THE defeat to Brentford was a real sickener.

At half-time Blackburn Rovers were winning and the gap to the play-offs was just five points.

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But come the end of the game the top six seemed further away than ever.

It’s one match less as well and that’s the problem.

But should the players just give up and say ‘that’s it’?

Not at all, they’ve just got to put the defeat behind them, try and get back to winning ways tomorrow and try and get on a winning run again.

There is absolutely no point giving up when it’s mathematically still possible.

They’ve just got to try and win every game they’ve got left and, let’s face it, it does look like being every game now, or at least six or seven of the last eight matches.

But even then Rovers are relying on some of the teams above them dropping points.

And that’s the difference this season to last, those teams are more consistent.

If Blackburn were to finish outside of the play-offs it would not be a brilliant season.

But it would still have been a good one because you’ve got to look at budgets and you’ve got to look at the fact that Gary Bowyer has had his hands tied quite a bit this season.

He’s got Blackburn competitive in the division, made them a top-10 team, and I’m sure the likes of Fulham and Wigan Athletic, clubs who have been in the Premier League more recently, would like to be in the same position.

But I understand that the play-offs is where everyone wants to be and that’s why the players can’t slack off yet.

Not that I’d imagine Gary ever letting them and there are still things to play for.

Some of the players will be out of contract in the summer and playing for the futures and they are all playing for their places in the big FA Cup replay with Liverpool.