HITMAN Rudy Gestede admits confidence is coursing through his veins after starting the season exactly where he left off.

Gestede made it 11 goals in his last 10 starts for Rovers with a clinically taken double strike in Saturday’s hard-fought 2-1 win at Blackpool.

But the 6ft 4in targetman, who believes he is benefiting from the feared reputation that precedes his strike-partner Jordan Rhodes, is determined to keep his giant frame firmly on the ground.

“For the confidence it is good to score early on and keep your belief in yourself,” said Gestede, who finished last season in blistering form with a run of nine goals in his last eight starts.

“I am carrying confidence and it was another good day for me.

“But now it’s behind me and I have to look forward to the next game.”

That next game takes Rovers to relegated Norwich City tomorrow night where they will aim to extend their unbeaten start to the league campaign and their impressive unbeaten run in the Championship – which stretches back to March 12 – to 15 matches.

Former Ipswich Town striker Rhodes heads to Carrow Road still searching for his first goal of the season after drawing blanks in the victory over Blackpool and in the opening day draw at home to Cardiff City who, like Norwich, have come down from the Premier League.

But Gestede reckons Rhodes, who has scored an incredible 52 times in 91 league appearances for Rovers, will soon get off the mark and credits his prolific record in front of goal as a reason for his own hot streak.

“Defenders focus on Jordan because he’s an amazing goalscorer so maybe I have more space to do my thing,” said Gestede, who thanked winger Craig Conway for creating his second goal on Saturday, hailing his superb cross as a ‘gift’.

“He’s going to score 20 goals or more this season, like he always does.

“He’s a very good goalscorer and next game it’s going to be him to score.”

Having dominated the match against Cardiff, without creating enough clear-cut chances, Rovers were forced to show another side of their game in the full-blooded Lancashire derby with Blackpool.

“It was important to get the three points,” said Gestede, whose work on the training ground to improve his first touch was evident on Saturday.

“We played well against Cardiff and we wanted carry the confidence from the way we played.

“It was a bit different on Saturday, Blackpool were a strong team, and we had to fight to the end to get the three points.

“I know we have the team to do good things this season.

“Everybody is pushing the same way.”