THE problems piled up for Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer last night after he watched his woefully out-of-form side go down to a 2-0 loss at Derby County – and saw three players come off injured.

Substitute Darren Bent’s second-half double condemned Rovers to a defeat that means they will go into Saturday’s home clash with Fulham marooned in mid-table and still 11 points off the play-offs.

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And they could be without top-scorer Rudy Gestede, captain Grant Hanley and Tom Cairney against the Cottagers after they were forced off at the iPro Stadium.

Rovers, who started with Gestede and Jordan Rhodes on the bench for the second game running, frustrated the high-flying Rams until the arrival of Darren Bent in the 63rd minute.

Within five minutes of his arrival the on-loan Aston Villa striker had broken the deadlock.

And, with the Ewood Park outfit pushing for an equaliser, he scored again in injury-time.

Rovers were sixth at the start of December, two points clear of Watford, after a nine-match unbeaten run.

But since then they have won just one of their last eight Championship outings, losing five and drawing two, to slip to 10th.