CHRIS Taylor could be in line for his first league start in six months when Blackburn Rovers welcome Watford to Ewood Park on Saturday.

That is the view of Rovers boss Gary Bowyer after he was impressed by the performance that Taylor produced from the bench in the hard-fought 1-0 win at 10-man Fulham.

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The midfielder, whose last start in the Championship was back on March 1, was thrown into fray at the start of the second half of Saturday’s bruising Craven Cottage clash after Tom Cairney succumbed to a knock.

Rovers also lost Lee Williamson to injury after he was the victim of a shocking challenge from Shaun Hutchinson that led the Fulham defender to being sent off.

And, with fellow midfielders Jason Lowe and David Dunn already sidelined, Taylor’s display could lead to him in being named in Bowyer’s line-up for the Hornets encounter.

Also pushing for a recall is Craig Conway who, having been benched for a league game for the first time in his short but excellent Rovers career, helped set up Jordan Rhodes’ winner against Fulham after he replaced the stricken Williamson.

“We very quickly lost two midfielders but I thought Chris Taylor’s energy was outstanding, the way he went about it, and Craig Conway was involved in the goal with one of his deliveries, which we know are magnificent,” said Bowyer, who will be boosted by the return of Ryan Tunnicliffe this weekend.

“Chris Taylor has put forward a case to be involved against Watford.”

Williamson was left badly bruised and ‘lucky’, according to Bowyer, not to have suffered a broken leg while Cairney was left with a damaged foot after a heavy challenge from Fernando Amorebieta five minutes into Saturday’s match.

Cairney played out the rest of the first half before making it clear he could not continue.

Bowyer said: “Very early the lad landed on his foot so it looked like it was just twisted.

“He said at half time that he felt he couldn’t carry on.”

Rovers’ academy starlets, meanwhile, went down to a disappointing 4-0 home loss to Everton in the U18s Premier League at Brockhall on Saturday.

David Lowe’s side found themselves three goals down at the break.

While they improved after the restart, it was the Toffees who rounded off the scoring in the second period.

Rovers boss Lowe said: “Overall it was a big learning curve for the boys against a very strong Everton team.

“We failed to match their tempo in the first half and although we showed more belief in the second we are disappointed that we didn’t give them more of a game.”