Paul Tisdale admits Bristol Rovers have “got some work to do” after dropping into League One’s bottom four with a 1-0 defeat at Swindon Town on Saturday.
Brett Pitman’s 76th-minute header was the difference in a disjointed game between two struggling sides at The County Ground.
The Gas now sit in the relegation places on goal difference and are winless in their past five games.
“It was a scrappy game,” Tisdale said. “It wasn’t the best game I’ve watched but as it went one I would have settled for a point.
“Disappointed to have conceded a goal from a set piece, so not what I wanted from today, but it was my first look at them. We’ve got some work to do and I’m looking forward to Tuesday.
“I’ve got some direction I’d like to give the players, but of course when the games come thick and fast you don’t really get that opportunity.
“We’ve got to do it in small steps, but they gave a lot. They were very robust and they put themselves about, and that’s the first thing you ask of any player.
“I was disappointed for everybody that we didn’t keep a clean sheet and give ourselves a platform to move on.”
Swindon’s goal came via a free-kick, which was crossed into the box and headed in by an unmarked Pitman.
It has become a familiar flaw for Rovers and Tisdale identified dead balls as an area where Rovers need to improve quickly.
“I thanked them for their effort because they put themselves about and they tried very hard and they were robust and got stuck in,” Tisdale continued.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted to see and something that maybe has been questioned before, but they put themselves about and I was pleased with that.
“Clearly, we’ve got to be streetwise when it comes to those set piece moments, but generally it’s on to the next. I’ve been here 24 hours and I was still trying to remember their names when I was giving the team talk.
“It was a difficult day, I felt very disappointed for them. Although it wasn’t a lovely game of football, although we didn’t play as one day I would hope, I still wanted to come away with a point today.”
