Darrell Clarke frustrated as Bristol Rovers suffer eighth league defeat in a row

Darrell Clarke was left frustrated and disappointed as his Bristol Rovers side suffer an eighth league defeat in a row.

Their 1-0 loss to 10-men Notts County on Saturday became Bristol Rovers’ joint-record eighth consecutive league defeat.

The Magpies played over 55 minutes with 10 men after Tyrese Hall’s 35th-minute red card for a reckless challenge.

Rovers dominated in possession, hit the woodwork twice, and forced several saves from Kelle Roos, but failed to break the deadlock.

Then Matthew Dennis got the winner in the 87th minute, a rare counter-attack, Dennis’ strike deflected and beat goalkeeper Luke Southwood to seal all three points and send the promotion-chasing visitors’ fans wild in the away end.

The result Bristol Rovers sitting 21st in League Two with 17 points from 18 games played, a point above the drop zone. Notts County are 4th with 31 points and a point behind 3rd place MK Dons.

Speaking to the club website, he said: “The game is about sticking the ball in the net. We were the better team 11v11, then obviously loads and loads of territory and chances, and we didn’t take them. So, you have to go and put the ball in the net; unfortunately, it’s another hard luck story.”

Interviewer: “Is it a different type of hard luck story?”

Darrell: “Not really. Cheltenham scored with one shot on target, and so did these lot. So, it’s another hard luck story, Gillingham as well, one of the games before that as well. Unless we start being ruthless where we need to be, it’s going to be a long old season because we can lead it to water, we can do the builds, we can change formation, I can switch things around, but at the end of the day, the game is about putting the ball in the net and we aren’t doing that.

“I mean the goals is a deflection, but I’m not knocking my lads for the effort and the endeavour, I’m knocking them for the quality in the final third. When we got those chances, we’ve got to take them because it just makes for what happens today, so we’ve got to accept it. It’s tough to take at the minute, I’m frustrated, and I’m disappointed for my supporters and it’s another defeat.”

Interviewer: “What did you say to them after that?”

Darrell: “For me, it’s about standards every single day. It’s about being ruthless and putting the ball in the back of the net in training and making sure you do that on a regular basis because when Saturday comes, that becomes easier. So, make sure you raise your standards when we’re doing that, and when we’re doing our finishing drills, I want to see players be ruthless and hit the ball into the back of the net because when you do that, you’ll do that more in matches.

“I’m not really a hard-luck sort of guy, you know that. I’m disappointed for my team and my group. I ask every single time when we’re on a bad run that my players go out there and show confidence, to show no fear and to get on the front foot, and I thought we did that.”

Interviewer: “I heard you talking about leaders in the week. Are there leaders in the dressing room?”

Darrell:  “It’s no problem with leaders, is it? We dominated the game, so it’s not about leaders. For me, today, you dominate a game of football, but you’ve got to put the ball in the back of the net. It’s nothing to do with leaders.

“We’ve got a lot of experience in there. Josh McEachran comes on, dictates the ball. I’ve got Tom Lockyer at the back. There’s enough in the group; there’s one or two leaders coming back as well, which will help us. I’m a frustrated man today, because we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.”

Interviewer:  “How do you change that? Do you change the personnel or do you change the way the chances are being created?”

Darrell: “We brought in Callum Morton to hopefully put some competition there, because we’ve been short there in recent weeks. The more forward-thinking players that we’ve got at the club at the minute aren’t producing.

“We’ve got to keep working with them, we’ve got to give them the confidence to do that, and that’s why I say to you, back to the training and be ruthless in that. Don’t be a victim. Punish your efforts in training, hit the back of the net, and Saturday becomes easy.”

Interviewer: “Do you look at the table at this point? Does that come into your mind?”

Darrell: “You always look at the table, but for me, unless we put the ball in the back of the net, it’s going to be a long old season. For me, we have to do that, but I have to keep giving belief and confidence to the group, keep working on them and make sure that they don’t lose that confidence.

“When you’re on this shocking run that we’re on, the team shouldn’t go out there and not feel confident. It’s very important for me as a manager that the boys respond in a performance way.

“I thought we were a better team when it was 11v11, total domination when they went a man down, but if you don’t take your chances, you get punished. Done.”

Interviewer: “What’s the first thing you’re going to do Monday morning?”

Darrell: “I’ll be ready to go again. I always am. I thank the supporters for their support. I think the support was amazing today; it lifted the players. Never once got on the boy’s backs.

“So, you’ve just got to keep going, and what I will say is that when you have times like this, and I’ve had a few times like this in my career, it’s only hard work and not feeling sorry for yourself is going to get you through it. That’s what we’ll do. As I said, we’ll be ready. The next couple of days will be tough, but on Monday I’ll be ready to go again with my group.”

Here’s how fans reacted with Darrell Clarke frustrated as Bristol Rovers suffer an eighth league defeat in a row…

@BRFCClive101: Looks like a defeated man

@Elmhart: Very one sided stats, but if you don’t take your chances that’s exactly what can happen. Performances have definitely improved even if results definitely haven’t. DC will turn things around, and I hope he gets more time because getting through this will make everyone stronger.

@gazpringle: It’s beyond baffling the fans just sit back and watch the team ran this badly 😂 barely a protest of any sort while the club are ran into the ground by foreigners who don’t have a clue

@charlie__BRFC: Shame we can’t win any points in training. Don’t think it’s all his fault but cant lose 8 on the bounce and not change something and unfortunately mid season it can only really be the gaffer.

@LP15393: Doing well in training. Interviews are boring now. Same old shite every week

@gadgetweetin: What the fucking hell is happening at our club. We won promotion once 7 nil and all was good. It wasn’t that long ago. But it’s been dire since, and it’s getting worse. Manger after manager. Clueless owners. Downward spiral and it’s soul destroying #utg

@dkl5341: The recruitment department should be moved on – there will be lower league strikers who will be hungry for a chance – get the scouts out !!!

@Bristoliang1en: This club is rotten to the core. DC has to take responsibility for most of the mess we are in. Awful tactics and bringing in players who are past their best or injury prone have cost us massively. I’m sure the blue tinted brigade will disagree, though.

@sperringc: Where’s Ricky Martin gone?? Everyone is asking for the owners to pipe up but where is our DOF?? The clubs feels like a shadow of its former self even when we had poor team the fans would still sing till the death but now we are being drowned out by just 1000 fans. #UTG

@brygestowe: I feel completely hopeless being a Rovers fan right now. As fans we have no say in anything, we know where we’re weak, but does anyone in power know how to remedy? Surely the worst time for football in Bristol for the last 20 years, but I still love this club. Love hurts. #UTG ⛽️

@Hibbsy37: Still can’t stop the slide, but that was much better today. Can’t help but think we need to start shooting from distance as trying to walk it in is just not working #ktf #utg

@OliverW67143851: That was a really hard defeat for the gas today. I thought we played really well at times and we had so many chances and everything going for us. But it was a poor goal to let in. Lots of positives but the same old things costing us. Very frustrating #UTG