Faulty Form

BRISTOL Rovers have conceded 12 goals in their last four games and are without a win so far this season.

So, the average supporter could therefore be forgiven for thinking that Tuesday night’s game with the Gas at Home Park could be little more than a walkover for the Pilgrims.

But Argyle manager Carl Fletcher is not so sure and, when asked whether he thought that now would be a good time to play the Pirates, was non-committal with his answer.

He said: “It’s hard to say – I don’t think you ever really know.

“Last year, I think we played Northampton after they’d just [conceded] seven at home and we were never sure if whether it was a good time to play them - whether they’d have a reaction or whether it would continue.

“Luckily for us, that day, it did, but you never know.

“We’ve just got to make sure that we’re right and fully prepared and start the game as well as we did on Saturday.”

Having done so well in the second-half of last season, Fletch admits that Rovers’ early showings have surprised him but believes that a few bad games doesn’t automatically make you a bad team.

“I thought they would be up there this season,” he admitted.

“They’ve lost Mustapha Carayol – he went to Middlesbrough  - and when we played them down here they were a real good side and we did well to get a point that night.

“Teams have good periods of form and bad periods of form.

“You just have to deal with it as best you can.

“Obviously with the situation with their injuries, they’re likely to chop and change anyway.

“You just try and plan as much as you can without nailing anything down and concentrate on what we want to do and how we want to approach the game.”