Monday 20 April 2015 17:59, UK
Millwall skipper Alan Dunne believes Millwall will have pulled off their "greatest escape ever" if they can prevent relegation from the Sky Bet Championship.
Having looked dead and buried, Neil Harris' Lions have lost just one of their past six fixtures to enhance their survival prospects but they still trail 21st-placed Rotherham by four points ahead of their Tuesday night trip to Blackburn.
Victory at Ewood Park would close the gap to one, and the Millers may yet be handed a points deduction depending on the outcome of a disciplinary commission set up in the aftermath of the Football League's charge against Steve Evans' side for fielding an ineligible player earlier this month.
However, Dunne and his team-mates cannot worry about that for now as they prepare to take as many points as possible from a run-in which sees them host Derby and visit Wolves after their east Lancashire sojourn.
An eight-game unbeaten run at the end of the previous campaign lifted the Lions away from danger but Dunne thinks avoiding relegation this time around would eclipse even that.
"Our run-in is difficult but we feel that we have a chance now," said Dunne.
"We are scrapping for our lives so it is up to us to get the job done. We have put the pressure on other teams before and have shown that we can play under pressure.
"We've survived the last two years by the skin of our teeth, but if we do it this time it will be the greatest escape ever by the club."
A top-10 finish is all Blackburn have left to aim for this season but manager Gary Bowyer has assured his players that their last three games are far from meaningless.
Bowyer last week revealed he expects Rovers to once again be under a transfer embargo this summer, meaning they may have to offload some players to balance the books in a bid to remove the restrictions placed on them since December.
And, following Rudy Gestede's hat-trick at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Bowyer knows his players can make themselves more attractive propositions with some impressive performances in their final trio of matches.
"Tuesday is going to be a lively game because everybody's got something to play for - Millwall certainly have, they're fighting for their lives," Bowyer said.
"For our players - what's Rudy Gestede done? He's drawn more attention to himself. That's what's on show for every player, every week.
"To say it's the end of the season and they've got nothing to play for...I just can't have that and the players know I can't have that."
