BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer has started to prepare his side for a crunch derby clash with Bolton Wanderers which new boy Fode Koita says they must win for the fans.

Bowyer took training yesterday after the club moved to deny that he had lost his job following the loss to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

The 1-0 defeat extended Rovers’ winless start to the season to five matches and left them in the bottom three of the Championship along with their next opponents Bolton.

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But Bowyer, having been left surprised by the reports that he had become the first managerial casualty of the campaign, is determined to end that run at Ewood Park on Friday.

That began in earnest at Brockhall yesterday and will continue today when Rovers are expected to work on their shape for the visit of a Bolton team who are also yet to win this season.

It remains to be seen whether Bowyer will be able to call on Jordan Rhodes for the Sky-live encounter.

The striker has missed Rovers’ last two matches with an ankle injury sustained in the 1-1 draw at his former club Huddersfield Town.

Rhodes, who has not been included in the latest Scotland squad, is said to be making steady progress.

But he did not train alongside his team-mates yesterday.

Rovers are hopeful that Adam Henley and Jason Lowe will be fit to face Bolton.

They fell sick overnight at the team hotel on Friday and were sent home on the morning of the Brighton game.

That meant Rovers, having travelled with 19 players, could name only six substitutes on their bench.

But Bowyer’s options for the showdown with Bolton could be boosted by the return of John O’Sullivan.

The young midfielder has been struggling with a back injury that ruled him out on Saturday.

Bowyer’s injury and illness-hit squad against Brighton contained six summer signings.

Koita, who once again impressed at the Amex, insists it will take time for new-look Rovers to gel.

But he admits a maiden victory of the campaign against Bolton would accelerate the process.

He said: “I think we should have done better in the game (on Saturday) because we had many chances to get one or two goals but we didn’t have the luck.

“When we started the game we had all the pressure, we were good with the ball, with many attacks, but we didn’t get the chance to score a goal. We were up against a good goalkeeper for them.

“I am very sad but I really hope this week we will get more goals and our first win at home.

“When new players come into the team it isn’t too easy to get that relationship on the pitch, it is really difficult because you don’t know about each other’s talents.

“We need to have time – not a lot of time – but time to know each other.

“I think we are doing better every week and I hope we win the first game really, really quickly to take confidence. I think during the season you will see a good Blackburn.

“We have the potential but sometimes when you lose it is difficult to take confidence but I’m sure once we get that first win we will do better and get more confident to take risks on the pitch.

“I really hope we win on Friday in the derby against Bolton for the supporters as it is very important.”