Kean looks to fearless youngsters

Published Apr. 11, 2011 9:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Rovers' 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham means Kean's men have not won since January 23 and only favourable results elsewhere allowed them to maintain a gap between themselves and the bottom three. But Kean maintains the future is bright with three of his young players - goalscorer Junior Hoilett, midfielder Phil Jones and defender Martin Olsson once again proving their Premier League class. Kean said: "We've got some great young guys who don't really know what fear is and they just want to get on the ball and express themselves. Junior has certainly shown all the makings of a top-class player." Hoilett was the Rovers star in a gutsy first half and drew the home side level in first half injury time when he pounced on an awful error by Liam Ridgewell to burst clear and round Blues keeper Ben Foster. Rovers had had the better of the opening exchanges with the lively Hoilett setting up a chance for Jermaine Jones then Chris Samba coming close when he stooped to head just wide of Foster's right hand post. Birmingham's opener came out of the blue after 32 minutes when Sebastian Larsson's cross from the right was helped across the face of goal by Cameron Jerome to serve up Bowyer with the simplest of headers. And the outcome could have been different two minutes before the break when former Blues star David Dunn fouled Craig Gardner and Larsson stepped up to drive a long-range free-kick against the post. In a dramatic end to the first half, Roger Johnson was given lengthy treatment for concussion after apparently being knocked out in a goalmouth melee, then Hoilett had time to drag the home side level. The pressure on both sides told in a dismal second period with Birmingham once again coming close through a Larsson set-piece and Roque Santa Cruz heading Rovers' best chance on top of the bar. For both sides the point came at a price with a series of new injury concerns. Kean will have one eye on the treatment room this week after Hoilett, Santa Cruz and Ryan Nelsen all went off injured. Kean added: "(Junior) could feel his hamstring tightening and you've got to look at the games coming up. If it's tight that's the body saying it's going to go, so you have to pull him off as a precaution. "Ryan has had fluid drained off his knee and he could feel it playing up. We need to get it iced and drained and let it settle down and hopefully he will be available for the Everton game."