Manager on today's loss
Darrell Clarke believes that tiredness played a big part in today’s defeat to Rochdale.
Rovers took on Dale less than 48 hours after a tough game against Portsmouth at Fratton Park and the manager thought it was evident in the performance.
Rovers were also missing several key players through injury.
Darrell said: “To me the disappointment was that we looked like a side that had played two games in 48 hours.
“Especially in the second half, we looked very leggy and off the pace. The boys gave it a good go and worked hard, but their fitness levels looked a lot better than ours on the day.
“Our strength in depth today obviously doesn’t help when you have to chuck youngsters on the pitch in a game like that, but with the injuries we have got, it is where we are at.
“The bench is full of young lads learning the game, and Fabian Broghammer is way short on match fitness, so it was a gamble whatever I did today.
“When you are playing two games in 48 hours you want to be able to make four or five changes and freshen it up, but I couldn’t do that today with the injuries.
“We kept going, but it is about the points at this stage of the season.”
Rovers now go into a massive game against Wycombe this weekend, another side fighting the drop.
Darrell said: “I will have been in charge for eight games by the end of the season, and they are all crunch games.
“We have to keep going and keep fighting and hope one or two of them can come off the treatment table this week.
“The crowd have been fantastic all season. They have seen the boys have a right good go, but it is not enough at the minute.
“We are now looking at results to go in our favour ready to go to Wycombe next week.”
And Darrell is not confident that he will have any of his injured players back for the next game.
He said: “Chris Beardsley is having an injection in his knee and we will have to see how he reacts to that.
“Michael Smith is having a scan on his thigh, but it looks like a bad one.”
For the full interview visit Gas Player.