DAVID Dunn insists he has always believed in his ability to make a Blackburn Rovers impact after his injury time equaliser preserved his side’s 34-year unbeaten run over bitter rivals Burnley.

The boyhood Rovers fan struck in the fifth minute of injury time to break 10-man Burnley’s hearts at Ewood Park, before hitting out at his lack of action this season.

The 33-year-old was making just his fourth league start of the season yesterday, his first since October, and believes he could have made a difference this campaign.

Rovers sit just four points above the Championship relegation zone but Dunn believes his last-gasp strike can prove a catalyst for better things.

He said: “I am confident in my ownability. For whatever reason this year I have not played enough football matches, in my opinion it has not been to do with football. “I don’t know what it is but there have been too many times this season where I should have been playing for this football club and I haven’t.

“That is clear for everyone to see. I believe I can still make an impact.

“I have always said there are reasons beyond football for why I haven’t played this year. That might upset a few but to be honest I don’t give a monkeys.

“I have a good gut feeling and I have heard along the way there are different reasons, thankfully now we have a manager who has come in and is prepared to pick his team.”

Dunn revealed he had been asked if he wanted to come off just a few minutes before cancelling out Jason Shackell’s opener.

But, playing against a 10-man Burnley side due to Ben Mee’s second half red card, Dunn insisted there was no way he was leaving the pitch with his side trailing, believing he could help Rovers rescue a point – which he duly did.

He said: “The manager asked if I wanted to come off five minutes before I scored and there was no way I was coming off at 1-0 down.

“It gives our fans something to hang on to but everyone had a part to play today. “It was a very difficult game for us on the back of some disappointing results.

“The first half wasn’t great, I thought we were a little bit laboured, the spark wasn’t really there but second half we came out of the traps, showed a lot of character, guts and determination to get something.

“Credit to us, we kept playing, kept trying to do things the right way. We kept trying to move them around and we got our just rewards. I thought we deserved it.

“I thought I was onside when Cameron crossed but am I bothered if I was offside? No. “I am just delighted to get the goal as my life is worth living a little bit because it wouldn’t have been if I hadn’t.

“I thought the fans were really good, it was a really positive atmosphere and they drove us on to get that goal.”