Blackburn striker Nicola Kalinic is adjusting well to life in English football, according to Rovers assistant manager Neil McDonald.
Kalinic scored from the penalty spot to cap a 5-2 victory over Peterborough in the Carling Cup this evening as Blackburn shrugged off concerns about swine flu to book their place in the quarter finals.
It was Croatian forward's first strike for the club since joining from Hadjuk Split in the summer and came just minutes after he had set up a goal for Benni McCarthy.
McDonald admitted that it had taken time for Kalinic to get to grips with the demands of the English game, but said that his performance against Peterborough gave a clear indication that he was finding his feet.
"It shows that he has got vision," said McDonald.
"He has created a couple of good chances as well and to get that first goal will take the pressure off him of course, but that's against Peterborough.
"It takes time for a foreigner to come into our English game and adjust to the pace, to the style of play and the physical and mental demands.
"He has been patient and we have seen glimpses of what he can do certainly. He'll only get stronger I'm sure."
McCarthy had originally been in line to take Kalinic's penalty - Blackburn's second of the night after Steven Reid's first-half conversion - but McDonald revealed that the South African had decided to reward his 21-year-old strike partner for the earlier assist by allowing him to take it instead.
"Steven Reid was always going to take the first one, and then I thought it was a really nice touch because Benni was supposed to take the second one, but Nicola has knocked the ball through for him and he's stuck it away nicely and Benni wants Nicola to do well." McDonald added.
"So he gave him the second penalty and he stuck it away.
"I'm sure if he had missed it there could have been a huge problem, but he has stuck it in the back of the net and showed that he has got the confidence to do it.
"If it is only from 12 yards or from open play, we want him to score goals and that is his first which is great."
