JASON Lowe believes Blackburn Rovers’ trip to Derby County next weekend has become a ‘must-win’ game as he sets his sights on climbing back into the promotion shake-up.

Rovers’ academy product is part of the England Under-21 squad for the first leg of the Euro 2013 championship play-offs against Serbia in Norwich this evening.

With the second leg in Serbia on Tuesday, Lowe has a big few days ahead but knows Rovers also face a crucial period in their own Championship campaign.

After next Saturday’s trip to Derby County’s Pride Park, managerless Rovers entertain Sheffield Wednesday and Watford at the end of this month.

Lowe, 20, said: “Wolves was a disappointing result but we have to pick ourselves up and go again. It is a must-win.

“You could see the fans, you could feel the atmosphere before the game, it was more vibrant. But then we have to perform and it was a nip and tuck game but you have to stay in it.

“We should be winning those games but we need to regroup, go again and the next one is a must-win. There is plenty of time to regroup and freshen up. Three big, big games ahead. Derby is a good one to bounce back with.”

Rovers are now without a win in four games and have dropped out of the Championship play-off places after a solid start to the season.

The Ewood Park outfit have only lost two league games so far this campaign but performances have done little to impress.

“I didn’t think there was a lot in the Wolves game,” Lowe told Roversplayer. “You just have to keep plugging away when it is like that. It is a soft goal to concede.

“Sometimes we are thinking what do we need to do? We have changed the formation the last couple of games and in the first half at Nottingham Forest I thought we were pretty dominant. “We will keep plugging away and at some point it will click. We have too many quality players in the side for it not to.

“We will keep working and come back stronger.

“It is tight up there. Ideally we want to be in the top two. It is very, very tight and if you can put two or three wins together, which is easier said than done, it can change. You can’t fault the lads for their effort.

“Everyone is giving everything but maybe we aren’t getting the rub of the green. I thought we should have had a penalty against Wolves and Forest. You can’t use them as an excuse though because we didn’t create enough in open play.

“There is plenty of work to do on the training ground.”