BLACKBURN Rovers manager Gary Bowyer was pleased to pick up a point at fellow play-off hopefuls Middlesbrough on Saturday.

But Bowyer admitted his side, who are now unbeaten in four Championship matches, did not play well enough to warrant anything more.

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson kept Rovers in the game with a string of saves while his opposite number Shay Given had only one stop of note to make.

Bowyer said: “When you come to a place like this and pick up a point when you’ve not played particularly well – especially first half – then you’ve got to be pleased.

“We struggled in the first half with and without the ball and we were indebted to our goalkeeper on numerous occasions.

“It was important that we got into half-time at 0-0, we had a good chat and made the adjustments we needed to make and I thought we were a lot better.

“Tom Cairney’s shot might have gone in but we did not do well enough in the attacking third.

“I wrote down that it wasn’t until 31 minutes before we did something with some intent.

“We’ve got to do better than that but the lads know that themselves.

“There was no need for any shouting or bawling because they’re an honest group and it’s probably one of the first times this season that we’ve not really worked a goalkeeper enough.”

Thanks to Robinson’s heroics Rovers – who are now just four points off the top six – made it 11 clean sheets for the Championship campaign.

And Bowyer said: “The character and the fight we showed to maintain the clean sheet is very pleasing.

“Teams could have buckled under that pressure but we didn’t.

“We stuck at it, we didn’t play particularly well – we know that – but we’re delighted with the character.”