ROVERS boss Tony Mowbray wants his side to be ready for a busy month after something of a stop-start opening to the season.

Rovers will play their first League One fixture of October at Oldham tomorrow (3pm) which is the start of five games in 17 days, with 15 points up for grabs.

Mowbray’s men recorded back to back league wins heading into the international break and the Ewood chief wants his side to keep accumulating points to keep the pressure in the top six who have all played at least one more game than Rovers.

Mowbray said: “I’ve said to the players we have an opportunity this week to put some points on the board.

“It would be nice to win football matches this week and when the catch-up games come along to add three points on to a board when not everyone is playing.

“I think we are in touching distance. Shrewsbury have had a fantastic start, picked up an unbelievable amount of points but we have to keep going ourselves, accumulating points and somewhere along the line their injuries and suspensions might kick in, they might lose a few games and confidence might drop.

“We have to be in and around to capitalise on that.

“I’m conscious it’s been stop start but I do feel the games will start running now and we have everyone fit and working hard, they have to overcome the disappointments of not being selected and be ready for the next game.”

Rovers sit seventh in the table with 19 points from 10 League One fixtures, two fewer than most of their rivals. Rovers play their games in hand against Fleetwood on October 31 and Blackpool on November 28.

And with two home games, against Plymouth and Portsmouth, to come following the trip to Oldham, Mowbray is keen to build some momentum.

He added: “Ten or 12 games in you start to look at the table, most teams have played 12, we’ve played 10.

“I’ve said before, if you’re looking at getting promotion then you should be looking at two points a game. We’re a point off that at the minute but if we win our next one then we’re bang on two points a game.

“I’m satisfied but it’s something to build on and consistency is the key to this season for us.

“I just want the players to enjoy the next challenge, the next hurdle, whoever it is, it doesn’t really matter, it’s about how we play and there are not many teams, if any, on the day who have any better footballers so apply your talent and get some points. That’s been the message.”