STEPHANE Henchoz has handed Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd yet another major headache after limping out of Saturday's draw at Southampton.

And Billy McKinlay was set to see a specialist today about the recurrence of groin problems he suffered at Highbury after returning from surgery.

There must be question marks over how quickly Henchoz can recover from his groin injury, for he has been carrying it for months.

He finally had to give in to the problem at half time at The Dell and Kidd is clearly concerned.

"We are just going to have to look at him this week but he will not be able to train again," said the manager.

The worry is that the Swiss defender has gone a game too far. Like other Rovers players he has been climbing off the treatment table to play but was obviously distressed on Saturday before being substituted.

It is also going to be difficult for McKinlay to bounce back again after breaking down in his first match after a lengthy absence.

Chris Sutton, who has already been ruled out for the season, was travelling with McKinlay to see the specialist about the groin injury that has counted him out.

Meanwhile, Rovers were left to rue throwing away a two-goal lead at The Dell before claiming the point they would probably have settled for before the start. It leaves them in the drop zone and it is starting to look as though it might be two from three - Rovers, Southampton and Charlton - to join Nottingham Forest in Division One next season.

"You have to give credit to Southampton, they got everything forward and launched it up there," said Kidd.

"But we should have made them pay on the counter attack.

"We had the chances to win the game."

Saints boss David Jones said he did not believe the game was over when Rovers went 3-1 ahead.

"No, if I give up my players give up and there is a great spirit at this club," he said.

"You have to give credit where it's due and we never give up.

"People think that because I don't show emotion I don't care. But I kick every ball."

No-one is fighting harder for Rovers than Jason Wilcox who said: "We are not dead and buried yet.

"We have to try to win every game and we have to keep plugging away. We have some excellent players here but we have lost so many of them. Now we have to be focused on the next game. It's disappointing only to draw after being 3-1 up but Southampton haven't gone past us."

While his Ewood colleagues were battling for survival at The Dell, Martin Dahlin was spotted at Highfield Road - watching the Coventry-Middlesbrough game before leaving with Swedish international team-mate Magnus Hedman.

Dahlin, who looks like being sent back to Ewood from Hamburg at the end of the season, is currently out of action through injury.

Coventry lost 2-1 to leave them hovering just above the relegation zone, while Charlton were held 1-1 at home by Leeds. Charlton missed a penalty and had Richard Rufus sent off. If there is no successful appeal, he will miss the game against Rovers on May 1.

Everton did themselves a huge favour by winning 3-1 at Newcastle where ex-Rovers Alan Shearer missed a penalty and Shay Given blundered badly.

Rock-bottom Nottingham Forest are not yet officially relegated, despite losing 1-0 at home to Spurs.

Gary Croft makes a surprising early return to action tonight when Rovers Reserves visit Stoke at non-League Newcastle Town's ground tonight (7pm). Croft dislocated his shoulder against Everton on March 10 and was expected to be out for the season.

Tonight's squad is: Bingham, Richardson, Croft, Konde, Taylor, Brown, Fitzpatrick, Dunn, Burgess, Hamilton, Hardy, Richards, Murphy, Howson, Scates, D Dunning, Hind.

Robbie Fowler will join Michael Owen on the sidelines when Liverpool visit Ewood on Saturday, having decided not to appeal against his ban.

The Academy under-19 team won their re-arranged first round knockout clash with Coventry at Brockhall 5-2 after the visitors had been ordered to fulfil the fixture, despite struggling to field a team.

Gary Hamilton scored twice and Marc Richards, Darren Dunning and Ryan Baldacchino got the others.

A crowd of 6,500 watched the 'live' screening of the Southampton game on Ewood's jumbo TV.

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