Graham Coughlan takes responsibility for Bristol Rovers defeat at Coventry

Bristol Rovers manager Graham Coughlan has said he has to shoulder the blame for his side’s 2-0 away defeat to Coventry City for being “too gung-ho”.

Goals from Jordan Shipley and Gervane Kastaneer were enough to give Coventry all three points at their temporary home of St Andrew’s.

“I have to question myself if we’re too gung-ho away from home. We are a little bit too expansive which leaves us vulnerable – I’ll be taking a long look in the mirror tonight,” Coughlan said.

“I’m disappointed. We play on the front foot and we caused Coventry problems but they are an expansive team, play with three strikers and they used the width well.

“I’d have a bit more from them in the first half and I expected them to be stronger in challenges, but it just didn’t go for us.

“We’ve conceded two goals in both our away games now – and I have to take the blame. Though when playing a side like Coventry, we need everyone on top of their game and we weren’t today.”

Coventry went into the break in front after Shipley netted from a Wesley Jobello cross on the stroke of half-time following an evenly-balanced first half.

Jobello’s scuffed cross from the right evaded everyone apart from Shipley, who hit a powerful left-footed half-volley past goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola and into the net.

Despite sustained pressure from Rovers after the break, the away side failed to capitalise. The Sky Blues held firm before Kastaneer’s goal in the 82nd minute secure maximum points for the home side.

After a smart exchange with Fankaty Dabo on the right, Kastaneer fired a left-footed effort from 30 yards which bent around Jaakola and in off the post.

Rovers struggled to get a foothold throughout the game, creating little in the way of clearcut chances as they failed to register a single shot on target.

Coventry manager Mark Robins said: “I’m very happy. I thought we were really good. We played a brave, attractive brand of football – I’m happy for the players.

“We are starting to look dangerous, starting to take our chances, we were controlling the play.

“It’s early days but the clean sheet was outstanding – (I’m) delighted.

“The goals were good goals, the timing of the first affected the game greatly and the second was absolutely outstanding – one of the best goals I’ve seen a team of mine score. It’s a great start for Gervane Kastaneer.

“We played some breathtaking football but the clean sheets are really important for us – everyone worked their socks off, trying things from the training ground and believing in themselves.

“It’s a really good start, but that’s all it is, a start.”