THERE is no chance Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele will overdo it on the turkey tomorrow – not with a chance to give rivals Bolton Wanderers a rare roasting in their own back yard.

The Macron Stadium used to be a happy hunting ground for Rovers fans with their side suffering just two defeats between the ground’s opening in 1997 and November 22, 2009.

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But since that 2-0 win, which was set up by a goal from David Dunn, the Ewood Park outfit’s short journeys down the A666 have been ones to forget.

Rovers have lost their last four visits to the Macron and the bookies make Bolton favourites to make it five on Boxing Day as Neil Lennon has won four and drawn one of his first five home games in charge.

But Steele is confident Gary Bowyer’s boys can break the cycle after they rediscovered their ‘principles’ in Saturday’s 2-0 home victory over Charlton Athletic.

Jordan Rhodes netted a first-half double as Rovers banished the memory of back-to-back defeats to set themselves up perfectly for the showdown with their revitalised neighbours.

And Steele said: “I think we have fell away from our principles a little bit over the last couple of weeks and we needed a reaction.

“You could have sent anybody on Saturday and I think we’d have blown them away with the first half an hour.

“For that first half an hour we were excellent and once we got 2-0 in front it was just a case of seeing it through. We did that to a man and full credit to the boys for how hard they worked – they were absolutely fantastic.

“We are delighted but we know there’s more to come from us, we’re going to keep building and stick to the principles that make us such a strong team.

“Now Boxing Day and Bolton can’t come quick enough – it will be a very light Christmas dinner for us!

“Hopefully we can get a win and we’ll celebrate our Christmas in the summer.”

Steele could have had the deckchair out for most of Saturday’s match given Rovers’ domination and control.

But it gave the on-loan Middlesbrough stopper the chance to admire Rhodes’ finishing prowess.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on Jordan but when he’s in those one-on-one situations you could at least put half your mortgage on him,” joked Steele, for whom it was his fourth clean sheet of the campaign.

“I see it every day. We have little competitions and arguments because we’re doing set-plays and the game’s dead but he still wants to put it in the back of the net – and I want to keep it out. That’s the breed of both of us.

“To have someone like him in the squad is invaluable but also the people who work around him to create the chances. I’m sure if you asked him he’d appreciate that well.”

There is no question Rhodes does appreciate his team-mates.

His brace on Saturday hauled him up to nine for the season and moved him within three goals of strike-partner and top-corner Rudy Gestede.

And Rhodes said: “Our partnership’s going well but it’s a team effort.

“Rudy would be the first to talk about the team and the service that he gets from the wide areas too.

“It’s a real joy to play alongside Rudy but it’s not just about us two, it’s about the team.”