'Rovers will have taken outcome of Easter programme'

[Getty Images] Had four points from six been offered to Blackburn Rovers boss Michael O'Neill before the Easter programme, he would almost certainly have taken them. Two clean sheets across the double-header underlined his pragmatic approach, making his side as hard to beat as possible with resources stretched to the limit. O'Neill is painfully short of options and he knows it.

The timely return of Scott Wharton to the starting eleven has helped, but the problem remains: he wants to operate with a back five, yet has only three centre-backs available, with four others sidelined. Across the two matches - a 1-0 win at Birmingham and a 0-0 draw with West Brom - Rovers named the same starting eleven on both occasions, with six players completing 180 minutes. Part show of confidence, part necessity, it reflected where O'Neill's trust now lies.

Since his arrival, he has been clear that this is not the time to wait for players to show potential; he needs those who can cope at the level immediately. Rovers were the only team in the bottom six to take maximum points from either game. Results elsewhere could hardly have been kinder, prompting suggestions that the stalemate with the Baggies was an opportunity missed.

On the evidence on show, it wasn't. It was a meeting of two sides intent on not losing. Nobody wanted to blink.