BLACKBURN skipper Barry Ferguson today hailed Saturday's 2-0 victory at Fulham as Rovers' best performance of the season so far.

Ferguson and his Blackburn team-mates were simply outstanding at Craven Cottage as Rovers won an away game for the first time since April 24.

Paul Gallagher and Paul Dickov got the all-important goals as Rovers secured only their second league win of the season.

That result not only lifted Mark Hughes' side out of the bottom three, it also extended their unbeaten run to five matches.

And Ferguson believes the only way is up for a Rovers team that is steadily growing in confidence under Hughes' leadership.

"I think that's been coming for a while," said Ferguson.

"The last three or four performances have been really good and we were just waiting to get that result.

"That was one of our best performances of the season. We're now five games unbeaten and during those last five games, I think we've shown what a good team we can be.

"If the gaffer can bring in three or four players to strengthen us even more then it's looking good for us. The only way is up."

Rovers never looked back from the moment Gallagher fired them into a 10th minute lead - his second goal in as many appearances.

After that, Fulham struggled to live with the tempo Rovers set and Hughes' side finished the game looking fitter and stronger in every department.

"That's the way Mark Hughes likes us to play," said Ferguson.

"Since he's been at the club, his philosophy has been to go out and attack and that's what we've been doing in the last four or five games.

"One of the first things he said when he came in was we weren't fit enough so training has been really hard ever since but that's the way I like it and it's been enjoyable as well.

"As a team we've been feeling strong in the last 15 minutes of games and I think that's starting to show on the pitch."

In the meantime, Hughes is delighted with the way his players have responded to his new training methods.

"We've changed a lot of things and the players have been very receptive to what we have done," said Hughes.

"We've changed things off the field as well as on it and they've taken that on board because they can see we are trying to make them the best we can be.

"That's probably why we've had the response we've had."