A PATCHED up Blackburn teamed secured a hard-fought bonus point win to keep their end of season play-off hopes well on course.

The Ramsgreave Drive outfit were missing several first team players and had to dip in to the Development and Third XV for the tough trip to Manchester.

But Blackburn showed they have strength in depth as they ran in four tries to stay in third place in the North Lancs/Cumbria division.

Max Fullalove kicked Blackburn in to an early lead but that was cancelled out when De la Salle slotted over a penalty of their own.

It was a frantic start for Blackburn but once they settled down they began to take the upper hand.

Alan Howarth was close to crossing for the opening try but was held up short. But they did not have to wait long with Luke Copping showing great strength to stretch and score in the corner.

Blackburn led 8-3 at the break and scored a second try soon after the restart, Fullalove and Leon Fifield working well together, the latter passing back inside to Anton Garcia to score near the posts.

Fullalove added the extras and did likewise when Rob Parker broke blindside after a scrum was stolen against the head, threw a clever dummy before touching down.

And with 10 minutes remaining, they got the all-important fourth try when Rob Parker, Fullalove and Garcia all combining and Richard Maudsley sprinted in at the corner from 20 yards out.

Danny Holland nearly scored a fifth try when he raced on to a Maudsley chip ahead but the referee adjudged he knocked on as crashed over the line.