Bristol Rovers fan Dennis Payter: Just how frustrating is it following Rovers?

After last week's fine win against Swindon we were all feeling far more positive and thinking 'Maybe we can make the play-offs after all'.

But perhaps after 50 years of following the Gas I ought to know better than to count my chickens, as we once again failed to travel very well.

The defeat against Tranmere was all the more disappointing because I felt they were there for the taking. Struggling at the foot of the table, they recently sacked manager John Barnes and have the worst defensive record in the division of conceding 43 goals, so it was reasonable to expect three points for Christmas.

This was not quite as bad as the defeat at Wycombe, but not to score against this struggling side was very disappointing. The fact we were missing the injured Jo Kuffour was no excuse.

It is now six away defeats on the bounce since our famous win at Southampton.

Once again at Tranmere we started slowly, but did at least come out for the second period with guns blazing. Maybe Paul Trollope did an Arsene Wenger at half-time and told his players "they were not fit enough to wear the shirt".

But it did not for work as well for the Pirates as it did for the Gunners on the other side of the River Mersey last week.

OK, Tranmere's second goal was against the run of play, but this is not the sort of game we should be losing if we are to mount any serious challenge this campaign.

I hope our director of football Lennie Lawrence has lined up some bargains in the January sales. He needs to produce the goods this time because his last few acquisitions have not been very impressive.

If we have any ambition it is also important that we hold on to what we have in the shape of Chris Lines, with rumours of Championships sides watching him. Mikkel Andersen is another player whose future needs to be sorted out. With the Reading manager getting the sack perhaps there is a chance we can keep the big goalkeeper to the end of the season on loan, or even buy him?

Of course at the top of every Gashead's wish list is a new striker, I was a bit surprised to see Chris Dickson start at Tranmere, surely there was no future in playing him was there?

That decision cannot have done much for Darryl Duffy's confidence and it was a chance to give one of the youngsters a game before that new striker comes over the horizon.

But it is nice going into the festive season still in seventh position in the league with all still to play for.