Louis Jones says he was determined to take his chance after making his league debut in Rovers’ 2-1 win over Portsmouth in Sky Bet League One.
The 22-year-old was handed a start in manager Andy Butler’s first game in charge, and says he knew he had to be ready.
He said: “I had an idea that I might be playing with the new manager coming in so I prepared like I would for any matchday.
“There have been times when I’ve been really close but I’ve just had to be patient and wait for my time to come.
"It means a lot to me, it’s been a long time coming and something I’ve wanted to happen since I came through the ranks here.”
Despite being disappointed not to earn a clean sheet, Jones felt the team performance was an impressive one.
He added: “I thought some of our play was outstanding, we pressed really well and how we played out from the back under pressure was excellent.
“We had possession and used it in a good way, the creative players made good runs and caused Portsmouth some real problems.
“There is a lot of composure and trust within the group and we know we have players who can look after the ball in tight areas.”