BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes reckons his players have put down a marker for the rest of the season' following promising back to back performances against Arsenal and Everton.

Hughes has been greatly encouraged by two battling 1-1 draws against sides with designs on a top four finish.

And the Welshman insists he has already seen enough to believe that Rovers could be in line for a decent season, providing his players keep the momentum going over the next few weeks and months.

"We've had one home league game and two difficult away games, and we have shown some great signs that we are going to have a decent season," said the Rovers chief.

"We have got to maintain it, obviously, because it is a long old season but, on occasions (on Saturday), we showed what a good football side we are.

"We can cope with the physical side of the game, because that is always there in the Premier League, but we can play football as well.

"Maybe we need to learn to see the game out, and there is a little bit of frustration that we didn't do that against Everton.

"We are learning as a group of players in that respect, but we have made a good start and I am pleased with the signs I have seen in the team and the squad, and we will get better."

A win and two draws represents an encouraging start for Rovers, who have been slow out of the blocks in the previous two seasons under Hughes.

And the Rovers chief believes that can give his side the solid platform they need to mount another charge for the top six and a place in Europe again.

"We have started badly and still ended up in the top half in previous seasons, so if we can keep things going now, that could be crucial at the end of the season," said a bullish Hughes.

"We break the season up into different phases and for the first one we are ahead of things at the moment.

"We said that with the InterToto games leading into the season, the extra competitive fixtures should help us.

"Physically, it is hard and performance-wise we weren't quite up to speed in those first few games.

"But when the Premier League started, we knew we could hit the ground running."

Rovers took the lead at Goodison on Saturday, courtesy of Roque Santa Cruz's third goal of the season, but Everton then struck back to grab a point when James McFadden conjured a 78th minute equaliser.