Yet another away defeat leaves us with very little Christmas cheer and I hope it does not turn into a bleak New Year for Bristol Rovers.

Once again we promised so much with our attacking moves against in-form Stockport but we have now won only once in 14 games on the road this season.

The hardest part of the game has always been creating chances, yet we have the quality to do that with this squad but we lack that tough unde0 belly in defence.

How Paul Trollope must wish that he had a fit Danny Coles, but the vibes are not good after his return to hospital last week.

With clubs struggling to beat the credit crunch then maybe Lenny Lawrence can use his connections to bring in a central defender, even on loan, from someone like cash-strapped Southampton for example who are desperate to unload players.

Trolls admitted after the Edgeley Park defeat that we need to defend better. The crucial goal was the home sides second just on half-time when Trolls confessed "it was a bad one, we didn't get close to stop the cross or the header."

We have plenty of defenders who are comfortable on the ball but we are lacking a Vaughan Jones or Ian Alexander to put fear into the hearts of opponents. A former Rovers player recently told me that on a day before games against Bristol City, the Gas would practice playing with 10 men because Jock Alexander was more than likely to be sent off.

Ok we don't want our players to get too carried away but we could do with a bit more "cold steel" at the back.

On a positive note from Stockport it was good to see Craig Disley get on the score sheet for the first time this season and Ben Hunt get another run out from the bench.

Speculation that Charlton are interested in Trolls and Lenny in last Saturday's Post indicates that they must be doing something right. I cannot remember the last time another club showed interest in our management team.

They deserve our backing and I hope they are not tempted away. That goes for Rickie Lambert as well because we need to keep our best people if we are to make progress in the long term.

I hope everyone's Christmas wish comes true. But perhaps the most optimistic I have heard so far came from Rover's chaplain the Rev David Jeal at the club's very entertaining carol service in Lockleaze when in his prayers he asked for 12 points over the holiday period.

Not bad seeing Rovers only have three games.

Let's hope the boys can round off our Christmas with three points against high-riding MK Dons on Boxing Day.

Merry Christmas to all football fans, blue and red.