Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor praised his players for silencing his critics with a 3-2 win over Charlton.
Taylor came under fire from supporters as the Gas lost a fourth game in a row when Wycombe won 2-1 at the Memorial Stadium at the weekend.
But he paid tribute to his team as they bounced back in style and eased the pressure on his shoulders.
“The way it unfolded at the weekend was a real blow and so to come back in the manner they have means I’m really proud of them,” Taylor said.
“I had an honest conversation with them in terms of where I felt I was at in terms of my stature at the club and my position.
“They’re not stupid. As a manager you can’t keep on losing games.
“But I was proud of the way they went about their business, led by Scott Sinclair and the senior ones, as they pushed the team to where they need to be.
“When the fans turn on you like they did at the weekend I’m not stupid and the players aren’t either.
“But I just wanted to make sure that they understood that at the start of the season we were trying our hardest to build something positive.
“For that to end sooner rather than later, we wouldn’t have done ourselves justice – myself included.”
Taylor added: “I was very honest with the players – we’ve got a good environment but we’re young and naive and we make so many strange errors.
“But the core group is a positive one and a strong one and it’s one I want to continue working with.
“They gave me a real boost in relation to the way they played.”
Skipper Sinclair, 35, rolled back the years to put the hosts in charge on the half-hour with a classy left-footed curler from the edge of the box.
Midfielder Jamie Lindsay doubled the lead in the 57th minute with his first goal in Rovers colours and James Wilson strengthened the hosts’ grip when he nodded in from close range.
The Addicks got back into the game when Alex Mitchell headed home after 79 minutes before Matty Godden set up a tense finale by volleying in four minutes into stoppage time, but Rovers held firm.
Charlton manager Nathan Jones shouldered the blame for the South London club’s third defeat in a row.
“I got the team selection wrong and that’s the big thing for me, but we won’t get team selection wrong again,” Jones said.
“We got overrun all over. I tried to do something tonight that didn’t work.
“We were ineffective. Our front two were ineffective. Our wide ones were ineffective and the midfield was ineffective.
“Basically all over the team was ineffective and that’s down to me. I take full responsibility. But it won’t happen again.
“There were lots of positives late on and we created enough chances to get something from the game.
“When I came in we were 19 without a win. All we did was build solidity and we’d always be in a game.
“Now it’s crazy. We’ve conceded six in the last three games, which we hadn’t done in all pre-season and our first five or six games.
“We’ve gone away from that. We’re in a tough moment but we’ve got to go back to doing the basics better.”
[(Shimizu S-Pulse) Weakness]: 1. Shimizu S-Pulse are 13th in the J1 League table. Facing 2nd-placed Kashima Antlers, they will find it hard to win this match due to their declining form, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Shimizu S-Pulse defender Yuji Takahashi and forward Sena Saito will miss this league game due to injuries.3. Shimizu S-Pulse were winless with 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 g...
Liverpool table fresh Guehi bidAccording to The Athletic, Liverpool have submitted a fresh bid worth £35 million ($47m) to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The Reds had earlier seen two bids rejected by the Eagles, but they remain hopeful that this time the offer will be accepted.Fenerbahce eyeing move for EdersonTurkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Manc...
Roma medical for Liverpool fullback TsimikasAS Roma are holding a medical for Kostas Tsimikas today.The Liverpool fullback is leaving Anfield after finding himself third-choice this season behind fellow left-backs Andrew Robertson and Milos Kerkez.La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Greece international is expected in Italy today to finalise his move.Tsimikas will undergo a medical ahead of signing a...
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-FULHAMMarco Silva has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after lambasting three "shocking" refereeing decisions in Fulham's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.WHAT HAPPENED?The Whites thought they had taken the lead against their west London rivals Chelsea when 18-year-old Josh King coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez. However, the goal was chalked off by referee Rob...
[(Shonan Bellmare) Strength]: 1. Shonan Bellmare are one of the bottom teams in the table, taking 25 points and being in the relegation zone. They are strongly motivated to grab points.[(Shonan Bellmare) Neutral]: 1. Shonan Bellmare drew the last 4 home games, revealing mediocre home performances.[(Shonan Bellmare) Weakness]: 1. Shonan Bellmare lost 1-0 to Fagiano Okayama on the road in the last g...
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League Final 2025Chelsea have completed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.WHAT HAPPENED?Garnacho has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal worth a fixed £40 million fee ($54m) with a 10 per cent sell-on clause, Goal understands. The 21-year-old ha...
Marc Guehi Crystal Palace 2025-26Liverpool have launched a fresh bid for Marc Guehi as they hope that Crystal Palace will finally accept their proposal and agree to sell their star defender before the summer transfer window closes on Monday. The Reds have been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer and the champions are determined to secure his signature.WHAT HAPPEN...
West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season FriendlyAston Villa are close to signing West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on an initial loan with an obligation to buy next summer.WHAT HAPPENED?Villa are on the brink of agreeing a £47 million (€54m/$63m) package for Paqueta which includes a loan fee and add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The report also states the 28-year-old has ac...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus currently have only 28 points and are near the bottom of the league table. To avoid relegation, they need to earn points.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya Grampus' 7 successive games ended with OVER.[(Nagoya Grampus) Weakness]: 1. Nagoya Grampus lost 2-4 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their last Emperor's Cup game, with poor performance.2. In the lates...
Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2025Premier League champions Liverpool have confirmed that star attacker Cody Gakpo has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, which has extended his stay at Anfield beyond 2028. The Dutchman who joined the club in January 2023, during the Jurgen Klopp era, has established himself as a regular starter under new boss Arne Slot and has now committed his future to the Reds...
