PAUL Ince took some positives out of his Blackburn Rovers side's battling performance in the defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarthy, Chris Samba and Morten Gamst Pedersen all missed good chances as Rovers winless league streak stretches to eight.

The win lifts Harry Redknapp’s resurgent Spurs side above Blackburn, who have now dropped to second from bottom, but boss Ince is determined to stay positive.

He said: “You have to take positives from that. We were very unlucky.

“We started the game well to be fair. I fancied us today but it got taken away from us with the 10 men decision.

“But having said that we still had chances and it is a great performance against a good Tottenham side.

“There was not much support coming from their fans because we quietened them down. We have got to take heart from that.”

With a tough trip to Fratton Park awaiting next week and then a home clash with Liverpool, there is little respite for Ince’s men.

But, despite a horrific run of results, the Ewood chief is insistent he has seen enough signs of brighter times ahead.

He said: “We don’t like being down here. We would rather be up there, and with the performances we have had we should have been there.

“But we are not. Lets just see where we are in January and if we keep performing like that we will be okay.

“You have to be concerned by the run, especially when you are playing well.

"We seem to be saying it every week and we are not getting the points. There is a long way to go.”