John Eustace believes last season's 2-2 draw at Preston North End was a marker for improving Blackburn Rovers' resilience.

The draw at Deepdale was one of Eustace's first games as head coach. Rovers raced into a two-goal lead but were pegged back with two quickfire goals before half-time.

Seven months on from that meeting, Rovers have evolved into a team that has those qualities but is also a threat in the final third. 

For Eustace, that felt like a line-in-the-sand moment for his group as they battled to avoid relegation. He believes it helped to foster the 'hard-to-beat' attitude that they now have.

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"I think it was a really good marker, we were 2-0 up and then conceded twice with two quick goals," he told The Lancashire Telegraph.

"I think staying in that game cemented what we were all about. We want that fighting spirit, that never give up spirit and I think we showed that there.

"I think we have grown from there but on that day, I thought the lads stuck together in some very difficult moments. 

"When we conceded two goals before half-time, people probably thought we'd go and lose but the way they stuck together was very pleasing.

"It's early days, we are still growing as a group and still developing. As I've asked for, we need a level of consistency and being competitive.

"We have some quality in the final third which we had last year but we have more options now who have been clinical for us. It is about the players at the end of the day.

"They have bought into everything we have done and it's down to them why we have done a good start and I hope it continues.

"It's a huge game, a great one for the fans and both sets of fans."

Rovers' unbeaten start to the campaign has supporters hoping for a season at the right end of the Championship table. There is a spring in the step at the training ground and competition is through the roof in training.

It is a very different challenge from the one Eustace inherited. He insists both presented their own obstacles but the project is progressing as he'd hoped.

"You can feel the buzz around the training ground and the togetherness," he said.

"There will be difficult moments ahead but the stronger the bond is with the players, the staff, the fans, the quicker we will get out of those difficult moments.

"It's all about building, building properly and we've been doing that well up until now.

"I enjoyed it last season and the challenge we had, a different one to now. We have 10 or 11 different players that have come in and that have moved on.

"We are rebuilding but we're halfway through what I wanted to do when I came here. There will be difficult moments, some very good moments but it's important nobody gets carried away with highs or lows. In the end, I hope we'll be successful."