BLACKBURN Rovers defender Michael Gray admitted he didn't take much pleasure from inflicting further misery on his former club Sunderland at the weekend.

Gray and his Blackburn team-mates pushed the Black Cats a little closer to the Premiership's relegation trap door by securing a hard-earned 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light.

But although Gray was relieved to have got the victory that boosts Rovers' European aspirations, he confessed he had mixed feelings at the end of what he described as a difficult afternoon.

"It's a game that I wasn't really looking forward to, to be honest," said Gray.

"I knew I would have a lot of friends here who come to the games and it was very draining for me.

"I wanted to get it out of the way. Ewood Park wasn't a nice feeling, either (when we beat them there), but you know it's going to come around and you've just got to be professional about it.

"You've got a job to do and I think you would call it winning ugly today."

Steven Reid's first half goal proved enough to condemn Sunderland to their 25th defeat of a troubled season and they remain on course to record the lowest ever points total by a top-flight club since three points for a win was introduced.

But the home fans in a crowd of 29,593 the lowest for a Premiership game at the Stadium of Light this season still managed to raise a cheer for Gray on his return to his native North East, a gesture which the Blackburn defender greatly appreciated.

"I got a fantastic reception. It was one of those times when you'd like to go to every individual and thank them for it," said Gray.

"They obviously appreciated the fact that I'd given my all for 12 and a half years here, and it was very emotional to start with and I was really pleased about that.

"They're a loyal bunch of fans, and they certainly got behind the team once the whistle went.

"I've been here a couple of times this season (as a fan), in the FA Cup and against Manchester City, and you can see the crowd are still getting behind the team.

"I thought the team did ever so well today, they played to their strengths and gave us a right go, and were very unfortunate not to get something out of the game."

Gray was also fulsome in his praise of Kevin Ball, his former team-mate and Sunderland's caretaker manager, who has got the Black Cats fighting again following the sacking of Mick McCarthy.

"Whatever Kevin is doing, he's doing it right, because it's working and he will be proud of his players," said Gray.

"If there's any man who deserves to have a crack at managing this club, it's him.

"If he can get performances like that out of his team, he should get the job permanently.

"It's going to be nigh on impossible for Sunderland to stay up now and they will need passion if they go into the Championship.

"There will be a few teams who can scrap and play football, but you need true grit as well, and that's why I think Kevin is the right man for the job.

"Everyone here should give him their full backing to help him improve the squad and get this squad back to where it deserves to be, which is in the Premiership - and not just for one season."