Graham Coughlan says Bristol Rovers will be fine if they show the same spirit demonstrated in a 2-1 defeat to Luton Town.
The Gas went down to defeat against the top-of-the-table Hatters but put in a spirited performance and, on another day, could have taken something from the game.
Coughlan praised the way his players reacted to a heavy 4-1 defeat to Doncaster Rovers and said the Gas are moving in the right direction.
Battling Bristol Rovers go down to Luton Town defeat but can take heart from spirited display
He said: “I open myself up here to criticism but I’m really, really proud of my group of players tonight and what they’ve given us and have been giving and what they’ll continue to give.
“The courage they play with, the spirit to come out of the blocks after what happened to us on Tuesday night, to come out and give that type of performance.
“Yes we lacked that bit of quality that Luton have – they cut us open, maybe two errors for the two goals, but we restricted a top, top team in this division.
“All in all, with a little bit of luck, if lady luck was shining on us, we could have got something out of the game with Jonno’s chance late on.
“Having said that, I said it the other night after a defeat and I’ll say it again, I ain’t going to criticise any of my players because of what they’re giving.
“They’re pushing themselves to the max and I have to say the whole football club has got right behind us.
“If everyone keeps going the way we’re going, we’ll be fine.”
Coughlan admitted Rovers needed a little more quality if they were to take something from the game but said he could not ask anything more from his players.
He said: “They showed a lot of character and they have been doing that.
“At the end of the day, we need quality, you need a little bit more than what we’ve got to go and compete with the top seven or beat a top-of-the-table Luton.
“We gave them a go and Luton will have felt they were in a game and that’s all I asked the lads.
“Each and every one of them, to a man, has done it. They maybe switched off in one or two key moments but that’s what happens against top teams, you get punished.
“They’re a brilliant bunch of boys to work with and what they’re doing for us and for this football club is immense.
“They deserve an awful lot of credit and any man who wants to give them stick, I’ll be stood right in front of them and they’ll have to get past me first because I’m proud of each and every one of them.”
