AS the search begins for a new Blackburn Rovers goalscoring hero Ben Marshall’s need to replace Jordan Rhodes is more immediate.

“He was my roomy,” said Marshall, who was left home alone before last Saturday’s FA Cup win at Oxford United after Rhodes headed up to Teeside to complete his transfer to today’s opponents Middlesbrough.

“It was a dark place in the hotel room last Friday night. I had a couple of nightmares which I’ve not had since I was about five.

“I’m going to have to find a new roomy. So if anyone fancies it, just let me know.”

Marshall is jesting, of course.

However he knows it will be hard to fill the void left by the man who will pull on the red of Middlesbrough for the first time this afternoon against the club he has just left and where he notched 85 goals in 169 games.

But Marshall reckons three of Rovers’ January transfer window arrivals can step into Rhodes’ shoes.

“We were quite close and, on a personal note, I’m happy for Jordan and I’m sure he will kick on, but from a footballing point of view it’s a big loss,” said Marshall who scored either side of Tony Watt’s debut goal in the 3-0 success over Oxford.

“But we’ve got to look forward now and I’m sure Tony Watt, Danny Graham and the other lads who have come in can fill his boots.

“Simeon was brilliant on Saturday. He held the ball up, ran in behind, and was good to play with. I thought he was outstanding.

“We know what Tony’s about from playing against him. We knows he’s a threat and he can go on to be a top player.

“And obviously we know what Danny Graham’s about. Hopefully they can all combine to get the goals that Jordan brought.”

Even before Rhodes’ on-off move to Middlesbrough was completed on Monday night there has been a need for Rovers to share the goalscoring load.

Marshall, though, is beginning to step up to plate.

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The winger-turned-full-back’s third penalty of the season and stunning free kick against Oxford took his tally for the term up to four.

That means, with the 11-goal Rhodes gone, he is now Rovers’ leading marksman going into the instant reunion with their former top-scorer.

“It’s not as easy to score playing at right-back but taking free kicks and penalties are a good chance for me to do so,” said Marshall.

“I feel confident taking them at the moment and hopefully I’ll stay on them.”

For now Marshall looks set to remain a right-back despite the fact that Rovers boss Paul Lambert still feels, long-term, his best position is further up the field.

“I just do what I’m told,” said the versatile former England Under-21 international.

“But I do like right-back, I enjoy the role, and at the moment, I’m doing well there and I’ve managed to score a few goals from there, so I don’t see why I should change.”

Thanks in the main to Marshall’s expertly taken brace against Oxford, Rovers will head to high-flying Middlesbrough today aiming to record their first league victory in eight matches, but paradoxically also extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to four.

Marshall believes the professional win over League Two giant-killers Oxford was not only their best of the season so far but also their sweetest.

“We were aware they were the favourites and I think there were a few comments from them, I don’t know, maybe a bit out of their league,” said the 24-year-old.

“But at the end we showed why they’re playing in League Two and we’re playing in the Championship. It was nice to show to them that we’re not just an average team. For me it was the best performance we’ve had all season.

“We’re doing well in the FA Cup but we’ve got to start doing it in the league.”