Danny Schofield insists the messages he gives to his Rovers players ahead of Saturday’s clash with Bradford City will be no different than usual.
A large crowd is expected at the Eco-Power Stadium as two sides chasing a top seven finish go head to head.
But Schofield says neither the stakes nor the potential atmosphere will have any bearing on his preparations for the fixture.
Schofield on the test of Bradford:
“They’ve got a similar points tally. I think first and foremost it’s going to be a very competitive game. It will be a different challenge to what Sutton brought. They’re a team who like to play out from the back and build play through the thirds and they have good quality players who can execute that style of play. We’re expecting a similar sort of style to a Leyton Orient or Swindon - they’re a footballing team and we need to be prepared with and without the ball to allow us to compete first and foremost and go on to win the game.
“Bradford City being a massive football club and being in a similar position to them in the table, if we win we go above them. There’s a lot riding on each individual game but because it’s a big club, they’re bringing a big crowd, there’s a lot of attention about this fixture but my messages to the players remain consistent. We’ll prepare the same and try to perform to a good level.”
On the race for the top seven:
“It’s a very competitive division. Any team on a given day can beat any team and that has been proven. We want to be in that mix. We won three games prior to the Sutton game which was a really good spell for us. We need to be aiming for that again starting with Bradford. Come ten games out of the season, five games out, we want to be in and around that play-off area and we don’t want to miss that opportunity.”
On defensive solidity:
“I think it’s consistency with the defence. In the three games that we won, we didn’t concede a goal so we have shown we can do that and have that capability. In a lot of the interviews I’ve given, I’ve spoken about consistency a lot and making sure that we’re clinical, mainly in both boxes.”
On the big crowd expected on Saturday:
“For any footballer, a big crowd brings excitement, a more intense atmosphere. To be at home, playing in front of a big away following, it can gee our fans on as well. It increases that competitiveness within the stadium and it’ll be great for the players to test themselves in front of a big crowd.”
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