A MIS-FIRING Blackburn Rovers have been warned they need to quickly find their killer instinct or risk facing another season of Premier League struggle.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce admits Wednesday night’s frustrations in front of goal are a concern ahead of the season opener against Manchester City a week on Saturday - stressing goals ultimately decide your top flight fate.

Allardyce was encouraged by loan striker Franco Di Santo’s debut display in Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Hibernian but knows their profligacy in front of goal can’t be repeated too often.

Di Santo, Jason Roberts, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Paul Gallagher all missed good chances to break the deadlock against an out-classed Hibernian, to leave Allardyce wary about a repeat of last season’s missed opportunities.

Croatian striker Nikola Kalinic is still expected to sign after a work permit hearing next week while former Wigan striker Nathan Ellington continues to trial and, with Benni McCarthy to return to the squad, Allardyce knows some of his frontmen need to reach the double figure mark for a fruitful 2009/10.

He said: “If you are a finisher, you are a finisher and you have to finish them. It is a bit of worry but the good thing is they are creating chances.

“We know we are not going to score a lot of goals in the Premier League because we don’t spend the money on strikers like everyone else does.

“That usually determines what position you finish in the league but if we get two strikers who score 10 or more we will finish in the top half or better.

“If we don’t we will finish in the bottom half and if we miss a load and they only score three or four we will struggle. That is the difference between putting the ball in the back of the net or not.”

Having arrived on a six-month loan deal from Chelsea earlier this week, Argentine starlet Di Santo gave a good first impression in Wednesday’s goalless draw at Ewood Park.

Allardyce though is confident there is plenty more to come from the towering striker as he relishes the prospect of the 20-year-old learning his trade in East Lancashire.

“Franco was good,” he said. “He has good movement, he has a nice touch, he is good in the air. He was very disappointed he didn’t score at the far post off Lars Jacobsen’s cross.

“As time goes on and as he gets more used to the players he is playing with and more used to the Premier League, with a few more starts than he got at Chelsea, then he will show some really good things.

“With regards Nikola Kalinic, we are waiting for a work permit. So if we get that that’s fine, if we don’t unfortunately there won’t be no deal, so we will keep our fingers crossed.”