BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer admitted it is going to be hard to leave Simon Eastwood out again after he produced another Middlesbrough wonder show.

The goalkeeper was called into Bowyer’s line-up for yesterday’s 0-0 Ewood Park draw as the rules of Jason Steele’s season-long loan from Boro prevented him from playing against his former club.

And, just he had done in the reverse clash between the sides last month, Eastwood at times single-handedly kept Aitor Karanka’s high flyers at bay.

The 25-year-old was not as busy as he was at the Riverside Stadium but his string of stops in the opening period, including two stunning ones from Adam Reach, ensured the first half, and ultimately the game, ended even.

Bowyer joked: “Mr Karanka’s just offered £200million for him.

“Easty’s done brilliantly for us again.”

Steele was brought straight back into the team after he was also forced to sit out the 1-1 draw at Boro on November 29.

But when asked if he could drop Eastwood again Bowyer, whose side head to Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup on Saturday, said: “I might not have to.

“He’s played two games and we haven’t lost so that’s something for me to look at.”

Boro boss Karanka is sick of the sight of Eastwood – and Rovers keepers in general.

In last season’s Riverside encounter between the teams the now out-of-favour Paul Robinson made save after save as Rovers returned to East Lancashire with a 0-0 draw.

And Karanka said: “It should be three (points).

“Again it’s the same story when we play against Blackburn. I’ve been here for one year and we have played against them three times and three times the man of the match was the keeper.

“I don’t know if it’s a coincidence. We’ve had not a lot of chances and haven’t played much better than them but we’ve had three or four clear chances to score today.

“This season it was Eastwood, last season it was Robinson, but it was our mistakes, not just the keeper. The keeper is in the goal to save the ball but it was our mistakes today.”

The draw moved Boro up to third and within one point of the automatic promotion places.

And, fresh from seeing his side thrash Nottingham Forest 3-0 at home on Boxing Day, Karanka said: “After the game on Friday today was a difficult game. Six different players were not the same.

“We were excited after the game on Friday but after this game today I’m very pleased with the effort from my players. It’s difficult to play two games in 48 hours.

“After the game I can think I was right in some of them and wrong in some of them. We have to learn and think of the future.

“We’re now in December and we have to keep going in the same way.”

It was Boro’s 11th clean sheet of the campaign, which is more than any other side in the Championship.

It was Rovers’ fifth and second in succession at home.