Steven Reid is refusing to give up on Blackburn's bid to claim an unlikely UEFA Cup spot with nine games of the Premier League season to go.Last week's poor 1-1 draw with struggling Fulham appeared to have scuppered Rovers' hopes but Reid insists that while a qualifying place is mathematically possible he will not give up hope.

To stand any sort of chance Rovers will have to shrug off the disappointment of the Fulham game and take their first three-point haul from Upton Park in 14 years against West Ham on Saturday.

And the 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international is fully aware of the task that Rovers face to achieve their aims.

"Every one of those last nine games is going to be like a cup final now. It's going to be tough from here on in, starting with West Ham on Saturday," Reid said.

"In recent seasons we haven't done ourselves justice down there but hopefully we can win there at the weekend and turn the Fulham result around."

Meanwhile Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz admitted he is still relishing his first season in English football.

The 26-year-old Paraguay international has managed to find the net an impressive 15 times so far this season.

Much of Santa Cruz's stay with his former club Bayern Munich was blighted by a knee injury but since he managed to shrug off the problem the South American's goalscoring exploits have flourished.

Santa Cruz told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "This season I have felt very good. Playing injury-free has been great.

"Most players always feel a little bit of something here and there but I haven't felt anything.

"It is a relief for me to have such a season and hopefully I can keep it going now. My body is reacting very well from game to game and it is actually getting better."

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