Matt Taylor looks ahead to 'big opportunity' against Crawley as Bristol Rovers seek just rewards

Matt Taylor has called Bristol Rovers’ home game with Crawley Town this weekend a “big opportunity” as the Gas look to take advantage of being one of a handful of teams in League One playing this weekend amid international call-ups elsewhere.

Rovers have performed admirably in their last two league matches against Reading and Lincoln City but their efforts got just one point in return and thus Taylor is particularly keen to see his team get their just rewards in regards to points for performances that are improving.

On paper, Saturday’s game against Crawley, who currently occupy the final relegation place and haven’t won away from home since August, is widely seen as one the Gas should be winning, especially considering that their home form has been largely solid.

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“Next game, big opportunity and if we play anything like [Lincoln and Reading] then we've got a good chance of winning this game of football,” the Rovers manager said ahead of this weekend’s fourth consecutive game at the Mem.

“I've watched Crawley live three times this season. I watched the Shrewsbury game, I watched the Burton game, I was there on Tuesday night and they are fantastic in terms of a certain style of play.

“Top of the league in terms of possession and combination play in the opposition half. So they move the ball and move the ball really effectively. But we have to respect that, acknowledge it and counteract it but then also take the game to them.

“Our best performances at any stage this season, home or away, have been when we've had the ball and we're going forward and putting the opposition under pressure and asking their defenders and their goalkeeper questions about how to defend their box and Crawley are no different.

“That will be our aim. [It’s] always easier said than done but that's certainly our aim this weekend.

Those matches were a bonkers 5-3 home defeat to Shrewsbury Town, a goalless draw at Burton Albion and a 2-1 loss at Wycombe Wanderers in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy earlier this week. As Taylor said, the results may not show it but last season’s League Two play-off winners are capable of playing some eye-catching football.

“In every game I've watched them, and those games I've watched them in they've lost two out of three and drawn the other one 0-0, they've been the better team for large parts of it,” the Gas boss added. “They're just probably missing that final edge in both boxes which I'm sure will come over time.

“But as always, the focus has to be on us. If we put our best performance and our best out there, we're a match for anyone. We've shown that, but then we need to back that up with goals and a clean sheet and a win. It'd be great if we could get a resounding one which just changes the feel around the place.”

It’s been an eventful first season at League One level since 2015 for the Red Devils who saw previous manager Scott Lindsay, who led them to promotion following an excellent run of form at the end of last term, depart for League Two side MK Dons in September.

In his place, Crawley appointed former Gateshead manager and Newcastle United goalkeeper Rob Elliot who has recently overseen impressive results at home against Lincoln City and Huddersfield Town, a 3-0 win and 2-2 draw respectively.

Having gone into the season as relegation favourites by some margin, the Red Devils are certainly proving to be up for the fight despite currently being in the drop zone after 15 matches.

Before his move to Newcastle, Elliot was at Charlton Athletic where he was briefly teammates with Taylor and the Rovers manager had nothing but good words ahead of sharing the touchline with the 38-year-old this weekend.

“I can't say I've watched Gateshead live an awful lot, but their reputation is of a footballing team at National League level,” Taylor stated. “So the similarities in terms of, probably Rob's progression to Crawley, very similar in terms of their style of play and the way they play. So it kind of worked in relation to that.

“But yeah, he's in the world of League One football where he's gone into the best League One it's ever been, which is where we all are, which is an incredible one to experience. It's fantastic to be part of. But week in, week out, it's just a constant challenge and as a manager, you always want your team to be competitive and he's getting that out of his group of players at the moment.

“But there's always that aspect like we're trying at the moment, is then how you get goals in the back of net and wins on the board and points on the board and three points always makes you feel better and where they are in the league is a position where they'll want to improve that, as we do.

“He's a good character. I spent a bit of time with him at Charlton and he's played at the top, top level of English football and obviously earned his stripes in terms of the coaching and managerial world at Gateshead and now he's doing it at League One. I'm sure it's a different challenge where he's learning on the job and learning something different every single day but I'm doing the same and I'm seven years into it. No manager is different in relation to that.”

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