RECALLED goalkeeper Jason Steele insists the Blackburn Rovers players will not let their heads drop despite being left staggered by their ‘outrageous’ defeat to Fulham yesterday.

The 2-1 loss left Rovers rooted in the Championship relegation places going into Wednesday’s trip to QPR and without a victory from their first seven matches of the season.

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But Steele believes their dominant second-half display at Craven Cottage, when they laid siege to the Fulham goal, was further proof that the players’ spirit has not been affected by their winless start.

And the former England Under-21s international is adamant that Rovers will be ‘fine’ once they record their maiden success.

“Everybody is in a bit of shock because I’ve never really seen anything like that,” said Steele, who kept his side in the game during the first 30 minutes, but was a virtual spectator after the break.

“We’re all gutted but it’s one of them, none of us are going to feel sorry for ourselves and we’ve just got to go again on Wednesday.

“The lads were absolutely brilliant and I said that to them at the end. They were a credit to themselves.

“To create that many chances and not come away with the three points was quite outrageous really.

“But, as I said, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we’ve got to pick ourselves up, train hard tomorrow and Tuesday, and make sure we’re ready for what’s coming up on Wednesday.”

Fulham were the better team for the first half hour and, aided by some poor defending, led through goals from Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele.

But from then on Rovers took control of what developed into a thrilling contest and, after Jordan Rhodes halved the arrears from the penalty spot, they were denied an equaliser when the officials failed to spot a fortuitous effort from Grant Hanley had crossed the line.

Rovers have now had 71 shots at goal in their last four games and Steele said: “If we keep playing like that we’ll be fine.

“I think anyone who has watched that second half, and understands football, will know that we’re not that far at all from giving somebody a bit of a hiding.

“We’ve just got to stick together, kept grafting for each other, and we’ll get that first win soon.”

Steele was making his first league start of the season after Rovers boss Gary Bowyer started the campaign with teenager David Raya between the posts.

“I’ve gone about things the right way, and it was just a case of keeping working hard and hoping I’d get a chance,” said Steele.

“Anybody who knows me knows that I’m not the sort of lad who chucks my toys out of the pram. I’m married with two kids and I go home to a happy house.

“I’m not one to shout or scream, I just try and let my football do the talking.

“I don’t feel I’ve ever let anyone down when I’ve played and I thought I did okay today.”

Asked about his decision to replace Raya, who had kept his first clean sheet of the campaign before the international break, with Steele, Bowyer said: “The young lad has come in and done ever so well but we just felt it was time for him to come out for a little bit and go with Steeley’s experience.”