BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Corry Evans is ready to hand club and country a fitness boost.

And before the season is out the Northern Ireland international is set to be joined in the Rovers starting line-up by Jason Lowe.

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Evans was sidelined for two weeks after going under the knife to solve a niggling groin injury.

But the 25-year-old has started running again and he is expected to return to full training next week.

That should lead Evans to being available for Rovers’ final six games of the campaign.

And in turn that would enable the former Manchester United youngster to be match fit for his country’s historic participation at Euro 2016.

Rovers boss Paul Lambert’s midfield options are also poised to be swelled by the return of Lowe.

The Academy graduate has made not a first-team appearance since August 28 after undergoing a second operation on his foot.

But Lowe has come through two under-21 games unscathed and he continues to impress the coaching staff in training.

Now Lambert wants to see the 24-year-old in the heat of Championship combat.

And, while Saturday’s derby clash with Preston End North will come too soon for Lowe, the plan is to give him game time before the end of the campaign.

Lowe and Evans, along with suspended captain Grant Hanley, are set to be Lambert’s sole absentees for the visit of the Lilywhites to Ewood Park.

Hanley played the full match as Scotland beat Denmark 1-0 at Hampden Park on Tuesday.

On the same night the fit-again Lee Williamson played the first 45 minutes as Jamaica lost their World Cup qualifier in Costas Rica 3-0.

On Monday Adam Henley came off the bench to win his second Wales cap in their 1-0 defeat in Ukraine while Darragh Lenihan captained Republic of Ireland U21s in their 3-1 loss in Slovenia.

Rovers’ entire international contingent, which also included Shane Duffy, Matt Grimes and Tony Watt, will be back at Brockhall this morning as preparations continue for the lunchtime showdown with Preston.

Lambert’s side will go into the game on the back of a 1-0 win at Brentford before the international break which hauled them nine points clear of the relegation places.

The Rovers manager admits that is still aware of the danger of ‘sleepwalking’ back into trouble.

But he insists his sole intention has always been to try and win as many matches as possible between now and the end of the season.

Lambert said: “I have never worried about relegation. I’ve just tried to win games.

“I don’t look over my shoulder but at the same time I know it’s there and it’s dangerous not to sleep walk into it.

“But I’ve always thought, ‘let’s have a good end to the season and let’s enjoy our football.

“And we have been doing that. There were the big games against Burnley, Middlesbrough and Derby County where I thought we should have taken at least more points than what we did.

“But I knew we were playing and it was just a matter of turning that into wins.

“We did against Brentford and if we keep doing that then we will climb the table further.”