SEVEN goals in five games, and now six in his last six meetings with the club that foolishly let him go, Jordan Rhodes rightly deserves the plaudits that will rain down on his shoulders after his remarkable scoring run continued on a rousing afternoon at Ewood Park.

But, make no mistake, this impressive and uplifting victory was a result of a true team effort. From Jason Steele in goal to Rhodes’ tireless strike-partner Tom Lawrence, all the boys in blue and white played their part in a performance that Gary Bowyer, with some justification, hailed as the best of his reign.

MORE TOP STORIES:

And it has been coming. Confidence and momentum have been building, ever since Rovers bounced back off the ropes after that torrid opening 30 minutes at Fulham. They could and should have taken something from Craven Cottage.

But any disappointment and disbelief they felt at leaving there empty handed was swiftly parked as excellent points at QPR and Hull City were sandwiched either side of a first win of the season at home to Charlton Athletic.

Comfortably disposing of a side as mediocre as Charlton is one thing; doing it to one as talented as Ipswich is another. Last season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists were made to look second rate here, especially in the first half.

But it was not just the quality of Rovers’ football – if only Markus Olsson’s ‘goal’ would have been allowed to stand – that stirred the soul before the break. It was what they did when they did not have the ball.

With Rhodes, Lawrence, Craig Conway and Ben Marshall setting the tone, their desire to win possession back was relentless and infectious.

They pressed the life out of their opponents and reduced them to aimless long punts upfield to Daryl Murphy, who only emerged from Shane Duffy’s back pocket after he was taken off late on.

Rovers, while always remaining a threat on the break, had to display a different side to their game after the restart after Mick McCarthy went hell for leather.

But, with unity on the field and in stands, they showed resilience to record a third straight home clean sheet and, in doing so, prevent the Tractor Boys from scoring in the league for the first time in 22 matches.

What a difference to this time five weeks ago when spirit and confidence among the fanbase was low.

Yes the gap to the bottom three remains too close for comfort and a return of two wins from the opening 10 games of the Championship campaign is unsatisfactory.

But all credit to the players for never losing their self-belief and for their refusal to cower when they fell two goals behind to Fulham.

Bowyer also deserves credit. He was coming under increasing pressure after the 0-0 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers before the last international break.

But since then he has settled on his best side – he has made only one unenforced change in the four unbeaten matches since Fulham – and he has devised a system that is getting the best out of his top scorer.

Saturday’s clash came exactly 23 years to the day that Alan Shearer produced one of the great Ewood displays as Rovers routed Norwich City 7-1. Few can hold a candle to Shearer. Even he, though, would have been impressed by the performance of Rovers’ present-day talisman against Ipswich.

Rhodes opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a customary cool-as-you-like penalty after Hope Akpan’s powerful surge into the box was ended illegally.

Lancashire Telegraph:

And he completed the scoring four minutes later with a magnificent header from a Conway corner.

Rhodes has now scored 168 goals in 299 appearances – 87 in 148 for Huddersfield Town, and 81 in 151 for Rovers – since then Tractor Boys boss Roy Keane sold him in July 2009.

But here he proved his game is about more than just goals – and even if it was, with a strike-rate as good as his, what would be wrong with that – with a complete centre-forward’s display.

And had it not been for the woodwork, and a flying Dean Gerken stop, it would have ended in a hat-trick.

Gerken also saved superbly from Adam Henley and, when he was beaten again, by Olsson, at end of a flowing move, he was rescued by a linesman’s flag.

At the other end the unflappable Steele denied Murphy, Freddie Sears, Luke Chambers and Jonathan Parr.

But despite Ipswich’s second-half pressure, Rovers were worthy winners. Roll on MK Dons.