Darrell Clarke was left frustrated and disappointed after Bristol Rovers lost 1-0 to Notts County in Sky Bet League Two.
The Pirates dominated the contest and created plenty of chances, but could not find a way to break the deadlock. In a chaotic first half, where Tyrese Hall was sent off for the visitors after a tough tackle on Macauley Southam-Hales, Joel Cotterill and Jack Sparkes hit the post, with Clinton Mola also heading narrowly wide.
The second half continued in the same way. Harrison was twice denied by Kelle Roos, and Freddie Issaka thumped the bar with a strike from distance before the Magpies won it in the final stages, with Matthew Dennis' deflected shot beating Luke Southwood.
Clarke spoke to the media after the contest and reflected on another disappointing defeat.
How must you be feeling after that one?
"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."
Is it a different type of hard luck story?
"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.
What did you say to them after that?
"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."
I heard you talking about leaders in the week. Are there leaders in the dressing room?
“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 enough 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."
How do you change that? Do you change the personnel or do you change the way the chances are being created?
“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."
Do you look at the table at this point? Does that come into your mind?
“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.”
What’s the first thing you’re going to do Monday morning?
“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.”
