JORDAN Rhodes has hailed strike partner Nuno Gomes as “incredible” after the pair helped to fire Blackburn Rovers to the top of the Championship on Saturday.

The big-money striker scored his first two goals for the club in a thrilling 5-3 win at Bristol City, Rovers’ first win at Ashton Gate for more than 100 years, and then gave all the praise to Nuno Gomes.

The Portuguese striker scored Rovers second goal and linked up well with Rhodes throughout, something the £8m man was quick to recognise as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

Ruben Rochina and Scott Dann were also on target for the visitors as some poor defending made hard work of a game they should have won convincingly.

Rhodes said: “It was a really good ball from Nuno for my first goals and he had a really good game. He is a joy to play just in front of.

“He can see things and do things that are just incredible at times. It takes the breath away watching that.

“He managed to find me and I slid the ball down the side of the keeper.

“He is very creative but so are the other lads.

“I try to do my best. In any game, no matter what stage, I will give 100 per cent.

“There is no better feeling than scoring goals and that is what I like doing.

“It is just pleasing to get the three points. We came from behind, it was a rollercoaster, but it was a lot of fun to be part of it.”

Rhodes has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past two years, rising from the lower leagues to being a fully fledged Scottish international.

The former Huddersfield man is refusing to get carried away though and insists he will continue doing what he does best.

He said: “It is a huge honour when you walk out at Hampden Park, never did I think I would be playing for Scotland when I am still eligible for the under 21s.

“It has been a whirlwind. I have not sat down and had any time to think about anything.

“I have had to go off the cuff and pretend everything is quite normal and try to live my life and be me.

“I will just try to improve and get better and make myself the person I want to be in the future “I have been away with Grant Hanley over the past 10 days, I have played two games and had three training sessions. It has been terrific the welcome I have got and the lads have really helped me.

“It is a massive challenge but one we will relish and want to be a part of. We will just go out, give our all for Blackburn Rovers and hopefully we come away with the results.

“We will give it our best shot and see where it takes us.”

Scotland boss Craig Levein, however, insisted at the weekend that Rhodes is not yet ready to start games for his country.

“In the lead up to the Serbia game all the talk in the papers and on radio was about Jordan Rhodes,” Levein said. “Listen, Jordan isn’t ready to play international football. He’s not.

“Jordan has been built up to this kind of status and the danger for me is he’s getting way over-hyped and that might damage his confidence. It was unusual for there to be a such a clamour for a young boy to play. It was beyond normal.

“The fact somebody has paid £8m for him is their opinion. In my opinion he’s not ready yet to start every game for us.

“It’s easier for me to pick players who are playing at a higher level.”

Markus Olsson (hamstring) and Gael Givet (burst blood vessel in leg) are expected to miss Rovers’ home game against Barnsley tomorrow.