CHRIS Samba believes a rousing half-time rallying call by the Ewood Park ‘old guard’ helped salvage Rovers a point after a stirring second-half fight back.

Rovers’ inspirational skipper led the charge on the field by halving Blackpool’s 2-0 half time lead soon after the break, with Junior Hoilett’s last-gasp header rescuing a 2-2 draw in a thrilling Lancashire derby.

Samba admitted afterwards he and few of his senior colleagues also ‘had their say’ at half-time, after Charlie Adam’s brace left Rovers’ top-flight status looking increasingly precarious.

He said that, along with boss Steve Kean, they spelt out what was at stake and the importance of doing themselves justice right through to the final whistle.

Samba said: “We just said this wasn’t a time to sit back and feel sorry for ourselves.

"We had no choice but to get back out there and show we are better than we were in the first half.

“It was time for us to do something. We were playing for the future of this club and for our own futures in the top flight.

"So it was time to go back on the pitch and give everything.

“It wasn’t just the manager, it was myself and some of the senior players – we needed to speak up.

"I was here a couple of years ago when we showed a lot of fight and got out of the relegation zone.

“A few of us know what it takes to do that and we had to show the younger players.

"We told them not to let themselves down or start thinking it’s over, that kind of thing.

“So it was a couple of players who spoke up and it helped us get what we deserved.”

Adam’s opener came from the penalty spot after referee Howard Webb had controversially penalised Ryan Nelsen for a foul on Gary Taylor-Fletcher on 25 minutes.

Blackpool’s skipper and one-time Rovers target doubled the lead on 29 minutes from a stunning free kick, leaving Rovers set to drop into the relegation zone.

"Yes it showed our character because at 2-0 down we had a big mountain to climb to come back,” said Samba.

“And we did well, we had enough chances to have won the game.

"It’s a bit sad at the moment because a few decisions are going against us but we showed what we are made of.

"It’s important that when things are not going your way you don’t feel sorry for yourself, you pick yourself up and go again.

"That’s what we did in the second half, we went at them straight away and put ourselves in the right frame of mind.

"We never gave up and we got our reward late on.”

With just three points separating the bottom eight teams in the Premier League, Rovers know they face a tense eight-game finale.

But, with Arsenal up next in a fortnight, Samba insists Rovers have to use Saturday’s second half display as turning point.

He said: "If we’d come away without any points it would have been difficult to take. But the league table does not look so bad now.

"There are a couple of home games coming that will be very important for us.

"We’ll have to do better because a point will not be enough.

"It might go right to the end so we need to get as many as possible.

"I think 40 will be enough to stay in the league, even though it’s a strange year.

"It’s never nice to be in this situation but from now on every game is a cup final for us.

"If we do that I’m sure at the end of the season we’ll stay where we are."