NEW boy Sam Gallagher insists Blackburn Rovers can haul themselves off the bottom of the Championship if the players stick together and continue to show the same sort of character they displayed in Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Burton Albion.

Gallagher’s first goal for the club since signing on a season-long loan from Southampton seemed set to earn Rovers their first Championship victory of the season after three straight defeats.

MORE TOP STORIES:

But a late leveller ensured they had to settle for a share of the spoils going into tomorrow night’s EFL Cup second-round tie at home to Crewe Alexandra and Saturday’s Ewood Park clash with Fulham.

And Gallagher, who was making his full debut for Rovers after being preferred to Anthony Stokes in attack, said: “It went from the highest high of the goal to the disappointment that we didn’t get the three points we felt we deserved.

“But there are positives we can take. Our performance was better and we showed more character than we did in the previous games.

“In that respect we are happy with the improvement but certainly not the result.

“There is disappointment in the dressing room and you can tell by the fans’ reaction that we felt we deserved the three points.

“But it’s better to get one than none and we’re off the mark but, as I say, three would have been more satisfactory.

“We’ve just got to throw everything into the Crewe now, go out there and try and play as well as we can, and a win would put us in good stead for the Fulham game on Saturday.

“We’ve got a great bunch of boys. I felt that the second I came in. It’s a great changing room.

“All the boys are going to stick together and the manager. It’s not a case of people picking each other out, it’s a case of everyone in this together, and we’re definitely going to pull through.”

It was Gallagher’s first 90 minutes of competitive football in a year and his first senior goal since he rounded off the scoring in Southampton’s 4-2 Premier League win at home to Norwich City in March 2014.

And the highly rated 20-year-old, whose progress at the Saints was hampered by serious injury and the departure of boss Mauricio Pochettino, said: “Getting the first goal is a weight off my shoulders and it’s also great to get 90 minutes because I haven’t had much game time in pre-season.

“It’s good for me to gain a bit of fitness and get a goal so I’m happy with my day if not the result.”

Gallagher was one of four players aged under 21 for injury and suspension-hit Rovers on Saturday with the youngest being 18-year-old centre-back Scott Wharton.

The Academy graduate was making his senior professional debut and his performance impressed his team-mates and manager.

And Gallagher said: “I thought Scott was amazing. I thought he was definitely one of the best players on the pitch.

“For his first start, let alone his debut, I thought he put in a great performance.

“He looked strong and confident at the back and everybody gave him a pat on the back afterwards and said, ‘well done’.”

With his options severely stretched Rovers boss Owen Coyle is still attempting to bolster his squad with an experienced left-back now one of his targets.