Grant McCann has urged his players to back themselves more as they seek to find a consistent run of form.
The Rovers boss wants to reassure the squad that he has full faith in their ability and for them to play their game safe in that knowledge.
“We’ve got a really good honest group of players,” he said in the aftermath of the draw at Sutton United. “I said to them that I want them to trust themselves more. There’s some really good footballers in there.
“Today there’s a lot of players that I’ve brought into the football club and the ones that have stayed are the ones I have a lot of trust and faith in. They have to understand that I’ve got that faith and trust in them.
“They need to trust in themselves to go and perform and braver to take the ball and want the ball. Take someone on one-v-one, go and score. That’s the sort of way I want my team to be thinking.
“I’m sure being on the run that we were on before this game that there’s a bit of tension at moments of the game.
“But I’m pleased for the lads because they kept going, kept grinding, kept getting after the game. At 1-0 down I didn’t see anyone feeling sorry for themselves and we got our just rewards.”
Joe Ironside netted an injury time penalty to earn Rovers a share of the spoils at Sutton.
McCann praised the striker for the manner in which he handled the physicality of the game and showed composure to net from the spot under tremendous pressure.
“I think he’s getting back to form and I personally sense that in him,” McCann said. “I sat with Joe and said let’s get back to what you’re good at. What he’s good at is getting hold of the game, getting hold of people, being tough to play against. I think he’s shown that in the last couple of games - hence why he gets his just rewards at the end.
“He missed his last one at Notts County so he showed good composure to place it down and put it away for us because it was an important penalty at that stage of the game.”
