After their 5-0 loss at Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon, Matt Taylor, the manager of the Gas, conceded that his players’ defence was “diabolical.” It was always going to be a difficult test away at League One’s form team, who came into the game 12 unbeaten and having scored 11 goals in their previous two matches, but conceding a goal from a corner to Paudie O’Connor within the first 11 minutes was a far from ideal start.
Rovers should have equalised with Chris Martin played through on goal onside but was denied by Imps goalkeeper Lukas Jensen who had an impressive game before a Joe Taylor hat-trick and a fifth from Reeko Hackett after Antony Evans missed a second-half penalty condemned the Pirates to their heaviest defeat of the season.
With eight games left to go this season and the Gas set to finish somewhere in midtable, supporters have questioned a number of players’ commitment to the cause, particularly those set to be out of contract with Rovers currently having six loanees and another handful with deals that expire this summer.
Asked if he thought some of his players had mentally checked out, Taylor confessed: “I’ll be asking that question. I can see what they [supporters] can see.
“Let’s be honest, it’s a constant battle to get them to where they need to be in terms of being up for a game. That’s a damning statement of where some of them are but some of their situations are out of my control. I’ve inherited it and it’s always difficult when you come in mid-season and there’s a big expected turnover at the end of the season but has anyone done themselves any favours?
The biggest slap today is the result and the scoreline and the embarassment of that and there is also the bigger picture where decisions have to be made and those decisions can become easier as opposed to harder. It’s a real shame and the supporters are right to ask that question.
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