Roberts believes in McCarthy link

Jason Roberts, in his fourth season at Ewood, has scored 20 goals for Rovers

Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts believes he and Benni McCarthy have both pushed their claims for places in the first-team starting line-up.

Roberts scored twice after the pair came off the bench at half time in the 3-1 win over Portsmouth.

"I'm quite confident in what I can do," Roberts, 31, told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Since the manager arrived, when he's used me and Benni we've scored a lot of goals. If you look at our record, it's quite impressive."

McCarthy and Roberts bagged an eye-catching eight goals between them last winter in Sam Allardyce's first six games as boss.

But, until Saturday, when McCarthy helped set up Roberts' second goal, they had managed just one as a strike partnership since January.

"I've not been in the side for a while, so it was nice to get out there and get a good reception from the fans," said Roberts. "I enjoyed getting on the scoresheet as well.

"You're always frustrated when you're not playing and I'm one of the worst for feeling like that.

"But I've been playing at this level for a long time and I know what I'm capable of."

Grenada international Roberts joined Blackburn from Wigan for £3m in July 2006, since when he has hit 20 goals in his 95 appearances, 39 of them from the bench.