Bentley pleased by Rovers spirit

Match-winner David Bentley hailed Blackburn’s “character” after they came from behind to record only their second victory since October with a 2-1 Premier League win at rock-bottom Derby.

Rovers were rocking when Matt Oakley fired the home side ahead and they should have been two down when Steve Howard’s poor penalty was saved by Brad Friedel.

Within five minutes of Howard’s miss, Roque Santa Cruz and Bentley had turned the game on its head and Blackburn held on to end their five-match winless run.

Man-of-the-match Bentley said on Sky Sports News: “We conceded an early goal again which we’ve been doing in recent games. It makes the the game so difficult and tiring.

“If you want to be a top team, you can’t concede goals like that.

“We showed a lot of character to come back into the game.”

He added: “We want to be up there at the end of the season.

“You have to come to places like this and battle and get the three points.”

Santa Cruz maintained his sensational recent form with his eighth goal in his last five matches, and 14th of the season overall.

He said: “It’s nice to have such a tough game and score and win the three points, which we needed because we were losing a lot of points.”

The Paraguayan acknowledged Friedel’s penalty save was the turning point in the game, saying: “Right after, everybody wanted to give a little bit back to him.

“Luckily everyone woke up after that one.”

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes echoed Bentley's sentiments, saying: "We showed great character, great response from us.

“We had a number of a chances, could have finished them off a lot earlier.

“We’re delighted with that win. It’s been a decent period, the last week or so.”

Hughes singled out Bentley for special praise and insisted his form was down to his controversial withdrawal from the England Under-21 squad for last summer’s European Championships.

“He’s playing exceptionally well at the moment,” Hughes said.

“In the summer, we made the decision for the benefit of David that he needed to get some rest.

“Now we’re reaping the benefits and David is as well.”

Hughes also added further fuel to reports Robbie Savage will be sold in the January transfer window by refusing to confirm the midfielder was part of his future plans.

Savage was not involved today, with Hughes saying he was suffering from a hamstring problem.

But he added: “There been a lot of speculation about his future.

“In fairness, no-one has come to me and actually said they’d like to take him. So, he’s a Blackburn Rovers player until I say he isn’t.”