BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes has vowed to eradicate the sloppy defensive errors that are undermining the club's survival chances.

Rovers appeared to be heading for a seventh Premiership defeat of the season at the hands of Birmingham City yesterday after some sloppy defending allowed the Blues to race into a 3-1 half-time lead.

However, a determined second half fight-back - led by the outstanding David Thompson - saw Rovers rescue a point in the end.

Hughes was full of praise for his side's battling qualities afterwards but the Rovers chief has warned his players they must tighten up defensively if they want to start climbing the table.

"Our defending in the first half was nowhere near the standard it needs to be at this level," said Hughes.

"I've been pleased with that (aspect of our game) over the last few weeks.

"We've generally looked a lot stronger defensively but today some of the old habits we've been trying to eradicate resurfaced again.

"The players are aware of them and they're working hard to try and cut them out but sometimes they just lose concentration and that can cost you at this level, as we found to our cost."

Rovers had made a dream start, breaking the deadlock after just four minutes courtesy of Matt Jansen's second goal of the season.

But instead of building on that platform, Rovers caved in defensively and Darren Anderton, Robbie Savage and David Dunn - on his return to Ewood - exploited the gaps to fire Birmingham into what looked like an unassailable 3-1 interval lead.

"We need to address the defensive lapses we are having," said Hughes.

"It's a combination of things. It's not just down to the defenders.

"It's the communication between the defenders and midfield players, and making sure that everyone keeps their shape.

"At times in the first half we were too loose and the gaps between the units were too wide."

A couple of canny substitutions from Hughes helped to turn the game on its head in the second half.

Paul Gallagher's introduction immediately after the break gave Rovers fresh impetus up front.

However, it was the arrival of Thompson in midfield that made all the difference.

The former Liverpool player fashioned a goal for Steven Reid to make it 3-2, then his clever pass led to an equaliser for Gallagher six minutes later.

"I've got to give credit to the players - they showed great qualities to get back into the game in the second half," said Hughes.

"We got on the front foot a Hell of a lot more than we did in the first half and really drove with the ball and asked questions of Birmingham, which we hadn't done for virtually the whole of the first half.

"If we'd just given ourselves a defensive platform, we could have won that game but, in the circumstances, we'll take what we've got."

Those thoughts were also echoed by Paul Dickov, the Rovers striker who could have won it late on but for Maik Taylor's last-ditch save.

"I think we should have won it," said the Scot.

"I had a great chance in the last minute and I'm disappointed that I didn't put it away.

"But I think we've got to take a lot of credit for the second half performance."