BLACKBURN Rovers boss Owen Coyle confirmed he was forced to take off key trio Danny Graham, Corry Evans and Marvin Emnes in the 1-0 loss at Birmingham City.

Coyle came in for criticism from the travelling supporters after he replaced Emnes with Elliott Bennett with 16 minutes of normal time remaining having already withdrawn Graham and Evans.

But, after his side went down to their second straight defeat and their seventh in 11 league games, he insisted he would not have made the changes when he did had it not been for injury.

“It’s disappointing and frustrating,” said Coyle after a reverse which leaves Rovers third from bottom going into the international break.

“In the first half I thought we were well in the game. We could have been in front going into half-time but we were certainly well placed to get points from the game.

“We came out in the second half and, we’ll take whatever criticism that comes, because that’s the nature of the game, but we were beset by injury. Danny Graham had to come off injured, Marvin Emnes had to come off injured, Corry Evans the same.

“When you make substitutions you want to make them with the intention of going and winning the game. So when forward players come out it’s not ideal.

“I understand fans who were here wondering why a striker was coming off. I was a striker myself and I can assure you we don’t take goalscorers off unless they’re injured. If people want to have their own opinion on that, that’s up to them, but that’s factually correct.”

Stephen Gleeson’s 64th-minute strike, which came about after poor passing and tracking, stretched Birmingham’s unbeaten run to seven matches and hauled them back into the play-off places.

And Coyle added: “Could we have left with a point? Absolutely. I didn’t think there was anything between the teams.

“We’ve come to a team in the top six and dominated possession in terms of the amount we’ve had. But we’ve got to make better use of it and I think with the amount of ball we’ve had we didn’t do enough with it.

“That being said I don’t Birmingham offered a huge amount. After they got the goal they had two shots with the one attack, but out with that I don’t remember too many chances and Jason Steele making too many saves.

“We feel a little bit aggrieved to be leaving with nothing even with the injury situation.

“Marvin Emnes had a wonderful strike at the start of the second half and the keeper made an unbelievable save and Tommie Hoban had a wonderful chance to put us in front in the first half.

“Those are the margins. You come here and win 1-0 and the fans go away delirious because they see it’s a great, positive result. When you don’t, and you’ve lost a tight game, we’re all open to criticism. I understand that.”

Asked why Rovers lost their way after falling behind Coyle added: “I think they showed heart but I don’t think there was enough quality on the ball. I don’t think there was that cutting edge.

“A lot of that is down to the fact that Graham and Emnes came off injured; boys who can give you a spark up front.

“Had they still been fit and had we been 1-0 down we would have thrown Gallagher into the fray and went with the three forwards. That was taken away from us.”