MATT Kilgallon says Blackburn Rovers’ match at Reading on Saturday is a ‘must not lose’ if Gary Bowyer’s side are to make the play-offs this season.

Rovers travel to the Madejski Stadium at the weekend to face the side who currently sit sixth in the Championship table.

Reading – one of the favrouties for promotion at the start of the season – stand seven points ahead of Rovers after an impressive win at QPR on Sunday, although they have played a game more.

Kilgallon still believes Rovers can make the top six but knows defeat at Reading would be a major blow to their hopes.

“Reading are one of the teams we need to keep up with,” said the centre back.

“They’re going to be there or thereabouts and they’ve always been a threat in the Championship, every season.

“They’ve got some good players there, they’ve put a few wins together.

“They were having a bad time of it but then they put a few wins on the bounce and they’ve put themselves in the driving seat again.

“We’ve got to go there and try and pick something up.”

Rovers sit 10th in the table after consecutive clean sheets against Blackpool and Middlesbrough.

Kilgallon hopes more shut-outs can boost their play-off aims.

“It’s massive to get a clean sheet – that’s what we’re paid to do,” he said.

“We’ve being playing a different formation recently where there has been Robbo (Paul Robinson), the back four and Willo (Lee Williamson) or Lowey (Jason Lowe) defending and letting all the other lads to go and win the game for us.

“That’s fine for us. We know defending that and clean sheets are massive for us.”

Rovers have sold more than 600 tickets for Saturday’s match, against a Reading team who will have centre back Kaspars Gorkss available after a successful appeal against his red card at QPR.

Bryan Dabo scored twice as Rovers under 21s’ loast 4-2 at Aston Villa on Monday night.

Corry Evans completed 74 minutes as he continues his comeback from injury. Both could be in the squad for the Reading game.