SAM Allardyce insists Blackburn Rovers have to look at the positives after seeing them return to the Premier League drop zone last night.

A host of missed second-half chances saw Rovers drop back into the bottom three after a goalless draw at home to Everton – but Allardyce insists it is a step nearer the magic 40-point mark.

Jason Roberts, Roque Santa Cruz and Aaron Mokoena missed chances to hand the hosts three points as Rovers’ failure to convert continues to haunt them.

The Rovers boss though insists a run of two defeats in his 10 games at the helm is something to be optimistic about, despite a string of blown opportunities bringing five frustrating draws.

He said: “It was a similar scenario to Middlesbrough and Sunderland away but the positives are we have lost onl two in ten games. Another point is picked up as we look for the total we know we have got to get.

“We have to take our four points from the last two games as a positive. Our last away win was a very good win at Hull and we have to fully recover from this and get ready for our game at Fulham on Wednesday.

“Fulham have to play at the weekend so if we can any advantage from that or any fatigue they might have, our players being fresher can hopefully get us a win.

“It could be 38 points needed to stay up, it could be 40.

"40 is the magic mark now with everyone picking up wins.”

While Rovers were left rueing missed chances, relegation rivals Stoke and Hull City picked up crucial wins as the race to stay in the Premier League intensifies.

Allardyce though insists his side can’t worry about anyone else’s results as they look to make sure their wastefulness does not prove ultimately costly.

He said: “I think that was two points dropped on our second half chances. A very creditable effort as we got a slow momentum built up.

“In the second half we came strong, powerful, created the chances we wanted but didn’t convert them and I was looking for that all important 1-0 and we didn’t quite make it.

“It was a valuable 0-0 in the end though, another clean sheet to build on and a week to recover for Fulham away to try and catch up some points on the one game we have in hand over most of the league becomes a critical game to get three points.”

Without a game until the trip to Fulham on Wednesday, Allardyce will hope Jason Brown, Gael Givet and Vince Grella all recover from injuries sustained in last night’s bruising encounter.

“I was hoping we would be well out or the trouble by now,” said Allardyce.

“We should be well out of it but we are not and that means we have to fight, battle and scratch to the bitter end.

“We have to hold our nerve and use our experience and make sure ultimately we do get out it.”