Crawley Town manager Scott Lindsey believes Bristol Rovers could have played until midnight and not scored following their 1-0 defeat at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday.
The Pirates travelled to West Sussex at the weekend hoping to pick up just their fourth away win of the season. However, they came up against a team full of confidence after the reappointment of Lindsey last week.
The 52-year-old famously guided Crawley into League One in 2023. He opted to leave the club in September last year to join MK Dons but endured a torrid time in Buckinghamshire and departed earlier this month. His exit from Stadium MK coincided with his former club opting to part company with Rob Elliot, opening up an opportunity for Lindsey to make the move back to the Red Devils.
Rovers have become embroiled in the relegation battle but saw the trip to fellow strugglers Crawley as a golden chance to pick up a much needed three points on the road. It wasn’t to be though, with Kamari Doyle’s first half goal enough to separate the two teams.
“Better Than Them” – Lindsey Makes Bristol Rovers Jibe
Following the game, Lindsey was in a jovial mood, aiming subtle digs at their relegation rivals. Via Bristol Live, he said:
“I’m really proud of the boys today. I think they stood up to a lot of balls coming into our box, like you say, certainly at the end of the game.
“It’s difficult when you’re winning 1-0 and you’ve not been winning and you’re down the bottom of the table and they’re throwing ball after ball in the box. It’s difficult to keep doing it and I thought the lads kept going and I firmly believe we could have played the game until midnight, I don’t think Bristol Rovers were going to score, just because of the character my players showed.
“I thought it was an excellent performance. I thought we were better than them. I thought we passed the ball amazingly. I thought there were some really good actions where we played through and I don’t think they had an answer for us.”
Writer’s View
Bristol Rovers currently have a six point cushion on 21st-placed Burton Albion, although the Brewers do possess a game in hand. There’s no getting away from the fact that Inigo Calderon’s team are in real danger, especially with their dreadful away record. Only bottom club Shrewsbury have been worse on the road this season, which is a real cause for concern. However, they are 10th in the home form table and with five of their remaining eight games set to be played at the Memorial Stadium, they may just survive by the skin of their teeth.
