SHANE Duffy has revealed some timely home truths inspired the win which he insists must act as the catalyst for a Blackburn Rovers rise up the table.

And the centre-back admits his long-awaited first Ewood Park goal in the 3-0 home victory over fellow strugglers Fulham on Tuesday night almost came as big a relief.

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Duffy joined Ben Marshall and Danny Graham on the scoresheet in an impressive success which ended Rovers’ nine-match Championship winless run.

That worrying set of results had left Paul Lambert’s side just five points above the relegation places going into the crucial Cottagers clash.

Rovers boss Lambert, worried by the spiritless second-half showing in Saturday’s 2-0 home loss to table-topping Hull City, called a team meeting.

In it the players were shown the standings and warned they were sleepwalking into trouble.

Duffy says it did the trick: “Compared to Saturday it was a totally different game (against Fulham).

“We are delighted to put a performance on at home for once and get a win. It was good.

“And it needed to be. It wasn’t good enough on Saturday. It was the response we wanted and needed.

“We had a meeting about our position and we looked at where we were and it just wasn’t good enough.

“We knew we were in a battle but I don’t think we realised how much we were down there.

“We’ve put it right but now we have to keep it up. We’ve got to stay at that level.

“The gaffer is demanding it. Hopefully we’ll have a strong end to the season.”

Duffy is also hoping to find the net with more regularity between now and the end of the campaign.

His goal on Tuesday was his first with his head for Rovers following efforts with his feet away at QPR and Millwall.

And, with the Republic of Ireland international having averaged 1.9 shots per game this season, he said: “It’s about time. I must have had more chances than anyone!

“I’ve never given up but I know my finishing is something I need to improve on because the amount of times I get on the end of crosses.

“I should be scoring more, I know that, and I’m harsh on myself.

“But I’m delighted to have got my first at home and if I keep getting on the end of them, hopefully I will score a few more.

“I owe a few more goals to the team.”

Having opened up an eight-point gap on the Championship’s bottom three Rovers can now turn their attention to Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round showdown at home to West Ham United.

The Hammers are riding high in the Premier League and are 6/5 favourites to progress to the quarter-finals at the first attempt.

But Rovers did beat their top-flight rivals Swansea City and Stoke City to reach the last eight of last season’s competition.

And Duffy said: “We’ve got good players in the squad who can play at that level and it’s a free game for us.

“We can enjoy it and we’ll try and do what we did last year. Hopefully we can shock everyone. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

West Ham have sold out their 7,200 ticket allocation in the Bryan Douglas Darwen End for Sunday’s last-16 BT Sport live tie.

Hammers joint-chairman David Sullivan said: “It shows the passionate way our supporters love the FA Cup and this is for a game on live TV. I’m humbled by our support.

“We asked for more tickets from Blackburn but sadly there was no way they could segregate us and give us more.

“I'm sure the fans will provide an amazing atmosphere on Sunday and hopefully we will be too good for them, but in football you never know. We will be fielding a strong side.”