asked

How many Championship games has Hayden Carter started for Blackburn?
According to BBC Radio Lancashire, Carter has started just 27 of Blackburn's last 99 Championship games, reflecting a career repeatedly interrupted by injury.
What was the result between Blackburn and Millwall?
Blackburn won 3-1 at Ewood Park. Dapo Afolayan scored twice, with Andri Gudjohnsen adding a late third. Millwall's goal came from a Lyndon Dykes penalty.
Who are Blackburn Rovers' current owners?
Blackburn have been owned by the Rao family for close to 16 years. Balaji Rao, part of the ownership group, was present at Ewood Park for the Millwall match, though his appearance was met with a hostile reaction from supporters.