It is usually best to ignore the noise from the supporters of a new signing’s former club. Birmingham City new boy Kieran Dowell wasn’t exactly given glowing references from the Rangers fans who watched him play 32 times for their club.

Then again, Ben Davies was chastised by followers of Rangers and the 29-year-old has been one of the revelations of Blues’ season. Blues still haven’t lost a game that Davies has started during his loan spell from Ibrox.

Dowell hopes to use a stint at St Andrew’s to refuel a career which stagnated in Scotland. The 27-year-old was handed his first start by Chris Davies in the 2-1 win over Rotherham United.

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Where did he play?

When discussing the signing of Dowell earlier this week, Davies referenced his time at Norwich City playing as an inverted right-winger so it wasn’t a surprise to see him start in that position against Rotherham.

Davies has often deployed left-footed number 10 Willum Willumsson on the right this season with Blues’ system designed for right-back Ethan Laird to maintain the width on that side. Willumsson always comes inside and Dowell was given a similar brief.

How did he play?

Dowell looked dangerous early on and twice worked visiting goalkeeper Dillon Phillips. A wicked inswinging free-kick almost caught Phillips out but he did well to tip over the crossbar. Alex Cochrane picked out Dowell on the run from the resulting corner and the winger’s sweep goalwards lacked power. Eight minutes in and Dowell had already offered the ingenuity Blues have sometimes lacked.

Dowell wasn’t afraid to drop deep to pick up possession and collected a pass from Christoph Klarer in the centre-back position before pinging the ball over Rotherham’s back-line in the direction of a marauding Taylor Gardner-Hickman. Phillips just about beat Gardner-Hickman to the punch.

There was an incisive pass through to Dykes that led to a half chance too in an eventful first 45 for Dowell in a Blues shirt.

Dowell played his part in Blues’ equaliser just after the restart with the cross to the far post that Lyndon Dykes knocked down for Jay Stansfield to convert. That was the midfielder’s last key involvement before being substituted on the hour.

Our verdict

There were bits that didn’t come off, such as a back-heel at the end of the first half that evaded one Rotherham player but not the second, but Dowell’s work in the main was productive. He offered guile and creativity that Blues don’t have in abundance and created some good chances.

Dowell’s ability is above League One level, like most of his teammates, and he showed it at times against Rotherham. Blues have found a viable alternative to Willum Willumsson and they didn’t have one before the transfer window opened.

What did Davies say?

“Kieran has only had two days training with us and he’s already played two games,” said Davies. “He’s learning on the job a little bit but I just thought his creativity would be helpful for us today in the final third.

“In the first half he was picking up the right positions in the right areas, but you could see with the goal the influence he had. The ball was set back to him and he picked Lyndon out at the back post with a little bit of care on his cross. That’s him.

“I think he’s a player that adds a different dimension to us in the final third, if it’s a disguised pass or the weight of a cross. He had a good shot off a corner as well that just came to him a bit fast. Overall, I thought it was a good debut for him.”