JORDAN Rhodes believes Blackburn Rovers can use a hectic festive period as a Championship turning point as he looks for momentum to breathe new life into their ailing promotion push.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Blackpool was Rovers’ fourth defeat in their last five matches as they slipped to 15th in the table, seven points adrift of the play-off places.

The weekend’s visit of Brighton is the first of four matches in the space of 10 days and, as Rovers look for just their second win under boss Henning Berg, Rhodes knows the importance of finding that ‘winning mentality’.

The Lancashire Telegraph understands that the expected backroom changes at Ewood Park have now been put on hold until January, with former Aston Villa coach Kevin MacDonald still a target for Berg.

Rhodes said: “The season is not even half way through yet, there are going to be lots of twists and turns along the way.

“There are going to be teams who are not in it at the moment in it by the end and teams that will hope for promotion that might not even be in the top six at the moment.

“You only have to look at Reading last season. “There are plenty of points up for grabs still, there are plenty of games to play and we just have to enjoy it between now and the end of the season.

“You look at Reading’s form last season, where they came from nowhere to get promoted. Winning breeds a positive mentality. “It is an important Christmas period coming up and going into the New Year it would be nice to pick up a head of steam coming into the play off time.

“There are a lot of points on offer in a very short space of time. “It has to be up to us to be on our toes, on our best physical game and to try and do the best we can. “The games are coming thick and fast and that is a good chance for us. We have to have the mentality that there are a lot of points up for grabs and that is a good chance for us to turn it round.”

Rhodes has scored 11 goals in 19 games since since signing for Rovers from Huddersfield for £8million in August.

While Rovers falter in the wrong half of the table, level on points with his former Terriers’ team-mates, Rhodes insists he still has no regrets about his big-money switch.

He said: “I am really enjoying my time here. “It is a fantastic club, with good people, good players and good staff. It is a joy to be around and it is a pleasure working with some of the players.

“We have a good chance to put things right and that is starting with Brighton on Saturday. That is what we are going to have to do.

“The results haven’t been too great of late but we just have to work as hard as we can and try to turn things around and try and get the results we believe we can get.

“We have been playing alright at times and not picking up the wins. We will take a couple of scruffy performances, a couple of bad games but staying tight and getting the wins.”