RUDY Gestede admits he is in the best goalscoring form of his life.

But the red-hot Rovers striker was quick to pay tribute to the role Ben Marshall played in his decisive double strike in Saturday’s 3-1 home victory over Reading.

Gestede’s brilliantly taken brace hauled him up to eight for the season and means he has now netted 20 goals in 35 appearances since making a permanent £200,000 move to Ewood Park in January.

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But the Rovers top-scorer had no problems with missing out on the man-of-the-match award against the Royals.

Instead it went to ‘flying’ winger Marshall who took his own tally for the term up to six with a fantastic free kick as well as setting up Gestede for his first goal and playing a major part in his second.

“Ben deserved it,” said the Benin international, who originally joined Rovers on loan from Cardiff City in November last year.

“He scored one goal and we can give him two assists as well as he created the chance that led to my second goal.

“He’s flying at the moment, giving goals and assists, and he can beat anybody on the pitch.

“He’s quick with his feet and he scores goals so he’s a big weapon for us.”

The same could be said of Gestede who has notched 17 goals in his last 24 outings for Rovers.

As well as the supply he has been receiving, the 26-year-old believes a big reason for his hot streak is down to the faith shown in him by Gary Bowyer and his coaching staff.

“I think I’m in the best (goalscoring) form of my career,” said Gestede, who netted nine goals in 63 appearances, 48 of which came as a substitute, for former club Cardiff.

“When I joined Blackburn it was the first time in my career that I’ve been in the starting team every week so I thank the staff for this.

“They’ve put great trust in me and I want to pay them back.”

Rovers’ win over Reading was their third on the spin and leaves them in seventh in the standings, just two points off second spot, going into tomorrow’s trip to Millwall.

Gestede said: “It was good to make it three wins in a row.

“We knew we could do it but we have showed it now and hopefully we can keep going like this and keep working hard.

“We know we can score goals against any team and at any time, so we knew when they came back into the game before half-time we were going to score again.”

Gestede was recalled to Rovers boss Bowyer’s starting line-up on Saturday after his game-changing performance from the bench in the 3-1 victory at Nottingham Forest.

Ryan Tunnicliffe was the player to miss out.

But the on-loan midfielder was thrust into action after Lee Williamson came off at half-time.

Bowyer said: “Willo had a little bit of a niggle in his groin.

“Ryan was very unlucky not to have started but it just shows you have to be prepared mentally and get over the disappointment, like he was.

“I thought he responded magnificently again when he came on.”