Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean was proud of his side after they got their first point of the campaign with a 1-1 draw at Fulham today.
The Ewood Park club hit the front thanks to a magnificent Ruben Rochina strike in the 32nd minute before conceding six minutes later when Bobby Zamora struck for the home side at Craven Cottage.
But with a few injury worries and a rampant Fulham in the second half, Blackburn stuck it out for a hard-earned draw leaving Kean full of superlatives for his group.
"We felt when we got our noses in front, if we got to half-time still ahead we'd have grown in confidence. I thought we played a lot of good stuff," he told Sky Sports. "We had a few (injuries) with Chris Samba's back locking up at half-time. We had to put on Martin Olsson at half-time and he'd already had a bit of a strain away on international duty. David Dunn felt his calf was tight, David Goodwillie then felt his hamstring but he ran his socks off and obviously Junior (Hoilett who sustained head injury late) so we were in the wars a little bit but I think that shows the commitment that we are trying to put in to get the points on the board.
"We're off and running, it could have been three (points) possibly but it's a point and we will look forward to the Arsenal game.
"I think the thing is, we have got that (fight) in abundance. We showed that last season, we've got spirit, we've got togetherness and I think we came today to not sit back and defend but to provide a quality attacking threat with Goodwillie and (Mauro) Formica, (Ruben) Rochina, Hoilett. These are attacking players that can open up any defence.
"It would have been pretty easy to come and sit back and soak up the pressure but we felt as though we wanted to go for it and we did, we got our noses in front."
Asked if it was a huge result personally following calls for him to be ousted as manager, Kean was confident that things at Ewood Park would pick up if everybody involved remains patient.
"It doesn't affect me honestly," he said defiantly. "I've got the dressing room, I've got the backing of the lads, I've got the backing of the owners and I said in the press this week, if the fans stick with it, I'm sure they will see many performances away from home like that.
"I think they way we are trying to play and the attacking options we have got, if the fans stay with us, which I'm sure they will, I've very confident we will finish in the top half."
