TOP-SCORER Jordan Rhodes came back to haunt his former club once again as he made it seven goals in five matches to fire outstanding Rovers to a second straight home victory.

Rhodes has now scored six goals in six games against Ipswich after he netted twice inside five first-half minutes.

And the man of the match went desperately close to completing his hat-trick in a more closely fought second half.

But despite the Tractor Boys’ improvement after the break, they were unable to find the net for the first time in 22 league games as Rovers, who will go into the international break unbeaten in four, recorded their third straight clean sheet at Ewood Park.

Gary Bowyer’s side were superb in the opening period, both with and without the ball, and they took the lead in the 12th minute.

The excellent Ben Marshall saw a penalty shout turned down when his shot appeared to hit an Ipswich hand in the crowded box.

But the ball broke back to Hope Akpan and the recalled midfielder drove into the area where he went down under a challenge from Larsen Toure.

This time Andre Marriner did point to the spot and Rhodes, as cool as you like, did the rest, sending Dean Gerken the wrong way to score for the fifth match running.

Lancashire Telegraph:

And the red-hot striker doubled his tally for the afternoon four minutes later with a wonderful finish.

Set-piece specialist Craig Conway swung over a corner from the left and Rhodes showed masterly movement to get away from his marker before glancing a magnificent header into the top corner.

It was Conway’s third assist of the season and his 29th since August 2013 – no-one in the Championship made more during that time.

And two would have become three in the 23rd minute had it not been for a linesman’s flag.

Conway played the ball in from the left toward Rhodes, who showed great awareness to touch it around the corner to the marauding Markus Olsson, who thought he had marked his 100th appearance for Rovers with his second goal for the club.

But the left-back’s fine first-time lob, at the end of a flowing move, was ruled out.

With Rovers working relentlessly when not in possession, a significantly second best Ipswich team did not test Jason Steele until the 44th minute when he turned Daryl Murphy’s long-range effort around the upright.

By that stage Conway had saw one attempt blocked behind and another fizz past the post. The winger also delivered another inviting corner that captain Grant Hanley headed just wide.

Rhodes came within a whisker of putting the game beyond doubt in the 61st minute.

After winning the ball in midfield, Corry Evans surged forward and slipped it into the path of the Scotland international, whose brilliant curling 20-yard shot came back off the post.

The Tractor Boys, who by now had four forwards on the field, then went close themselves.

Steele saved from Freddie Sears after he got the better of Adam Henley on the byline and then flew to his left to prevent a 35-yard Luke Chambers piledriver from finding the top corner.

Then it was the turn of Gerken to be called into action, denying Henley one-on-one after Evans had split open the defence with a fine threaded through pass.

Lancashire Telegraph:

And the Ipswich goalkeeper made an even better stop nine minutes from time, throwing himself to his right to prevent another expert Rhodes header, from a Conway free kick, from nestling in the bottom corner.

Steele then made another important save, from Jonathan Parr at the back post, after Hanley had tried unsuccessfully to shepherd the ball out of play.

Rovers: Steele, Henley, Duffy, Hanley, Olsson, Marshall, Evans, Akpan, Conway, Lawrence (Williamson 90), Rhodes. Subs not used: Raya, Spurr, Delfouneso, Taylor, Petshi, Lenihan.

Booked: Henley, Evans.

Goals: Rhodes 12pen, 16.

Ipswich: Gerken, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Parr, Skuse, Douglas, Maitland-Niles (Pitman 59), Toure (McGoldrick 53), Murphy (Oar 82), Sears. Subs not used: Bialkowski, Malarczyk, Emmanuel, Bru.

Booked: Larsen, Maitland-Niles, Berra.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Attendance: 12,672 (642 away).