As the R's gear up for potentially their toughest test of the season to date against promotion favourites Birmingham City on Saturday, the message from boss Iain Dowie is clear - Let's be positive.

Rangers head to St Andrews on the back of a 1-1 draw against Blackpool on Tuesday night and although Alex McLeish's men will be red-hot favourites for the lunchtime kick-off, Dowie insists his charges will be ready for the challenge.

"We're a win away from fourth spot and that's where we want to be," he told www.qpr.co.uk.

"With the exception of the Sheffield United match, we've really risen to the challenge so far this season on our travels.

"If we get it right again on Saturday, it will be a very interesting match."

Dowie will take heart from the R's last trip to the Midlands, when Rangers clinched a place in the Fourth Round of the Carling Cup thanks to a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park.

"We enjoyed our last trip to the Midlands and I'm really looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"I'm looking forward to it and I've seen enough heart and desire from my players to know we'll go there and give a good account of ourselves.

"We've gone to Norwich and played for over an hour with ten men and won - and we got a great point against Bristol City with ten men too.

"We've gone to Coventry and totally dominated the game, only to get done with a dubious penalty, so there's lots of positives to take from our recent away form."