CORRY Evans believes Blackburn Rovers could push for the play-offs next season if they bring in players who can regularly find the net.

Rovers boasted the seventh best defensive record in the Championship last season as well as keeping 15 clean sheets in all competitions.

But their return of 46 goals from 46 games was the sixth lowest in the division and they failed to score on 17 different occasions.

On-loan Sunderland striker Danny Graham, who new manager Owen Coyle is attempting to sign on a permanent deal, finished as the club’s top-scorer despite only joining in January.

Evans admits Rovers are going to need to do much better in front of goal if they are to improve on their 15th-place finish and challenge for the top six.

But the midfielder, who is part of the Northern Ireland squad currently competing at Euro 2016 in France, insists Coyle has inherited a ‘good nucleus’ of players.

“I don’t really think we are that far away,” said Evans, whose country take on Ukraine tomorrow in a crucial Group C clash in Lyon.

“We have a good nucleus of players and good quality in our team but we’re maybe just missing that one thing where we can push on and get into the play-offs.

“There has been lots of times when we’ve played well but we need to game-manage ourselves a bit more and build on our clean sheets and what we had last year.

“We had a good defensive record but we struggled to score, really. If we can get the right mixture we could be up in the play-offs and pushing for promotion.”

Coyle is continuing to work hard behind the scenes to recruit strikers with proven goalscoring records.

It is understood that the 49-year-old has now held face-to-face talks with Graham about making a full-time return to Rovers.

The 30-year-old, who will be a free agent once his Sunderland contract expires on June 30, thoroughly enjoyed his four-month stay at Ewood Park.

But Graham’s talismanic performances for Rovers, where he is a huge fan favourite after netting seven goals in 18 appearances, have made him a man in demand.

Coyle is also holding talks with other forwards with Anthony Stokes, who scored 76 goals in 191 games for Celtic before his release last week, believed to be among them.

And having enjoyed success in the loan market during his time in charge at Bolton Wanderers, where he signed current England Euro 2016 duo Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere, Coyle has also been in touch with Premier League clubs about potential shorter-term deals.