Matt Taylor believes Bristol Rovers were much improved in the second half after the Gas lost on penalties to Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s following a 3-3 draw at The Memorial Stadium.
Mikey Moore cancelled out Isaac Hutchinson’s opener in the first half, with Spurs twice taking the lead after the break. However, Kofi Shaw and Luke McCormick levelled for the hosts, but the Pirates lost on penalties after Jake Garrett missed his spot-kick.
Taylor rotated his squad, giving first starts to summer signings Lino Sousa and Micah Anthony, as well as academy star Shaw.
The manager was pleased with spells of the game against Spurs, pinpointed Shaw’s qualities and the look of the team.
Pleased with the start
“It was a strange evening really," said Taylor. “I was pleased with the start, obviously to get ahead and look comfortable in the game. Then, I have to be honest, in terms of what I saw from fifteen minutes onwards to half-time, I really didn’t like what I saw.
“The game turned us into a flat team low on energy. I’m not too sure why. We had to be honest with the group at half-time in terms of we need to get something out of the evening, regardless of the game and the actual result.
“The second half was more like what I want a Bristol Rovers team to look like. We were just more aggressive with our game. It made it more exciting and an open game. We still made some poor decisions but that was kind of what I expected the game to look like all the way through.
“So, it was strange the way we lost our way a little bit in that first half.”
Mind going towards the weekend
“There’s certain personnel out there, certainly involved in some of the execution moments or decision-making moments, who aren’t quite ready for senior football as yet,” he said.
“Your mind is going towards the weekend and who's going to affect the pitch and who's going to affect the game. As the second half went on there was more pleasing performances throughout.
“My biggest frustration was that we wasted time in that first half. Not in terms of using the ball, but we just wasted time being on the pitch without affecting the game.
“I was pleased. There were goals in it for the fans because when they come to these types of games if it's a drab affair then they’ll probably go home frustrated and probably won’t come again. So, pleased that there was a little bit of excitement."
Kofi Shaw
“I thought Kofi was our best player and he’s our youngest player apart from when Ollie [Dewsbury] came on,” said Taylor. “Kofi was our best player by an absolute mile. The only reason I took him off was because he’s put himself in contention for the weekend.
“The whole group got better in the second half. The plus is Chris [Martin] got 45 minutes, and Ruel [Sotiriou], we think just took a kick towards the end.
“Jake Garrett some more minutes, Isaac [Hutchinson] minutes and a bit more confidence with his goal and a penalty as well. So, players going in the right direction and Lino [Sousa’s] first start and our first eyes on him I suppose.”
The team needs to look a certain way
“I thought they all got better as the game went on,” he said. “But they all have to realise and maybe need a game like that to understand that we need the team to look a certain way. The fans need it, the club need it and like I say it’s an energetic team and a dynamic team.
