Robbie Blake believes Burnley are getting a raw deal from referees because they are "a small club".

The veteran forward opened the scoring in the derby against Blackburn on Sunday but finished on the losing side.

He was incensed that referee Chris Foy allowed Franco di Santo's goal to stand, claiming that goalkeeper Brian Jensen had been impeded.

Blake said: "The decisions did not go our way and that is because we are a small club called Burnley.

"We are never going to get these decisions - referees think we do not deserve them.

"It is just one of those things and we have got to roll our sleeves up and get on with it."

Blake says that despite the 3-2 defeat, Burnley supporters can remain proud given the positions of the clubs in the table.

"We are still two points above Blackburn and we can take that as bragging rights, " he said. "If we apply ourselves right we have nothing to panic about in my view."

Blake is convinced the Clarets can secure their status for a second successive year - his thunderous strike was their first on the road in five league games.

He said: "I would have settled for a scruffy goal and three points to be honest.

"But it is nice to shut a few people up who had been saying we were not going to score away from home. We know we are good enough to compete in this league."

With Blackburn facing upcoming away games against Chelsea and Manchester United, the result was just the boost they were looking for.

And skipper Ryan Nelsen thought David Dunn's leveller just four minutes after Blake had found the target deflated Burnley.

He said: "I think the life went out of them when we scored straight away. We then stepped up the pressure with a couple more goals.

"It was only in the second half when Burnley started to get desperate they looked dangerous again.

"It was a shame to concede that late goal, but it did make it extremely exciting. We got there in the end which is the key.

"It is an incredible feeling and such a big relief because we all know how much the game meant to the fans."