We'll bounce back from 'devastating' Northampton defeat, insists Bristol Rovers' Tom Parkes
Tom Parkes is confident that Bristol Rovers will bounce back from a "devastating" defeat at Northampton on Tuesday.
Rovers slipped back to within three points of the drop zone after conceding a last-gasp goal at Sixfields on a night where they had otherwise stood up manfully to the Cobblers' direct approach.
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Tom Parkes
The Pirates pick up their survival bid again when they host promotion-chasing Burton at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday and skipper Parkes said: "Every game we play is one we look forward to. The teams we are coming up against at the moment are all chasing promotion, but we are still confident we can win these games.
"It was devastating to lose the game in the way we did on Tuesday night, but we'll bounce back.
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"We worked so hard on our defending before the game and I think we did well to keep them out for most.
"Any team is going to struggle to score against us if we defend like we did on Tuesday night.
"The big thing for us is to stay switched on for the full 90 minutes and beyond.
"If you make one little mistake against a team in the top seven you will often get punished for it and that is what happened to us.
"We kept the ball well at times, but I don't think there were many real chances at either end, so a draw would have probably been a fair result. We'll look forward to Saturday now and try to get a positive result there."
Parkes, meanwhile, believes midfielder Seanan Clucas will come back stronger after having his season ended by a torn cruciate ligament injury suffered in the 1-1 draw at Morecambe last weekend.
Clucas has excelled as a regular starter in central midfield since the arrival of John Ward to succeed Mark McGhee in December.
"Seanan has been outstanding for us in the middle of the park," said Parkes. "It's horrible for him, but he is still young and he will come flying back for us next season."
Ward looks set to offer striker Oumare Tounkara a short-term deal ahead of Saturday's game in a bid to bolster a squad that has been without Ryan Brunt (knee), David Clarkson (ankle) and Fabian Broghammer (hamstring) in recent games.
"I'm fine with the way the players performed on Tuesday night," said Ward. "We've lost three games since I arrived and I haven't been disappointed with the way the boys played in any of them.
"If the players give me effort like that in every other game then we will be in good shape.
"The players were more annoyed than disappointed because they worked really hard. They were very strong and I think we deserved a point.
"The way the goal came about did not surprise us because we had to defend those types of (high) balls into our penalty area for the majority of the game. The ball dropped nicely for them on that one occasion and sometimes that happens in football."
5 Comments
by chinesegas
Friday, March 01 2013, 9:31AM
“yeah backs to the wall , but we just played 4 away 2 home in the last 6 games 8 pts if we can do that in the next 6, 4 home 2 away we will be very close to safety with 6 games remaining , 3 home 3 away , 8 pts there were safe , not an impossible target , on the injuries front , not good , but a least the back 4 plus goalkeeper are intact , and playing well as a unit with a good outlet in jj , only cloud, parks now on 9 bookings .agree lets support the team to safety , well done to irons on a good result against barnsley .”
by Roversteve
Thursday, February 28 2013, 3:59PM
“The likes of Northampton,if promoted, will just as soon drop straight back to League Two,you cannot get away with tactics like that in the higher divisions and it comes back to bite you on the bum eventually.Did Aidey play hoofball whilst at the Gas,can't remember too much about him!”
by ARBIE0489
Thursday, February 28 2013, 10:58AM
“I feel sure with the new found spirit, determination, togetherness and a general all round improvement of the fitness level, the "Gas" will win more games than they lose for the remainder of the season. The club have been absolutely dogged with long term injuries this campaign, Harrold, Virgo, Gill, Kenneth, Clucas and now Clarkson....never known a season like it!
However, lets hope that the new arrival of the French striker, signed today, can add a new dimension to the team's attacking force. Hopefully he is quick and good in the air and can become a regular scorer for the team.
ALL GASHEADS SHOULD AGAIN MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND SATURDAY'S GAME VERSUS BURTON AT THE MEM. YOUR SUPPORT IS INVALUABLEN TO THE TEAM ! Lets have another 8,500 plus crowd.
UP THE GAS.”
by londongas
Thursday, February 28 2013, 9:16AM
“Yes, fought hard on Tuesday night, against a team high in division ( do appreciate its DIV 2) and intent on adopting the usual Addie Boothroyd approach of Luftwaffe type ariel bombardment
However Rovers stuck to their guns and deserved a point”
by bluecamel
Thursday, February 28 2013, 8:06AM
“Back's to the wall again on Saturday and 4 home games in 2 weeks - here we go again
No nails left”