PAUL Lambert has urged Blackburn Rovers to play without fear in their big Boxing Day showdown with Championship leaders Middlesbrough.

Aitor Karanka’s side will arrive at Ewood Park with a daunting recent record having won five and drawn one of their last six league matches without conceding a goal.

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But Lambert wants his team to test the mettle of the table-topping Teessiders by getting at them from the off in an attempt to notch the crucial first goal.

“We know we’re in for a hard game but what a great game to play,” said the Scot, whose five-match unbeaten start to his Rovers reign came to an end last weekend.

“I’d rather have this game after the defeat to Reading. It’s better to play somebody like Middlesbrough. I don’t think the lads will need lifting for it given the position Middlesbrough are in.

“It’s got the makings of a great game. We just have to get on the front foot, play without fear, and go and do what we’ve done in the last five games.

“And if we can do that, and get our noses in front, hopefully we’ll go and win the match.

“But we’re going to have to go for them. We can’t let them settle and we can’t let them play around with the ball.

“But we know they’re a good side. They’re up there for a reason and you would expect them to be round about it come May.”

If there is a chink in Boro’s armour it is their inability to salvage points after conceding the first goal in games.

They have won just four and drawn four of the 32 matches they have gone behind in under their decorated Spanish boss Karanka.

But statistics also suggest Rovers will find it difficult to take anything from their final home game of 2015 if they let in the opening goal.

Boro have won 16 and drawn one of the 17 matches they have gone in front in this season.

That is largely down to their rock-solid defence which has kept a league best 13 clean sheets.

But Lambert has also been impressed by his own backline whose run of three straight shutouts was ended by Danny Williams’ stunning strike at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

And, ahead of Jason Steele’s reunion with his former club Boro, the Rovers boss also has words of praise for his goalkeeper.

“I think he’ll be the first to say that the lads in front of him have been excellent but Jason has made some big saves, especially the one against Nottingham Forest,” said Lambert who, like Karanka, won the Champions League in his playing days.

“With three clean sheets he’s in top form at the minute and the goal that beat him on Sunday was a wonder strike.

“The saves that Jason then made, you would have been disappointed had he not made them, so there wasn’t any cause for concern there. The only cause for concern was that we didn’t take our chances when we were on top.

“Reading were entitled to have a bit of a ball. It was a home game and it was their new manager’s first game in charge.

“But over the piece I thought we deserved something from the game, and it took a goal of that calibre to beat us.”

Corry Evans was ruled out of the reverse to Reading with a groin injury and he is rated ‘touch and go’ to return against Boro.

But, if he fails to make it, it is hoped the midfielder will be fit for Monday’s derby at Bolton Wanderers.

Lambert’s sole confirmed absentee is long-term injury victim Jason Lowe.