CAPTAIN Scott Dann says Blackburn Rovers must stop being their own worst enemies if they are to harbour serious ambitions of promotion.

Rovers have conceded the first goal in eight of the 13 Championship matches they have played this season.

It is a failing that Dann firmly believes is one of the major reasons why they find themselves in mid-table and not in the thick of the play-off battle.

And on the eve of today’s home clash with managerless Middlesbrough the Rovers skipper has told his team-mates it is high time they rectify the problem that has so far blighted their bid for a top-six spot.

Dann said: “We’d like to have a lot more points than we actually have.

“We’re giving sloppy goals away and when you concede the first goal in the Championship it makes it tough to get back into the game.

“We showed our character to twice get back into the game against Blackpool but we need to stop giving ourselves a mountain to climb.

“As soon as we start doing that the sooner we will start creeping up the table.”

The battling 2-2 draw with Blackpool last Saturday left Rovers seven points off Nottingham Forest in sixth position.

Gary Bowyer’s side fell behind at Bloomfield Road after Dann’s centre-back partner Matt Kilgallon gave away a soft penalty that was converted by Tom Ince.

The goal means just one team – Dann’s former club Birmingham City – have gone behind first in a game more than Rovers.

Today’s opponents Middlesbrough have also conceded the first goal in a match on eight occasions this season.

Boro will go into the game with confidence high after they thrashed Doncaster Rovers 4-0 to ensure Mark Venus’ reign as caretaker manager got off to the perfect start following the sacking of Tony Mowbray.

Despite the emphatic victory – and Venus’ promise of playing attacking football – Boro may adopt the tactics of two of the last three visitors to Ewood Park.

Charlton Athletic won 1-0 and Huddersfield Town earned a 0-0 draw after putting men behind and frustrating Rovers.

Dann said: “We’ve played a couple of teams at home that have tended to sit behind the ball.

“We have to start breaking teams down and making our chances count.

“Confidence is still high although we feel we should have a few more points.

“But we’ll go into the Middlesbrough game, try and take the game to them and come away with the three points.”

Dann’s thoughts are echoed by his manager.

Rovers boss Bowyer said: “It’s either a refereeing decision or soft goals at the moment.

“We can’t do much about the refereeing decisions but we can certainly do a little bit about around one or two of the soft goals we have conceded.

“But the pleasing point is that we’re not being cut open by anybody.”