Cole Skuse insists Bristol City must beat Doncaster Rovers at Ashton Gate today before they can talk of "turning a corner."

A restorative three-match unbeaten run has served to steady the ship and ease immediate fears of a relegation battle.

But City remain midway between the play-off and relegation zones and midfielder Skuse says it is too early to talk in terms of a recovery.

He said: "We've had two draws and a win in our last three games and that's a big improvement on what went before," said the Bristolian, who suffered along with his team-mates during an alarming sequence of eight games without victory which saw the Robins slide down the Championship table.

"I don't think we can say we've turned a corner until we've beaten Doncaster.

"If we manage to take the three points, we can then look back at the previous four games and say we've had a decent return. We'll be back in the top half of the table, in credit and looking up rather than down."

But Skuse is taking nothing for granted against one of the Championship's more unfashionable teams.

Doncaster inflicted a 1-0 defeat upon City at the Keepmoat Stadium in December and Sean O'Driscoll's side boasts one of the most effective goalscorers in the second tier in the form of Billy Sharp.

"You wouldn't put Doncaster up there as one of the bigger clubs in this league, but that is not to say they are any weaker," contended Skuse.

"People will be expecting us to beat them at home, but that is a dangerous way to think and we cannot afford to be complacent in any way.

"Doncaster are a very good football side, who retain possession, move the ball quickly and look to get at you. We're going to have to work very hard, especially in midfield, to close them down, put them under pressure and ensure we have enough possession to impose our game on theirs'."

Of Sharp, he said: "He's an obvious threat. He scored the goal that beat us at their place earlier in the season and he's a player you have to keep an eye on. It's important we stay close to him and try and cut out the service from the flanks and the middle of the park. If we don't, he can hurt us."

Recalling last season's 4-1 demolition of Doncaster at Ashton Gate, Skuse said: "It's about time we gave someone a tanking and won a game by three or four goals.

"Just because it happened the last time we played Doncaster at home, does not mean it will happen again.

"But if it did, it would bring the confidence flooding back and enable us to look up rather than over our shoulders at the teams below us."