SAM Allardyce remained upbeat today, despite seeing Wanderers' automatic promotion hopes dented yet again by arch-rivals Blackburn.

A 4-1 win at Grimsby last night put Graeme Souness in pole position in the race for the Premiership - four points clear with three games to play.

Having seen their hopes rise on Saturday when they beat Norwich while Rovers only managed to draw at Molineux, Wanderers now know that the race could be over this weekend if they lose at Barnsley on Saturday and Blackburn beat Portsmouth at Ewood on Sunday.

But Allardyce, in Copenhagen for tonight's Denmark-Slovenia international, reacted positively, refusing to concede defeat in the battle for runners-up spot and remaining confident that victory at Oakwell will throw the race wide open again.

"Last night's result was disappointing but not a shock," he insisted. "It means it's all or nothing for us on Saturday. We'll be going all out for a win to at least put some pressure on Blackburn before they play Portsmouth.

"I'm still convinced that, if we can win all three remaining games, we will go up - I find it hard to believe that Blackburn will win all their games. But, if we don't, we'll prepare confidently for the play-offs."

Souness, however, believes he is now holding all the aces.

Having stoked up local rivalry by saying he'd happily pitch his Rovers against Wanderers in a "one-off game to decide who goes up", he was delighted after the Blundell Park romp. "We are in the driving seat." he said.

"Fortunately for us, we get to know what Bolton do on Saturday before we play on Sunday and after that they play on the Tuesday and we play on the Wednesday.

"So we'll know what we have to do."

Ironically it was a mistake by Grimsby keeper Danny Coyne - touted as a possible summer target for Wanderers - whose mistake put Blackburn on their way to the vital victory.

Coyne looked to have David Dunn's first-half shot well covered but he allowed the ball to squirm through his hands and into the goal for a howler of a first goal.

Meanwhile, Allardyce was checking out some of Europe's brightest young stars last night when he was in Vienna to see Austria and France draw 1-1 in an Under 21 European Championship qualifier.

Wanderers Reserves take on Birmingham City at the Reebok tonight (kick off 7pm) looking for a win to avoid relegation from the Premier Division of the Avon Insurance League.

Mike Whitlow, Franck Passi, Dean Holden and Leam Richardson will lend their experience to the second string.