Rovers have ‘achieved nothing’ and must stay the right side of the confidence line in a bid to continue their run of form, according to Tony Mowbray.

The halfway mark will be reached after tomorrow’s home game with Birmingham City and Rovers will do so in at least fourth place, irrespective of their result or those elsewhere.

Rovers have cemented their position in the top six with four consecutive wins, and seven in their previous nine matches, to become the division’s form team.

Yet Mowbray is eager to ensure that no-one is getting carried away with the league position, or run of results, instead focusing on the next challenge and maintaining the hard work that has been key to their recent form.

“Confidence is a fine balancing act that can tip over sometimes so you have to keep your eye on where you are and reminding them how tough the next challenge is going to be,” the Rovers boss said.

“You have to keep re-setting your players’ focus.

“Are they confident? Yes. Do they believe they can work as hard as any team in this league and that opposition will feel they have been in a game? Yes.

“There are individuals within our team that can hurt the opposition at times so the balance is alright at the moment.

“It’s important to keep grounded, work hard, we’ve achieved nothing, we’re not even halfway yet.

“Let’s play the next match and see where it takes us and trying to pick up points if we can.”

Rovers were impressive in their win at Bournemouth, which included a fourth straight clean sheet, as they became only the third side to beat the Cherries this seaon.

Mowbray felt it would always be a test of his players’ application and concentration, with a workrate off the ball essential against one of the division’s best attacking sides.

However, only leaders Fulham have now cored more league goals than Rovers, yet it was their defensive display that was particularly pleasing for the manager.

He added: “The physical output was the best from the team en masse.

“Focus, testing themselves, concentration, that is what we asked them.

“We asked them to test themselves against one of the best teams in the league and I thought they applied themselves really well.

“If we had got beaten with 32 per cent possession then it might have left us open for criticism, not positive enough, not on the front foot enough, but you have to have game-plans and decide how you’re going to play.

“The players were immense with their application and their concentration was really good.

“It was a really good result. On the day everything went well for us.”