EWOOD boss Graeme Souness is calling on fans to be patient as Rovers go in search of their fifth straight league victory against struggling Stockport at Ewood tomorrow.

With County desperate for points at the foot of the table, Souness expects Andy Kilner to adopt a defensive formation.

So he is pleading with fans to play their part in helping his side break them down.

"Our fans will have a big part to play tomorrow," said Souness.

"Teams will come and try to be negative in an attempt to turn our fans against us.

"But I'm asking our supporters to be patient like they were at Huddersfield last week where I thought they were magnificent.

"Of course supporters want to see the ball in the opposition goalmouth all the time.

"But sometimes you have to make a square pass or even go backwards in order to do that.

"Stockport will come to Ewood and make life difficult for us.

"So it's going to be a different challenge to the one we faced at Huddersfield last week.

"But we know what we have to do and it's a vital game with two away trips coming up."

Matt Jansen is unlikely to feature tomorrow while Damien Duff and James Thomas are still 10 days away from a return.

But Stig Inge Bjornebye is back in the squad after missing the last two games with an ankle injury.

Rovers are expected to choose from: Filan, Curtis, Bjornebye, Berg, Short, Flitcroft, Dunn, Johnson, Carsley, McAteer, Hughes, Hignett, Ostenstad, Kenna, Dailly, Dunning, Taylor, Kelly.

Meanwhile, Stockport boss Andy Kilner has a major headache in the goalkeeping department ahead of tomorrow's clash.

Regular number one Carlo Nash has been ruled out through suspension and his deputy, Lee Jones, has not trained all week because of 'flu.

That could mean a rare start for third choice stopper Andy Dibble although the former Manchester City star is struggling with a calf strain.

Sean Connelly (hernia), Grant Brebner (knee), and Alan Bailey (hamstring) are also virtual non-starters.

Kilner will choose from: Jones, Nicholson, Flynn, Tod, Gibb, Cooper, Moore, Wiss, Smith, Clark, Wilbraham, Turner, Bergersen, Woodthorpe, Lawson, Maxwell, Clare, Dibble.