Carter keen to kick on after high-pressure return at Leeds

Hayden Carter is delighted to be back in the thick of the action after a “frustrating” spell on the sidelines.

The defender returned to the starting line-up at Leeds and showed no signs of rustiness as John Eustace’s men secured three precious points on the road.

“It has been a frustrating time out, I think my last game was 15 weeks ago,” he told RoversTV.

“I have been ready for a couple of weeks now and training hard to get in the gaffer’s ideas. I am really happy to be back out there and helping the team.

“It was a big win, no-one had won there this season. The character and togetherness we have got is brilliant and, personally, it was a great game to come back into.

“We knew they had an opportunity to get back into the top two so they would come out flying. We said before the game, we had to try and make the crowd quiet and I think we did that.

“Then our threat on the break, we had a couple of breaks first half and thankfully Szmods got another goal to win it for us.”

It was quite the response from a heavy defeat at Bristol City several days prior. Carter, who was an unused substitute at Ashton Gate, admitted that result was tough to take for everyone.

The 24-year-old praised his team-mates for picking themselves up quickly and showing their inner steel at Elland Road.

“We knew Wednesday night was not good enough but it shows the character,” he continued.

“We all want to win for this club and stay in this division, and one day hopefully push towards the Premier League.

“The character and determination to get blocks in - and then the frontmen to keep running all game - it shows how together we are and it was a brilliant result.”

Rovers faced waves of pressure from Leeds, who were desperate for points in the promotion race, but stood firm to protect their clean sheet.

Eustace’s men now have a five-point cushion above the relegation zone heading into the final three matches of the season.

It is another big game on Sunday when Sheffield Wednesday make the trip across the Pennines, and Carter insists Rovers cannot afford to take their foot off the gas.

“We knew they were going to throw even more men forward after we took the lead, but we stayed calm and stuck together,” said the defender.

“We didn’t lose our heads and do things that we had not been doing before the goal. Every win is huge, especially at this stage of the season.

“We have not had as many as we would have wanted this season but to get it now, when it really matters, is a big thing.

“We know we are not safe, we have three big games to go but it is a great start to these last games.”