Matt Taylor insists that his Bristol Rovers side will improve after a 2-0 loss to Stockport County in Sky Bet League One.
The Gas had opened their campaign in the third tier with a win and a draw, keeping back-to-back clean sheets, but were beaten by the Hatters, who have now won all three league games this season after being promoted from League Two.
Louie Barry opened the scoring with a fantastic strike from the edge of the box before the break, and Kyle Wootton doubled the advantage after the restart to claim all three points for Dave Challinor’s men.
Taylor was pleased with how his side started but also stated that his team must make their chances count and pinpointed areas for improvement.
We started the game well
“We started the game fantastically well,” said Taylor. “We were in the ascendancy in that first half; good attacking moments. Some of those opportunities, we should work the goalkeeper or at least work the goal better than we did.
“The goal came out of nothing, really. One poor header from our point of view, in terms of out of the backline, it fell to their best player, and he’s obviously finished it really well.”
Making chances count
“It’s positive to start well, but you’ve got to make it count,” said the boss. “You go away from home, and you’re looking at what type of performance you’re expecting as a manager or what you want for your team. We were exactly where we needed to be.
“Some of the areas we can improve on. But we have to make it count when you’re in the ascendancy and on top. Creating good box actions.
“We’ve got to work on certain aspects once we get there, but there’s also that word of confidence, where players will believe in themselves a little bit more if they see the value of it.”
We will improve
“I don’t think certain moments we can’t improve; we have to improve and will improve,” he said. “More time together, more training and more training under pressure, personnel.
“I think we will improve significantly in certain moments of the game. We’ve been in that position where there’s been so much pressure on our defence when the score has been so tight, and you’ve seen that with one mistake and a set-piece moment.
Not many teams will put them under that much pressure
"Everyone will look at the scoreline and certainly the feel of the last fifteen, twenty minutes or so and be rightly disappointed," said Taylor. "But not many teams will come here and put their area under that much pressure."
