BLACKBURN Rovers must bridge a massive nine-point gap if they are still to make the promotion play-offs and manager Tony Parkes admitted after last night's 1-0 defeat by rivals Birmingham: "We are desperate for a win now."

Parkes knows that the odds are very definitely against Rovers bouncing straight back into the Premiership, though he refuses to give up hope until all options are exhausted.

And he found some support from a surprising quarter in Birmingham boss Trevor Francis who suggested Rovers could still make it.

"That's the first time this season we have won on the Saturday (against Bolton) and then again on the Tuesday," said Francis.

"And we have done it against two teams who I still think have a chance of getting into the play-off positions."

But Parkes was down to earth and realistic, even though he was happier with his reshaped team's performance last night.

"It was a vital game because they have now gone nine points ahead of us," he said.

"And I am not as confident as I was say three weeks ago. But, if we can get a run together, you don't know what is going to happen.

"Confidence isn't as high as it was before we went to Barnsley but we have to carry on.

"But it's going to be tough. "I thought we played well, defended excellently, had as many chances as Birmingham but, unfortunately, they converted one of their two and we didn't convert one of ours.

"I thought the system worked well and we deserved something from the game. Overall it was good.

"We didn't create too many chances but nor did Birmingham with two strikers."

Failing to take chances has been a familiar tale with the front men failing badly. Midfielder Lee Carsley, in fact, is still top scorer.

"That's been the story of our season. We have obviously created a lot more chances in other games but we haven't been able to take them," he said.

"We need to score goals to win games and we have to battle on and hope we can get a run together and also hope that Birmingham lose a few."

Even though Rovers looked a team again after their awful show against struggling Swindon on Saturday, Parkes found that no consolation.

"The performance was good but it's still no points," he said.

"It was certainly better than when we played at Bolton and Barnsley but the game is all about picking points up. You might have been more disappointed on Saturday than last night but we did get a point (against Swindon) whether it was an abysmal performance or not.

"That's the name of the game.

"We haven't won for four games but there was nothing wrong with the players' attitude at Birmingham." "It's whether we can take our chances when they come along and stop the opposition scoring.

"They are the two important parts of the game."

Parkes also praised the attitude of the players at St Andrews.

"They are not as confident as three or four weeks ago but the spirit was all right," he added.

They now have another toughie coming up at Stockport on Saturday with the pressure really on.

Rovers are due to face Manchester United at Ewood tonight (kick-off 7pm) in the FA Premier Reserve League (North).

Billy McKinlay is hoping to take another step on the comeback trail while Norwegian striker Egil Ostenstad has also been included in Ian Miller's squad.

Rovers will choose from: Fettis, Richardson, Murphy, Gill, Short, Hawe, Baldacchino, McKinlay, Thomas, Ostenstad, Forsyth, Burgess, Bingham, O'Brien, Howson, Douglas.

Winger Jimmy Corbett has gone on trial with Rovers' First Division rivals Portsmouth.

New Pompey boss Tony Pulis knows all about the 19-year-old after selling him to Rovers from Gillingham in a £525,000 deal in May 1998.

And provided he impresses on the South Coast in the next couple of days then Pulis is hoping to sort out a loan deal.

Keith Gillespie and Damien Johnson have both been named in Sammy McIroy's first Northern Ireland squad for next Wednesday's friendly away to Luxembourg.

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