BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer called on his side to show more care in the final third after their winless start to the season continued last night as they drew 0-0 with fellow Championship strugglers Bolton Wanderers.

For the second home game running Rovers racked up 18 attempts on goal. Bolton keeper Ben Amos, however, had only one save of note to make when he tipped a Tommy Spurr free kick over the bar.

Amos should have been beaten by substitute Fode Koita after Spurr saw a header hacked off the line by Mark Davies, and his goal also lived a charmed life in the first half when the returning Jordan Rhodes and Shane Duffy planted headers wide and over.

But for all their undoubted endeavour, Rovers lacked quality when it mattered most, and they would have gone down to a second straight 1-0 defeat had man-of-the-match Duffy not produced a brilliant clearance late on to deny nemesis Emile Heskey what looked to be a certain goal.

Bowyer, who lost Hope Akpan to an ankle injury before the match, said: “It was a hard-fought game, an intense local derby, obviously due to the situation with both teams looking for their first win.

“I think you saw the commitment and effort from our players. They stuck together, worked very hard for each, and created some good chances.

“In the first half Jordan had a couple of headers and Shane Duffy had one that went narrowly over.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“We had more chances in the second half and, like Bolton, had one cleared off the line, with Fode just not able to sort his feet out quickly enough.

“Overall I thought we needed that bit more care in the final third but the team is going to improve with the time that we’re going to have spent working together.”

The draw moved Rovers, for whom it was their first clean sheet of the campaign, up to 20th in the early standings.

But if results go against them today they could find themselves back in the bottom three, along with Bolton, going into the international break.

Bowyer believes the break has come at a good time for Rovers.

And he insists that he has seen enough so far this season to suggest that results will turn.

 “How many chances have we created? How many times have we had the ball kicked off the line? It was the same again tonight,” said Bowyer, who this afternoon heads to Rotherham United to watch their clash with Fulham, Rovers’ next opponents.

“I can’t fault the players. They’re having a right good go at it.

“We’ve just got to stick together and keep believing. It’s only us that’s going to make it happen.”

Former Rovers keeper Paul Robinson was back at Ewood Park for the first time since leaving the club in the summer.

And Robinson, who was working as a pundit for Sky Sports, said: “I thought it was a toughly contested derby.

“I thought both sides set their stall out not to lose because of recent results.

“I think Blackburn maybe edged the game with set-plays and chances.

“Knowing the manager like I do, I think he’ll be reasonably happy that they got a point, but he’ll be going home disappointed they have not taken three.

“It’s a better point for Bolton because it’s an away draw.”