Harry Pickering says Rovers can’t have a ‘what if?’ mentality heading into their final two games – even if missing out on the top six would be a 'disappointment'.

Rovers host Bournemouth tomorrow knowing that a win will take their hopes of finishing in the play-off spots to the final day, irrespective of the scores elsewhere. And that is the focus of left back Pickering and the squad, despite having slipped out of the top six in a disappointing run of form in 2022.

Earlier this year this had the prospect of being a potential decider for the automatic promotion spots, but while Bournemouth remain in that particular mix, Rovers are left battling for a play-off finish.

A season’s best performance in the 4-1 win over Preston North End on Monday has given Rovers a boost heading into tomorrow’s game which will see more than 20,000 fans inside Ewood Park for only the third time since promotion from League One.

And Pickering said: “From where we where after Christmas it is a bit of a disappointment to not be higher, but we can’t see it like that

“It’s happened and we have to get on with and finish these two games strongly to try and get six points.

“We have to think about having a good chance of getting that sixth place.

“If we can go into the game confident thinking we can get there then that’s the mentality we have to have.

“We can’t be thinking ‘what if?’ and if we can play how we did on Monday then I think we have a good chance of getting a result.”

Victory over North End was only a third in 16 matches for Rovers who suffered back-to-back defeats over the Easter weekend.

It left them requiring three wins from their final three matches to be in with a chance of a top six finish, with Pickering revealing that confidence has been boosted by the manner of Monday’s win.

“Really good, a bit of relief to get that win,” he added, while also revealing he will watch the game between QPR and Sheffield United tonight.

“The performance and win, it all came together, and in the changing room we felt good and want to carry that into Saturday.

“Everything just seemed to click, the movements, the attackers and their end product, it all came together.”

Rovers’ best result of the season was the 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium in December. That was part of their six-game winning run to end 2021 that catapulted them into the automatic promotion spots.

And while Pickering knows the level of test the Cherries will provide, he says Rovers will take belief from that previous meeting.

He said: “Bournemouth are a really good team, really good attacking players, but we’ve beaten them once this season so hopefully we can play like that and beat them again.

“That result gave everyone a lift, the atmosphere, the result, everything clicked and hopefully we can get the same again.”

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