PAUL Downing was quick to share the credit for his run of clean sheets with skipper Charlie Mulgrew as Rovers claimed a 3-0 win over Portsmouth at Ewood Park.

The win was enough to move Tony Mowbray’s side back in to the top six of League One as they chalked up a seventh win, and sixth clean sheet, of the season.

Downing was back in the side after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury and has now helped Rovers to four shut-outs in the four matches he has played.

The last three of those have been alongside Mulgrew and the MK Dons loanee is hoping they can forge a strong partnership in the heart of the defence.

“Long may it continue,” Donwing said of his impressive run of clean sheets.

“We looked solid, they didn’t have too many chances and as long as I keep doing my job we will take each game as it comes.

“I am enjoying my football here and I want to keep improving, I’ve got a long way to go and it’s about improving on the training pitch and taking that in to the games.

“With Charlie, he’s such an experienced player and he’s helping me a lot at the back.

“Hopefully we can get a settled back four now, I was disappointed to get injured and I can put that point behind me and we can keep improving and keep winning.

“Credit to the medical department, they worked really hard with me and I managed to get back pretty quickly from the injury I had and it’s about strengthening that each day and making sure I’m fit and firing for each game.”

Downing started the 3-0 win at Rochdale on September 9 as well as the back-to-back home wins over Rotherham United and Gillingham last month.

A hamstring injury picked up in the closing stages of the Gills win ruled him out of the last two games, but he was pleased to be back in the side against Pompey

The 25-year-old signed minutes before the transfer window closed in August, and of his start to life at Rovers, Downing added: “When I played that first game at Rochdale I said that it was important to get that one out of the way.

“It all happened so quickly on deadline day but feels a long time ago now.

“Credit to the lads and the staff, they have been really welcoming with me and I’m enjoying it, coming in every day and working and improving.”

Goals from Bradley Dack, Danny Graham and Craig Conway were enough to give Rovers a comfortable win and Downing is hoping they can now build on that after two disappointing results prior to that.

“I thought we played well and it was a good team performance,” he said.

“We dug in at times, worked hard and scored some good goals.

“It was a big week, nine points to play for, and we only got four so we’re disappointed with that.

“The game on Tuesday I thought the lads played really well and we should have won that one.

“Hopefully we can get some confidence from that, we played well, the lads that came on and did well and there’s competition for places and hopefully we can go on a run.”