SAM Allardyce has warned his Blackburn Rovers side ‘our Premier League status is still far from assured’ – as he targets a rapid rise to the magic 40-point mark.

Rovers remain in 12th position in the table and seven points clear of the drop zone despite Saturday's miserable 3-0 defeat at Stoke City, but Allardyce insists there is plenty of work to be done yet.

No Premier league side has needed 40 points to avoid relegation since Bolton just survived with 44 points in 2003 but, with Hull visitors to Ewood on Wednesday, the Rovers boss is keeping his sights set high.

He said: “I said it last week but the throwing away of two points at West Ham was the big one for us. That is where we are looking back and are very regretful we didn't get those three points.

“Sitting on 30 points rather than 28 would make us look a lot more comfortable.

“We are not out of trouble by a long chalk yet. The magic 40 point mark is looming and that is where we have to get to. You haven’t had to get that many for many, many years but that is the magic mark.”

A combination of abysmal defending and refereeing blunders saw Rovers' three-match Premier League unbeaten run screech to a halt at the Britannia Stadium.

Danny Higginbotham and Mamady Sidibe were given too much space to score for Stoke early and late in the first half but, between that, Rovers should have pulled themselves back into the game.

Franco Di Santo headed over from just yards out before Chris Samba saw a header blocked on the line by Dean Whitehead's arm – only for referee Steve Bennett to wave play on.

Samba's misery was then complete following a 57th minute dismissal for two harsh cautions, leaving Matthew Etherington to seal the hosts' win with their third goal.

“We now have a big game Wednesday,” said Allardyce. “We have to put the disappointment behind us and get back to winning ways.

“I am very disappointed in our overall performance at Stoke, even with the refereeing decisions going against us.

“Our players were not as good as they should have been by far today and we have to take it on the chin, pick ourselves up for Wednesday, which is going to be a hugely tough game.

“I saw Hull City against Chelsea in midweek and they have beaten Manchester City on Saturday, so it will be a big, big game for us to get three points on the board.”