VETERAN defender Craig Short today called on his Blackburn team-mates to make some urgent home improvements ahead of tomorrow's vital six-pointer against struggling Derby at Ewood.

Former Rams defender Short knows Rovers need to start winning quickly at home if they want to avoid getting sucked into a relegation dog-fight.

The 3-0 Boxing Day defeat against Sunderland was Rovers' third straight reverse in the league at Ewood.

And another one against his old club tomorrow would plunge Graeme Souness's men firmly into the mire going into the New Year.

"It's been a strange sort of season in many ways," said Short.

"Early on we were in midtable and even above that after getting some good results against the top sides.

"But those results won't do us a great deal of good over the course of a season unless we start winning at home.

"It's so difficult getting results away from home these days, as it showed against Charlton last Saturday, that you've simply got to win your games at home.

"And, without being disrespectful to Sunderland, those are the types of sides we should be beating on our patch.

"That means tomorrow's game has now taken on extra importance.

"We're getting to a crucial point in the season now and the Christmas period is a time when we need to be picking up points to stay out of trouble."

Short, who played a total of 118 games for the Rams during the Nineties, thought Rovers had turned the corner after last Saturday's battling 2-0 win at Charlton brought to an end a run of three straight defeats.

But all that good work was then subsequently undone by Wednesday's desperately disappointing performance against Sunderland -- and his own personal misery was compounded by his second half sending off.

"After two reversals against Leeds and Middlesbrough at Ewood, I really thought a good away win would have set us up nicely for two home wins," said Short.

"But we never got going at all against Sunderland which was particularly disappointing given their away record.

"We looked threatening occasionally going forward when Keith Gillespie got on the ball.

"However, once the game got stretched, we never really got to grips with any individuals in their team and gave away two bad goals.

"So that's put us on the back foot again now, which is frustrating considering the way we battled to get a result down at Charlton.

"Tomorrow's game against Derby was always going to be a big one but it's even bigger now because we can't afford many more performances like Wednesday.

"Our goal difference is good compared to the other teams at the bottom but three points against them would really help to take the pressure off."

If Rovers are to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom five, however, then they need to start increasing their goal power.

Since the 7-1 demolition of West Ham, Rovers have mustered just two goals in the five home games since.

But Short insists Souness still has the personnel in his squad to ease the club away from danger, regardless of whether or not he succeeds in his quest to bring in another striker.

"It's difficult for the boys up front at the moment because we haven't been able to field a regular partnership because of injuries and one thing or another," said Short.

"So it's tough to find any fluency in that kind of situation.

"But I thought Damien Duff did well up there against Charlton, even though it's not his natural position.

"The only problem with playing him there, though, means you're missing him out on the left.

"So we are struggling slightly and there's persistent rumours that we're going to buy someone up front.

"But I believe we've still got the players here to cope so it's not all doom and gloom, I just think it's frustration more than anything."