GOALKEEPER Jason Steele says Blackburn Rovers will embrace the challenges ahead as they prepare to take on another of the Championship’s high-fliers this weekend.

Rovers welcome Huddersfield Town to Ewood Park on Saturday, fresh from their win over league leaders Newcastle United at St James’ Park which moved them out of the bottom three.

The tests keep coming for Rovers, however, with three of their next four games coming against teams in the top six, as well as a Lancashire derby against Preston.

It’s a tough run for Rovers, but one that Steele feels they will relish after back-to-back wins over Brentford and title favourites Newcastle.

“It was a great result but it’s vitally important now that we look forward to Saturday,” Steele said. “We have to embrace it and look forward to the challenges ahead.

“I think we’ve been doing well of late. Barring the first seven games of the season, I think if you took those away, we would have been up there this year.

“It’s about continuing that and looking to build and progress.”

Huddersfield will arrive at Ewood in the play-off spots, with Rovers facing fellow promotion challengers Brighton and Reading at home in back-to-back home games on December 13 and December 17.

In between those matches comes the televised clash with Preston on December 10 as Rovers look to continue their recent improvement.

They will however, be without the suspended Ben Marshall for the Huddersfield clash after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in the win at Newcastle United.

“I think Ben will be a massive loss,” 26-year-old Steele said. “I think he has played right back on three occasions this season and we’ve kept two clean sheets in those games.

“He’s been a breath of fresh air back there.

“But whoever comes in will be ready to step in and do their best for the team.”

Rovers were backed by an excellent travelling support of 1,600 in the 52,000 St James’ Park crowd, and Steele is hoping for similar support when they host the Terriers this weekend.

“It was a fabulous arena to go and play in, the atmosphere was brilliant and the travelling fans must have had some day because they were fantastic from start to finish,” Steele added.

“I think everyone should be pulling in the same direction.

“Everyone at the football club wants to go forward and progress.

“We want to be as high up as we can, it’s down to everyone to make we are pulling in the same direction, we need them and they need us.

“If we can all be one then we will have a right good chance.”

Steele, an ever present in the league for Rovers this season, was speaking at St Mary’s Primary School in Sabden as part of the Plus Sport Move and Learn project.

And the Rovers goalkeeper believes taking part in such sessions is beneficial to everyone at the club.

“I think it’s important for the club, the kids and the schools, but it’s also important for the lads as well to come and show an interest in the local community,” he said.

“You want to come and help where you can.

“This is without a doubt a community club and it’s a case of trying to rebuild things on the pitch and then doing things right behind the scenes.

“Things like this for the kids are massively important.”