Matt Taylor was disappointed his Bristol Rovers side could not turn their first-half domination into goals after their 0-0 draw with Crawley Town in Sky Bet League One.
The Gas were superb in the opening exchanges, hitting the bar twice through Isaac Hutchinson and Luke McCormick, with Connal Trueman kept busy by the Pirates.
The Gas could not continue their control into the second 45 minutes but stayed strong through a bright period from the Red Devils to keep their fifth clean sheet in 15 league matches.
Taylor was pleased with the first-half performance and the number of chances his side created but was left frustrated with the lack of goals in return.
How we didn’t go ahead in that first half is beyond me...
"If you would have interviewed me at half-time, I would have said that was probably one of the best we’ve been," said Taylor. "The number of chances we created; how we didn’t go ahead in that first half is beyond me.
"We lost a bit of control of the space in the second half. Credit to Crawley, as they used that better. The space between our players just grew a little bit too big, and they had the ascendancy in relation to that, still without troubling our goal often enough."
We have to find a way to force the issue...
"We hit the bar twice, their goalkeeper made a save with his finger and body, and there were blocks," he said. "But we have to find a way to force the issue and add quality moments in the opposition box.
"I could not have asked any more in terms of the way we started the game and the way we took the game to the opposition," said the manager. "But the longer it stayed at nil, and certainly in the second half, then they are feeling a little bit leggy."
We want to keep building that across the winter months...
"Five clean sheets in 15 games," he said. "So defensively, the ratio of one in three is a good return. We want to keep building that across the winter months, but certainly at the top end of the pitch, and the attacking moments, including set-pieces, is going to be a focus."
Luke McCormick got man of the match and rightly so...
"It’s not just working hard in training but playing well on the pitch," said Taylor. "That’s where we judge the most. Luke McCormick got man of the match and rightly so. He’s so bright and is our best presser.
"He’s energetic and I don’t think he could have done much more, certainly with that header. But for a goalkeeper's fingertips and the underside of the bar, he would have a goal to add to his man of the match.
"He’ll keep his place and continue to do that if he keeps on playing like that."
The four games at The Mem were positive in terms of performance...
"The four games at The Mem were positive in terms of performance," he said. "Not the second half today but certainly in the first half, so we felt like we’ve gone in the right direction.
"It could have been so different if we carried on a bit of momentum from Lincoln in terms of the goal return and even today, then the whole feel and atmosphere changes in a positive way.
"We’ll keep on going, certainly in terms of the number of games in quick succession. It pretty much goes to one every four days over the next two or three months, which is an incredible schedule. Some of those will be at home and we’ve got to keep on putting out a positive display."
