DEREK Adams can sense a growing winning mentality in his City players after they claimed a Championship scalp today.

The 2-0 win over Blackburn at Valley Parade was their fifth on the trot in pre-season.

Adams was pleased with the intensity of the performance against the highest standard of opposition they have faced.

He said: “The players want to win football matches and to have that mentality to go out there and want to be better than the opposition is something we’re going to need throughout the season.

“To have it in pre-season, is hugely beneficial.

“I’m delighted. We came up against a very good starting XI from Blackburn Rovers today.

“They were very experienced with good rotation in midfield and a striker in (Adam) Armstrong as well. But we dealt well with the threat and grew in confidence.

“We knew they would try to play out from the back. We dealt well with that threat and a number of times we created chances off them.

“The pleasing thing was that we finished the game really strongly. As it went on, I think we controlled it.”

Lee Angol opened the scoring with a penalty – his third goal in two games – after Alex Gilliead panicked Daniel Ayala into a trip in the box.

Callum Cooke added a well-worked second after a one-two with Andy Cooke and City threatened to score more.

“We wanted to keep things as real as possible going into the last few pre-season games,” added Adams.

“I didn’t want to make too many changes because we’re getting to the end and we need to be in the right position come August 7.”

Elliot Watt made his first pre-season appearance after recovering from a thigh strain.

Adams said: “He’s still got a bit to do because he’s behind game-wise. But it was a positive for him to get 70 minutes.”