Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor offers verdict on Antony Evans sale with Bristol Rovers set to face old favourite..By Daniel Hargraves

Bristol Rovers sold Antony Evans to Huddersfield Town over the summer and could come up against the midfielder this Saturday

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Matt Taylor has insisted that it was the right time for Bristol Rovers to sell Antony Evans to Huddersfield Town this summer ahead of potentially coming up against the old Gas favourite this weekend.

After being named Rovers' player of the season in his third and final campaign in BS7 last term, Evans made the move to then-recently relegated Huddersfield in July for a fee understood to be in the region of £450,000.

"We don’t know what capacity he’ll feature in at the weekend but we know when he’s on the pitch that he’ll be a serious threat at any time, let alone dead ball situations.

"Everyone knows Evo far too well in terms of his success here. We have to find a way of keeping him and several others quiet at the weekend."

"On the back of two wins, one in the cup and one in the league, both against Barnsley, but had that period similar to ourselves really," the Gas manager exclaimed. "If Huddersfield can lose four games on the bounce then it probably shows you what the league’s about and how difficult it is because [they’re] a strong team at the level. Incredible squad. Some serious players. A lot of players who’ve played Championship level consistently before.

"You’d expect them to be in and around it come the end of the season but a good opportunity because it’s a fantastic pitch, a good place to play football and on the back of the last two league games we’re feeling okay about ourselves."

Apart from being difficult to read (for instance, what does "Not carried as many on the exterior or the outside of it..." mean??) I don't get this 14 to 18 figure that's being bandied around.

14 to 18 is woolly in itself - that's a big difference.

But you have 11 players on the field, are able to name 7 substitutes, so are we saying there might be a number of players on the bench who haven't been part of the core training group during the week?? 
 

Bristol Rovers looking to 'change the feel' after Huddersfield loss with third win in four..By Daniel Hargraves

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Matt Taylor has admitted that a win over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night would change the current feeling at Bristol Rovers after the Gas' 3-1 defeat away at Huddersfield Town on Saturday, having previously won back-to-back league games.

Rovers went into the trip to the John Smith's Stadium having won their previous two league encounters with a much-changed side falling to a woeful 4-0 defeat at Swindon Town in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy more recently.

However, Taylor's men were second-best by some distance for the vast majority of the contest in West Yorkshire, albeit against a side that was in the Championship last season and expected to push for automatic promotion.

Sections of the travelling Gasheads chanted for a change in the dugout during the second half with the Rovers manager still under notable pressure.

Shrewsbury are currently 21st in League One having taken eight points from 12 matches, making Tuesday night's game very much one that the Gas should be winning and, after victories against Charlton Athletic and Burton Albion before the recent international break, a victory over Salop would make it three wins from four in the league, a run of form that has only been achieved twice previously during Taylor's tenure.

"The irony is, if we win on Tuesday, we've won three out of the last four and it certainly changes the feel of what we're feeling right now," the Rovers manager said after the Huddersfield defeat ahead of facing Shrewsbury. "But like I say, we definitely need to show a little bit more than we are doing at the moment when things are going against us and things are difficult.

"It wasn't too dissimilar to the Burton first half to a certain extent. Give the opposition respect, give the game respect, but keep doing what you need to do in terms of your habits, your principles, your behaviours, your characteristics. We just came off that a little bit too much from our lack in that period of time."

It wasn't necessarily the result itself that angered supporters but the manner of the loss as the Gas struggled to keep possession, especially in the first half, and demonstrate any sort of efficiency with the ball in Huddersfield's half when they did win it back.

However, there is understandably a significant gulf in quality between the two sides whereas a home game against Shrewsbury is certainly one that will be filed in the 'should-win' column.

Naturally, that brings added pressure for a victory on Tuesday night with Taylor's position still fragile but, away from any of the noise from supporters or elsewhere, the fact is that a win over Shrewsbury would mark three wins in four and four home wins from six which is by no means a poor run.

Additionally, the league table remains congested the best part of a quarter of the way into the season. 13 points from 11 games has Rovers 18th but they are still only five points away from the play-offs and a victory over Paul Hurst's side would potentially propel the Gas up to 14th.

"As I said, the mad thing about football is we win on Tuesday, we've won three out of four and we're probably mid table within one game away from the play-off positions," Taylor declared.

"That's the mad thing about this league as well and if people want to know how difficult it is, look at Huddersfield's run before the last couple of games. I think they'd lost seven out of eight with cup and league combined which is, for a squad of players like that, unheard of. Our group are nowhere near where they are as yet, but we might be one day and that's something to look forward to."

'Moving in right direction' - Matt Taylor makes Bristol Rovers 'feel' point after Shrewsbury win..By Daniel Hargraves

Bristol Rovers returned to winning ways over Shrewsbury Town with a 1-0 home win, easing pressure on Matt Taylor

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Matt Taylor has labelled the current feel at Bristol Rovers as "interesting" while admitting his side are "moving in the right direction" as pressure on the Gas manager was eased following a 1-0 home victory over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night.

The win was Rovers' third in their last four League One matches, although they had lost four in a row prior to this recent upturn in form. Pressure on the manager has grown in recent weeks with a number of supporters voicing discontent towards the Gas boss, particularly after a 3-1 defeat at Huddersfield Town on Saturday in which Taylor's side were notably second-best for the vast majority.

Despite victory, Rovers didn't produce a vintage display in what was a scrappy, nervy game against Shrewsbury with a cracking goal from Jamie Lindsay in the second half enough to earn the hosts three points and a first clean sheet since late August.

Salop did see a goal from substitute Tom Bloxham dramatically ruled out with a minute of the 90 remaining, seemingly for former Rovers striker John Marquis being in Josh Griffiths' line of sight while being in an offside position. The visitors previously had golden opportunities to score in the first half through the returning ex-Gas front man while ex-Cheltenham Town forward George Lloyd squandered a couple of his own.

The Gas had good chances of their own falling to the likes of Promise Omochere and Shaq Forde in particularly but, with the recorded attendance standing at just over 6,300, it was a notably small home crowd for a league match with the atmosphere not matching one of a side who had secured a home victory.

This evidently befuddled Taylor who said post-match: "The feel of this football club is an interesting one. I'm constantly learning about expectations, realistic expectations. Where the players expect to be playing, fans expect to be, the whole club.

"Three out of the last four is not a bad return. Nine [points] out of 12. Scored some goals in that time, albeit not tonight, but we looked like a good attacking team tonight.

"We're moving in the right direction. We've got to remember that the Chris Martin's of the world are only a week, 10 days away. Gats is only a couple of weeks away. We'll be adding to this team in the next couple of weeks. We go to Reading on the back of this result and we need another result to make it a positive week. Then I think we've got a couple of cup games after that so we get a little bit of a breather from the league. I hope when we get that moment that, league table wise, we're in the middle at least and looking up as opposed to down."

Set up with a back-four that saw Connor Taylor come in next to James Wilson with Taylor Moore shifted out to right-back and Lino Sousa coming in at left-back, Rovers started the game fantastically with Omochere winning a corner within 10 seconds. There was a pleasing zip about the Gas' forward play with Omochere, Forde, Ruel Sotiriou and Scott Sinclair all starting but they just lacked the final moment of quality to break the deadlock.

However, the hosts should have gone behind when Marquis was played through in front of the Thatcher's End and tried to round the ball around Griffiths, who then smothered the former Rovers striker's effort before his follow up was blocked.

Lloyd also squandered first half opportunities before Lindsay bundled the ball home in the second half for his second goal in as many home matches, converting a square pass across the box from Forde.

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Omochere had a golden chance to make it 2-0 with an effort hitting the crossbar with substitute Luke Thomas also rattling the woodwork with the last kick of the game.

In between those moments though, Shrewsbury thought they had a late equaliser through Bloxham before discussion between the referee and linesman eventually saw the goal ruled out with Rovers eventually holding onto the three points which sees them up to 15th in what is a congested league table with Taylor's men also just three points off the play-offs while also six points clear of the relegation zone.

"It was important we bounced back tonight," the Gas manager reflected. "It sounds strange with the atmosphere before half-time and after the game. We've won three out of the last four league games which isn't bad form. We know what we were leading into that but this group will be continuously up and down and I have to acknowledge that and make the people around the club, including the fans, understand that, but they're really trying.

"Delighted to get the three points," he added. "I thought we started the game really well. [We] should probably have been ahead in the first half an hour of the game and then there was a strange period before half-time where the game kind of plateaued a little bit when then the whole air and atmosphere and maybe our energy levels were at a little bit of a lull and opposition can always come in back into the game.

"But I was so pleased with the first half an hour of the game and then the message at half-time was pretty simple. You're doing all this hard work and effort and endeavour and the nuts and bolts of the game. Now add a little bit of quality in that final third to get the end product and the moment to say we're ahead in the game and we feel a lot better about ourselves and that goal was a big goal. We should have added to that goal tally even before the last 10 minutes, which were always going to be nervy when it stays at one."

Bristol Rovers verdict: Reading defeat must be used as turning point after commendable display..By Daniel Hargraves

All of the talking points as 10-man Bristol Rovers were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Reading

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To produce quite possibly your best performance of the season and still end up on the losing side is the gutting reality of Bristol Rovers ' 1-0 defeat at Reading on Saturday afternoon as the Gas produced a commendable response to major setbacks.

Rovers had played well at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the first half before Shaq Forde was sent off early in the second half after being shown the second of two extremely naive yellow cards. It felt as though from that point the Gas would crumble and what had looked a potentially bright game on the road would then turn into another forgettable display away from the Mem, especially when not so long after, Sam Smith handed the hosts the lead.

However, from that point on, Rovers dominated the match despite having a man less and created some significant opportunities to equalise while also defending superbly to ensure the deficit remained just the one goal to give them a chance and getting a result.

Admittedly, no points were secured despite at least a draw being deserved and it will certainly leave a bitter taste in the mouth with no league action for a fortnight. However, a number of positives can be taken from the performance.

There's plenty to sink the teeth into after one of the most entertaining 1-0s you could watch. Here are some of the stand out talking points.

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Shaq Forde foolish but post-match events completely unacceptable

It's quite incredible that we're having to even talk about this but there's, unfortunately, only one place to start when reflecting on Saturday. Forde's red card was incredibly poor from the forward and we'll get onto that but to write out that the 20-year-old was then subject to racist abuse is utterly disgraceful.

Bristol Rovers should be commended for their outstanding statement on the matter. It absolutely hit the nail on the head. Enough is certainly enough.

Forde shared a vile comment he received on Instagram on his story and said in a separate post there were more messages from so called fans. "So called" doesn't cut it. These aren't supporters. These are criminals who don't deserve the privilege of being associated with any football club or sports association.

The fact that we're writing something like this in October 2024 is heartbreaking. I can't even begin to imagine what the young Rovers forward is feeling right now after what had already been a difficult day for him.

Yes, the red card was poor. Two yellow cards for completely naive moments, pulling down a man when he was never getting to the ball and then kicking away the ball in frustration when not getting a free-kick. One of the most frustrating aspects is that he had been playing well and looked like the Gas' most dangerous forwards.

However, the post-game incident has completely overshadowed the football. It's an absolute disgrace.

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Connor Taylor colossal on century appearance

Again, it feels odd to offer such high praise to a defender in a defeat but Connor Taylor was back to his best in what was his 100th appearance for the Gas.

Bar one slip in the first half which should have led to a goal from Harvey Knibbs, the centre-back dealt with every ounce of adversity that came his way.

Deployed in a back-four with Taylor Moore to his right at right-back and James Wilson his centre-back partner, the trio as well as left-back Clinton Mola worked outstandingly well together.

An absolute giant, we all know that Taylor should be able to win the vast majority of his headers but sometimes it's not the case. It certainly was on Saturday while he also made some crucial blocks and interceptions against some superb attacking players at League One level.

Like his teammates, especially those alongside and behind him, the 23-year-old was unlucky to be on the losing side but it's something he now has to build on after what has been a bit of a stop-start opening few months of the campaign.

Performance stepped up

Matt Taylor said ahead of the Reading game that his team now needed to step up their performances on the back of what has been an upturn in form with three wins in four. Admittedly, and this has certainly been pointed out by supporters, the victories came in games you would expect the Gas to win with Burton Albion and Shrewsbury Town in particular currently in the relegation zone.

Therefore, the manager made the point that Rovers now need to step things up and compete with some of the better sides in the league, something that the Royals are proving to be. Step up the performance levels did.

Naturally, no display is going to be perfect and there are certainly parts that can be picked out that must be improved on but it was the most competitive the Gas had looked against a strong, in-form team, all season, on the road at least.

Although it offered limited chances, the opening half-an-hour was certainly entertaining with both sides testing each other out and looking dangerous. Rovers should have taken the lead when Ruel Sotiriou fired narrowly wide while Josh Griffiths was forced into some good saves late in the first half.

The second half started where the first had left off and, as mentioned, the sending off looked as though it would inevitably condemn Rovers but, even after going behind, they fought valiantly for the cause.

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Unity from biggest away support tells whole story

If you needed to get an idea of what the Gas had done on the pitch, even in defeat, the post-match response from the 1,600-odd travelling supporters said everything you needed to know.

Only a week prior there had been boos and jeers as well as calls for the manager to be sacked after a poor display at Huddersfield Town. This time, supporters applauded their players and chanted proudly.

They made themselves heard particularly in the second half at Reading as they tried to suck the ball into the net themselves but it all came in response to what they were seeing from their team on the pitch which was grit, fight and determination.

That now has to set a standard. Too often this term have Rovers been timid on the road and comfortably second-best. It's a shame that they couldn't take the opportunity to launch themselves up the table with a victory and go level on points with the Royals but this has to be used as a turning point when league football resumes in two weeks time.

Every word Matt Taylor said on Bristol Rovers' FA Cup tie with Weston, avoiding upset and more..By Daniel Hargraves

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Gas manager Matt Taylor spoke to local media on Thursday afternoon to discuss the tie, the FA Cup as a competition and ensuring his team avoid an upset as well as the latest injury news and the latest in the search for another back-up goalkeeper. Here is every word he had to say...

Matt, let's start with some squad news. How's the top end of the pitch looking? A chance to put out some proper strikers this weekend?

Potentially, in Chrissy. He obviously got his half a game on Tuesday and he's recovered well and felt no ill effects in that leg, in that bone which obviously he broke.

The rest is a little bit light. We have to understand and acknowledge that but it's no excuse going into the weekend. That's where we are and that's the circumstance we find ourselves in.

So that doesn't sound great for Promise [Omochere] in terms of this weekend...

Look, I don't want to sit here and rule him out on a Thursday afternoon. I want to give him as much time as we possibly can but it's looking less and less likely. He's not been out on the grass as yet.

Obviously, the pain and the effects he was feeling at the start of the week are still lingering. So, look, we'll test him. We'll give him as much time as we possibly can. So maybe a late call on Saturday.

It's not like you don't have other options but it potentially changes the way you have to play. Is that something you're comfortable with?

Yes, but we've got options. Ruel can play as an out-and-out nine. He might not be the same physical profile as maybe the other three we're talking about.

Bryant's actually done better than expected in that position. It's not his natural position but what he did at the end against Northampton so long ago and even in that probably 25 minute cameo at Reading, he causes problems. He's got pace, power and he can head a ball. If can put a profile of a centre forward then he's not a million miles off that.

So we've got options. Like I say, the biggest positive sat here right now is that it looks like Chrissy's gonna be available. Now, let's keep him available for as long as we possibly can.

We know he won't play 90 minutes. I think a few players are in that bracket. But yeah, we're looking forward to see him out there again.

And with Bryant, the sort of that enthusiasm that he brings to everything he does, that could go quite a long way you'd imagine...

Yes. He smiles which is a great start. He's positive in terms of his experience to date and actually on Tuesday out of where the performance was, he was one of the better ones. He affected the game. He contributed. He had his usual lung bursting runs up and down that left side. Wasn't beaten one-v-one and he's always a benefit to any team in both boxes in terms of set-pieces. So yeah, he was a positive.

He's a player who we're still developing. We have to understand that this is his first Football League exposure but he's certainly been a positive to date.

For you, where does the FA Cup this season sit in terms of your priorities?

It's at the top. The next one is always at the top. The Exeter game on Tuesday morning and Monday was at the top of that list because it's the next one.

So Weston is right up there. It's a home game. We know the pressure will be on us as a home team and the league team, the professional team and we're playing against a team in form with nothing to lose to a certain extent. So we know where the pressure lies, but it's a great opportunity for us to get into the next round of the competition.

And is that something you tell the players to embrace? Because obviously everyone from outside is going to expect you to go through...

Yes. We have to acknowledge that. We speak about being professional footballers and it being a privilege and part of it being a privilege is the pressure you get with it and this weekend, there might be more pressure because the expectation is there with the difference between the leagues.

But we, internally, fully respect Weston, certainly in terms of the form they're on and the job Scott [Bartlett]'s done there for a number of seasons and the players they've got. We know some of them. They're quite familiar to us. I've worked with a couple in the past and they're seriously good players. But if we're on our game, regardless of who we're playing, our home form has generally shown that if we're where we need to be, we'll be okay.

And that's it, isn't it? Because your home record is pretty good so far this season, that's something I'm sure you want to continue, but there have been a couple of games where you haven't hit those levels and you've just got to avoid those...

Yes, and in those games, like I say, the last minute heartbreak against Wycombe, we weren't a million miles away. But then we did have that shock to us, the Wigan game.

But as long as that's a once a season, then our home attendances, home support should generally be okay, and more importantly, our home form. We've picked up some good points and some good performances, good wins at home this season and we're looking for the same again this weekend.

No team never wants to start slowly but is a match like this where they're going to be full of confidence, is this particularly important that you're kind of like, we're the League One team here?

Yes. Not just for the start, but for the end of the game as well. We have to play to a certain physical level where, no matter the scoreline going into the last half an hour at game, it's affected the opposition. We try and do that against any team, let alone a team from a non-league level and this weekend in the FA Cup. And up and at them, intensity and forward play at home has been reflected in terms of our starts.

We might not have always had the goal return but generally getting the opposition on the back foot and playing the game in the right area and this weekend is no different. But, both teams I expect, certainly on the build-up towards the game, will be sharp. It could be a really interesting scenario.

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They are a team that can play long as well, but they're quite a good footballing team, they have been for a long time under Scott. So they're not necessarily a typical non-league team...

No, they're not. Yeah, we respect Scott and his staff and the team they've got there. Like I say, they've got some physical players, some strong players, some ball-handling players. Dodds and Kane in midfield, ex-Exeter boys so we know a little bit about them. I've worked with Reuben Reid and Nick McCootie in the past. So, physicality top end of the pitch. Ruben's still a fantastic platform and profile for any team, let alone that level.

They've got a good group of players across the board. LT's brother at right-back so if and when LT's on the pitch this weekend, that'll be an interesting battle if they come up against each other, but a great day for their family.

I was going to ask about that. I'm not expecting you to tell me who's playing but if that does come to pass, it's not often that brothers get to play against each other...

Yeah, exactly that. I'm sure shirts will be swapped. I'm sure niceties before and after, just not during. There will be no brotherly love during that 90 minutes of football. So we're looking forward to seeing how that unfolds. But regardless of the actual football aspect, what a great day for the Thomas family.

And is a big part of your preparation for this, given what you've said about this squad before and sometimes the way that they handle situations. Is that particularly important in a situation that could change pretty quickly, could get out of hand pretty quickly if they don't hit their standards?

Yeah, we can only control the pitch. Like you spoke about, the start, our performance and what that performance looks like We spoken about that generally at home this season. We've done that pretty well.

But yeah, we are constantly looking for players who can handle moments, pressure, expectation and perform under pressure as well. Regardless of Weston this weekend or Lincoln the following week or Crawley, even Exeter on Tuesday, when the game's up and at you and puts your game under pressure, who's got the game to really be able to take it to the next level? Like I say, whatever team will be selected will be the strongest team possible.

When those two balls came out two weeks ago, what was the reaction? Because there is obviously an extra bit of romance with the tie, obviously, geography-wise...

Yeah, definitely. Exactly that. It's a local game. I don't think it's classed as a derby, per se, but it's not a million miles away from it and from what I can gather, speaking to the kit man, well the kit man at every football club are a big fan, aren't they? And speaking to the kit man, he sort of said that Weston fans are obviously, either their second team is or first team is Weston, vice versa, Bristol Rovers or Bristol City.

So there's some affiliation with Bristol as a city and as a community and the football in the area. So, yeah, I think it's a tie which gets people going. I think it's a great tie for the area, a great tie for Weston especially and even more so because they're away fans, maybe home fans to a certain extent, and don't have to travel too far and will come in really good numbers.

I'm sure that message of how much it means to the fans has been relayed to the players...

Every game means a lot. It does. If you're in the professional game, every game means a lot. Tuesday night meant a lot. The game before, meant a lot. This weekend means a lot because we are judged on that 100m x 70m patch of grass. That is our judgment.

Fans will be judged in a different way in terms of atmosphere and energy and noise created but as footballers and management, especially, we are judged in relation to that and when you are judged and people will form an opinion, make sure it's a positive one and this weekend is an opportunity to do that.

You said on Tuesday night that you're planning to name as strong a sign as possible. Can you still assure fans that that is going to be the case?

Yeah, I'd like to think I'm a man of my word. I won't go away from doing that in any way because we respect the opposition, we respect the competition. We want to progress in the competition. We know physically on the back of Reading and the suspension as well that we're not, at our very strongest, but in terms of availability, a little bit limited. But yeah, as strong as we possibly can.

Away from the FA Cup, how's Joel Senior doing? Obviously he got injured at the same time as Chris...

He's back on the grass. He got up to top speed on Tuesday and, for our fastest player, that's a big moment for him to test that hamstring. He needs now a week, 10 days worth of training and getting the work any football player needs to get back to some sort of rhythm and timing.

We've got a game pencilled in here for a week on Tuesday, which might be his return. 45 minutes, maybe an hour, but I don't want to rule him out of Lincoln just yet. You never know what will happen with our other right-backs, other defenders, having all players available is absolutely key.

So let's see how he gets on next week in training. But great that he's out there, pain free, moving well and almost ready for a second coming.

In the last two games Josh Griffiths has gone down and the medical team have come on. What's the latest on trying to get another back-up goalkeeper in to support him?

Yes, well two things. I'll be honest, on Tuesday, Isaac [Hutchinson] lost his contact lenses. So we needed to get Isaac's contact lenses back in and the only way to do that in in the moment of the game was for Josh to go down.

Sometimes you use it for tactical moments, esepcially when you go down to 10 men. Not every club does it. Every club understands it. Josh seems to be okay but there's always a worry when your goalkeeper goes down and you've not got a goalkeeper on the bench. This weekend with nine subs, we might be able to name a goalkeeper.

The search is still going on. I'd like it to have been done by now or the earliest possible point. I imagine it will push towards January in terms of addressing a second or third choice goalkeeper.

As I probably won’t be able to get to see this match, I am hopeful to not see one of your ‘0-1 FFS’ posts!…

I hope I don't have to type it...