Isaac Hutchinson was disappointed after Bristol Rovers lost 3-0 away to Stevenage in Sky Bet League One.
The Gas were looking to start positively under new head coach Iñigo Calderón, who was in charge of Rovers for the first time since joining on Boxing Day but could not build on their bright beginning to the contest.
Elliott List headed in the opener just past the half-hour mark before the hosts made the most of their man advantage after the break, with Jamie Lindsay giving his marching orders for a second yellow card. Jordan Roberts doubled Stevenage's lead before Jamie Reid added a third in the final stages.
Hutchinson reflected on the defeat and stated the Pirates must improve.
“It’s obviously disappointing,” he said. “I think we started the game OK, bright and with positive things that we could have built on, but obviously, they’ve got a bit of momentum with the goal and from that point, we were on the back foot a bit.
“Then when things aren't going your way, they aren't going your way, and you go down to ten men, which never helps, and we’re fighting an uphill battle. It’s dissapointing, and we need to improve.”
“We just need to be better as a team. We’ve got the new manager coming in, and we’re trying to slowly but surely implement his way of playing because there’s not been a lot of time on the training pitch with that. It’s all going to be a bit of a work in progress, but we need to be better individually and as a team to be a bit tougher to beat.”
Rovers looked sharp in the early exchanges and were playing the ball around neatly in tight spaces under new head coach Calderón, but struggled to gain a foothold in the contest after List planted his downward header beyond Josh Griffiths to break the deadlock.
Despite the defeat, Hutchinson remained positive and spoke positively about Calderón’s style of football since the Spaniard came in.
“I think it’s really exciting with the way the new manager wants to play and the players we have at the Club,” said the midfielder. “We just need to be in the position where we can enjoy that a bit more, and the only way we’re going to do that is by picking up results.
“We need to be a bit braver with and without the ball and step up a bit.
“He seems really positive and really clear on what he wants to do. It’s just going to be a work in progress with that. We’re just going to try as a team to keep implementing what he wants us to do, and as the games go on, I think it will be clear to everyone what we’re trying to do."
Rovers have lost five of their last six outings in the third tier but have displayed glimpses of promise recently. After collecting a point at The Memorial Stadium against a promotion-chasing Wrexham side, the Gas were unlucky to leave Exeter City on the wrong side of a 3-1 defeat.
Hutchinson believes there are many positives and knows where the team must get better.
“We’ve been close to a positive result,” he said. “Exeter should have been one. We all know that as a team. So, there’s been plenty of positives amongst all the negatives. I think we’ve just got to keep doing the things we are doing well and just tighten up as a team with regards to keeping the ball out of our net.”
