Rovers boss knows Hull will be a tough test for his side
BI know they lost Saturday, but prior to that they’d had a really good start and been strong in the league. I would expect them to do so throughout the season
EN Garner believes tonight’s game against Hull City will be a good gauge of the impressive progress made by his Bristol Rovers side in recent weeks.
Rovers go into tonight’s League One match at the Memorial Stadium on the back of three wins and a draw from their last four games, which has taken them to 11th in the table, while thirdplaced Hull had six wins and just one defeat prior to Saturday’s 2-1 setback at home to Peterborough United, when former Rovers star Jonson Clarke-Harris scored the first goal for the visitors.
Garner said: “They’ve got a very good squad, obviously coming down from the Championship last season. They’ve retained a number of those players and they’ve added as well.
“They’ve got a very good squad with some talented players and they’ve had a good start to the season. They’ve had a strong start.
“I know they lost Saturday, but prior to that they’d had a really good start and been strong in the league. I would expect them to do so throughout the season.”
While wary of the challenge posed by Hull, Garner sees a run of three home games out of the next four fixtures as a good chance for his team to keep building on the momentum built up recently.
He added: “Like I said last week, I don’t differentiate too much between home and away games in terms of how we approach them or set up.
“We don’t focus any differently, to be honest. We’ll try to win every game and build as much momentum as we can, starting with Hull.
“Every game gives us a chance to show our progress, including Rochdale away on Saturday. Every game is difficult in this league and Rochdale are a good side.
“Every game is a test for us, every game is a marker of where we are. We’ve made good progress in recent weeks with a squad that’s gelling and coming together, and we’re really pleased with that process.
“We want to get better and improve, that’s a continual process week by week in training and game by game. We want to keep developing and improving.”
Garner has no fresh injury worries in his squad, so is likely to go with the same players that were on duty for the game at Shrewsbury last week, plus new recruit Ali Koiki.
Garner said of the left-sided player, who rejected a new contract at Burnley: “Ali is a player that we’ve followed for a long time. We feel he fits the profile of what we want.
“Athletically he’s very strong, quick and powerful. He’s got good quality going forwards, defends one-v-one very well and he’s ambitious and hungry, so we just felt it was another good signing for the football club that fits where we’re trying to go and also the dressing room we’ve got in place.”