Tony Mowbray says his demands on his players have remained the same during a run of five matches unbeaten as they did in their previous poor form.

Rovers have taken 13 points from the last 15 available after Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Swansea City and they travel to Bristol City tomorrow afternoon with confidence high.

Their recent run has moved them in to the top half of the Championship, having sat 17th in the November international break.

But Mowbray, who maintained belief in his side even in their poor run, says hard work is all he will continue to ask of his players who have started to turn the fine margins in their favour to clock up four wins and a draw from their last five matches.

“I talk to my team on a human level. The only time I ever get angry with them is if I don’t feel they’ve given me everything they’ve got,” said Mowbray.

“It’s great when you get rewards. When you don’t, nothing really changes. I still look them in the eye and ask them to keep working hard and do the same things.

“That’s what they’ve done and managed to turn it around.

“It’s only fine margins. We haven’t been winning 4-0 every week, we’ve been beating teams by the odd goal and earlier on, for a month or so, those games were going against us and we were losing 1-0 or 2-1.

“Now we’re winning 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 and that’s credit to the hard work they’re putting in.”

Rovers face a Bristol City fourth in the Championship under head coach Lee Johnson.

Mowbray is an admirer of the Robins, and their continued growth, and knows Rovers face a tough test this afternoon.

He added: “They’re a club that’s growing. I’ve tried to talk about growing Blackburn Rovers and I think Bristol City have done that over the last four years.

“Their squad seems to get stronger. They don’t spend millions, they did on their stadium of course and I felt that was a genuine help for them, with the atmosphere.

“That turned in that game last year when they equalised and their fans, and the noise they generate is a massive bonus for them.

“I think they have some good players of course, and they must have some money.

“We had Kasey Palmer on loan last year and knew what his salary level was at Chelsea, yet they have done a permanent deal. I don’t know how much he’s given up on his salary but they will be paying him pretty well I would suggest.

“They’re a team that Lee has got growing. He’s working away with some good players, I like some of their players, they have some good footballers.

“It’s a dangerous game for us, they have some talented players. It’s a challenge and one we’re looking forward to.”