Ethan Walker endured a frustrating start to life at Rovers but feels everything is coming together during a run of eight goals in 10 games.

The attacker has benefited from a run of start in 2023, and his two penalties helped Rovers come from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend and boost their hopes of staying in Premier League 2.

The 20-year-old joined Rovers in the summer, following in the footsteps of Tyrhys Dolan as he made the move from Preston North End, but endured an injury-hit first few months at Ewood mean it’s not until now that he’s been able to produce his best form.

That hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm however, and he believes his move to Rovers was an important one in his career as he looks to build on the promise that saw North End hand him a first-team debut as a teenager.

“I’m loving it. It’s been tough for me here, the first half of the season was tough and I was struggling to get match fit,” Walker said.

“To be getting the minutes and being involved now is brilliant and the goals add to it as a bonus.

“I feel good, I feel fit, everything is starting to come together and I’m loving it here, enjoying every minute.”

“I knew that I needed time to figure out what was wrong and what I needed to do to get back to what I’m doing now which is playing minutes and staying fit.

“Luckily everything is going to plan now and I can stay fit to the end of the season and come in pre-season and do well.”

The win over Spurs moved Rovers five clear of the dropzone with two games remaining.

While there is work still to do in the league, they also have a Lancashire Senior Cup semi-final against Burnley, and the Premier League Cup final, still to play.

Walker will look to a play a key role in that and continue his recent good form.

With Harry Leonard around the first-team in recent weeks, Walker’s opportunities have come as a central striker.

That is something of a new role for him, having played much of his career as a wide player.

“Originally I was a winger, but I’d like to think I can do a job up front,” he explained.

“I can play anywhere across the front three so wherever I’m needed to play I’m more than happy to.

“I’m learning every game, doing analysis on myself and where I can improve, what runs I need to make.

“I needed to get better at holding up the ball, that was something that was difficult for me when I first started playing as a No.9 but you have to keep on learning.”

An injury in pre-season limited Walker’s opportunity to feature in pre-season, and also any potential chance of going out on loan.

He hasn’t been short of opportunities to both impress Jon Dahl Tomasson though, nor to feature alongside more senior players..

Tomasson has used first-team players regularly in the Under-21s set-up, and Walker says that has set the standard.

He added: “Brilliant, they come down and everything they’re doing up there with the first-team they put into practice and we have to follow that.

“They will tell us if we’re not doing it right and give us that experience you would get from a first-team experience.

“It’s brilliant for us to learn and when we go up there, even if it’s just for training, we’re up to speed.”

Walker has experience of first-team football, following 17 games during a loan spell at Carlisle United, and also spells with AFC Fylde in non-league.

His focus now is on ensuring Rovers’ Premier League 2 status, and his two penalties against Spurs have gone a long way to doing that.

Boss Mike Sheron described an ‘emotional rollercoaster’ as they battle from 2-0 down at the break to win 3-2.

And Walker said: “It feels great. I think it started with the team talk at half time.

“We knew that we weren’t good enough and we needed to do more to get back into the game.

“We spoke about our individual battles and how we needed to perform better in those duels.

“Coming back and getting the first goal, it all depended on who got that, if we got that we knew that we would be back in the game and if it was them we’d have to work a little bit harder.

“Luckily we got the penalty and that got us back in the game.

“I think the players dug deep and did well.

“We ticked all the objectives that we needed to and I felt the players were excellent in the second half and didn’t let them have any time to breathe on the ball and I think we deserved the winner.”

Walker backed up assists in his previous two matches with a brace against Spurs, both from the penalty spot in the space of five minutes.

The first saw him find the corner when sending the ‘keeper the wrong way before switching centrally for the second.

“It’s just mind games,” he said of the thought process involved.

“The first penalty is where you normally go, your preference which is my left side, but waiting to see where the ‘keeper moves.

“The second penalty you have to think about more to see if he’s going to go that side.

“Going down the middle I thought was a decent decision and fortunately it paid off.”