PAUL LAMBERT was relieved after Blackburn drew 2-2 with Bristol City to get the point that made certain of Championship survival.
And the former Celtic captain praised on-loan striker Danny Graham, whose Sunderland side are battling relegation in the Premier League.
Lambert said: “Danny’s two goals were great for us and he’s been excellent since he’s been here.
“It’s very difficult for loan players when they come in and it’s getting towards the tail end of the season. It’s easy for them to switch off, but he has been superb.
“Danny gives you all the things you want from an experienced player. He’s been massive for us.”
The Ewood Park gaffer added: “In the first-half, some of our football was very good and we should have been a couple of goals up.
“There was the spell in the second-half where Bristol City got two goals against us and I thought the defending was really poor at that point.
“I think it would have been an injustice had we lost that game.”
Bristol City manager Lee Johnson, the former Hearts and Kilmarnock star, admitted he got tough with his players during half-time.
His team, playing with 10 men for the last five minutes after Korey Smith was sent off, also got the point that will guarantee second-tier football next season.
He said: “We started quite well and had a couple of chances, but then they really got a foothold in the game and we got a bit stretched.
“At half-time, there had to be a midget hair-dryer or two because it was important we livened them up. They had to dig deep and they did.”
Lambert is a contender for the vacant Celtic manager’s job with Ronny Deila announcing last week that he will be leaving the Scottish Champions at the end of the season. Celtic could win the league next weekend if they can better the Aberdeen result.
Deila has complained that the atmosphere at Celtic Park yesterday made it difficult for the players as his time at the club comes to a disappointing conclusion.
Lambert is equally discounted at Blackburn and as CQN reported last week, he has been unable to contact the club’s owners to discuss forward planning. Should Lambert leave Ewood Park in the summer he may well become a serious contender for Celtic.
His odds at the moment for the Celtic job range from 14/1 to 25/1.
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