ROVERS, inspired by two-goal hero Rudy Gestede and man-of-the-match Ben Marshall, made it three wins on the spin with another superb second-half performance.

Just as they had done at the City Ground one week earlier, Gary Bowyer’s in-form side blew their opposition away after the break, this time thanks to a stunning free kick from Marshall and a second emphatically taken goal of the game from recalled top-scorer Gestede.

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The thoroughly deserved and ultimately comfortable victory moved Rovers, for a short time at least, up to sixth.

It was the first time they have broken into the Championship play-off places since Bowyer took over as the club’s full-time manager in May 2013.

But Rovers, who went in front through Gestede only to be pegged back by Glenn Murray’s goal on the stroke of half-time, dropped back one place to seventh after Bournemouth beat Brighton & Hove Albion in the evening clash.

After an impeccably observed minute’s silence to mark Remembrance Day, Rovers got proceedings under way on a mild afternoon at Ewood Park.

And the first chance of the match went the way of the hosts when Markus Olsson exchanged passes with Marshall down the left and fired over a cross that Gestede would have headed on target had it not been for a block by Jake Cooper.

Gestede, back in the team after his game-changing performance from the bench in last Saturday’s 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest, then sent another header well wide from an Alex Baptiste cross from the opposite flank.

Despite Rovers’ lively start it was Reading who went within inches of opening the scoring in the sixth minute when the unmarked Glenn Murray glanced Oliver Norwood’s corner on to the bar.

But Gestede made no mistake when he was presented with a headed opportunity of his own 10 minutes later.

What a well crafted goal it was, too, as Tom Cairney looked up before sweeping the ball out to the left to Marshall.

The outstanding winger cut back on to his right foot before whipping over a wonderfully inviting cross that Gestede, from around 10 yards out, thumped past Adam Federici to make it seven goals for the season.

Number eight could, and possibly should, have followed three minutes later after a close-range effort from strike-partner Jordan Rhodes deflected into his path.

But instead of taking a swing at the ball with his left foot, Gestede attempted a rabona-style effort that Federici gathered comfortably.

His over-ambition was so nearly punished by Murray 60 seconds later when the on-loan Crystal Palace frontman dragged the ball agonisingly wide from an acute angle in the box.

The Royals, buoyed by their morale-boosting 3-0 home success over basement boys Blackpool a week earlier, continued to do most of the pressing and only a brave block from Grant Hanley prevented the Burnley-born Norwood from troubling Jason Steele with a well-struck shot that deflected behind for a corner.

But, after Rhodes hooked a Gestede knockdown into the arms of Federici, Steele was forced into action, turning away a fierce half-volley from Jake Taylor after Murray capitalised on a slip from Shane Duffy.

Reading, however, were not to be denied.

Take nothing away from Jordan Obita, his left-wing cross, fizzed dangerously across the six-yard area, was a good one.

But Duffy or Steele should never have allowed the ball to reach the back post where the waiting Murray tapped it into the empty net.

Rovers replaced the injured Lee Williamson with Ryan Tunnicliffe at the interval and emerged a different side to the one that had made their way down the tunnel at the sound of the half-time whistle.

Nine minutes after the restart Marshall crossed from the left for the hard-working Rhodes, whose diving header went through the body of Federici only for the Reading goalkeeper to recover and claw the ball away before it crossed the line.

But 60 seconds later Federici was beaten by a piece of brilliance as Marshall curled a 30-yard free kick up and over the wall and down into the bottom corner.

It was his sixth goal of the campaign and it was simply unstoppable.

And, backed by a vociferous home support, now so too were Rovers.

It therefore came as no surprise, then, when they extended their lead in the 68th minute.

Again Marshall was the architect, running at Chris Gunter this way and that before crossing, this time left-footed, for Rhodes.

His powerful header came back off the post and rebounded kindly to Gestede and he did the rest, side-footing home from 10 yards to kill the contest and take his tally for the term up to eight.

Bowyer, who has led Rovers on a five-game unbeaten run, said: “It is a fantastic victory because that was a tough game.

“They are a good team, and I think they'll be up there, so for us to put in a performance like we did was fantastic.

“We were delighted to get the first goal but we conceded just before half-time with a goal that I personally I thought was coming.

“What we always do is finish very strong and I thought in the second half we kicked on superbly and scored some great goals.

“That is full credit to the players, there’s a belief about us, but we know there is still lots of football to be played.

“We now have a tough game on Tuesday away at Millwall but this sets us up nicely for it.”

Rovers: Steele, Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson, Cairney, Evans, Williamson (Tunnicliffe 46), Marshall (Conway 87), Rhodes, Gestede (Varney 81). Subs not used: Eastwood, Henley, Kilgallon, Dunn.

Booked: Evans, Varney.

Goals: Gestede 16, 68, Marshall 55.

Reading: Federici, Gunter, Pearce, Cooper, Obita, Akpan (Williams 76), Blackman, Norwood, Taylor (Mackie 61) Robson-Kanu (Cox 61), Murray. Subs not used: Andersen, Kelly, Ferdinand, Pogrebnyak.

Booked: Obita, Akpan, Cooper.

Goal: Murray 44.

Referee: Carl Boyeson.

Attendance: 14,237 (411 away).