Bristol Live brings you a full transcript of Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans' post-Fleetwood Town interview

Bristol Rovers suffered an eighth League Two defeat on Saturday, which is more than any other side in the division, after losing 3-1 at Fleetwood Town.

Aaron Loupalo-Bi, Rhys Bennett and Josh Robertson scored the goals for the hosts, with Reiss Russell-Denny scoring for the Gas in the 84th minute to halve the deficit, but Robertson's late strike secured the three points for Matt Lawlor's side.

The result sees the Gas drop down to 17th - only four points behind the final play-off spot - but also just four points above the relegation zone.

Here is a full transcript of everything manager Steve Evans said to local media, in which he discussed the list of unavailable players, the poor away form, and Tommy Leigh's imminent return following his most recent suspension.

Well, Steve, a defeat away from home again. What are your thoughts on today?

"Well, I don't think we deserved anything. I think the first-half was hard for us. They've obviously got a little bit of momentum, but we didn't feel we worked to the plan that we'd worked on for a couple of days and talked them through.

"We got the opportunity to change at half-time. I had to bring someone on who is no better than 60 per cent fit, but I needed a presence up the pitch, brought him on, and I don't think we really came to life at any stage.

"Not long before the goal, but we introduced two young men, one at 18, one at 20, just to bring us some life and some energy, and people wanting to run about and try, and they did, and at one point, we were, for a few minutes, we looked as if we were in the game."

You say first-half is something you've worked on. It was a different look with the two players behind Fabrizio Cavegn. Just the players not doing what you asked them to do.

"The two tens in that position have to be the hardest-working players on the pitch because them and your wing-backs have to be the hardest working; it's quite simple. If you're not the hardest-working, it'll be a problem.

"I'm not saying the boys didn't try. You're trying, but hard working is also working smart, and they couldn't get themselves into the game. The only time we got a foothold in the game, we get succumbed with midfield players not tracking runners.

"When you do that, when you've got back into the game at 2-1, and you don't track a midfield runner, you're going to concede."

You say Joe is only 60% fit, obviously that's not something we're aware of , but it just highlights how short you are of strikers at the moment.

"Listen, that's not my team out there. Look at the players that are sitting at home. I worked ever so hard with Ellis Harrison. He had three or four options in League Two. People thought he had none. I worked ever so hard with Ellis in the summer.

"You take Tommy Leigh, you take Harbottle, you take Jack Aitchison. We've got two or three others. Bobby Kamwa. I think we said seven players at home; six would, I think I said pre-game, five or six would start. That doesn't change.

"That's not saying that we shouldn't be a better squad, but you can't go without six who you'd say start the games. So, that doesn't reflect anything about my team. But you know, I take the plaudits when I came in last season, and I take the praise when we have a good start.

"I always knew within myself and my experience, myself and Paul, that there would be a time when it doesn't go right, and there'd be a time when, if we did have a load of injuries, we would perhaps struggle through a little bit, and that time is now, so as much as the criticism will come, I know that's part and parcel of football, same as I took the plaudits."

The players you mentioned are missing are your goalscorers, are your creators. It seems to be in the final third, you're just missing that spark without those players.

"We’re also missing some tenacity at the back, you know. Kofi Balmer has been a big, big player for us. He was poor last week. Let me be clear on that: he was poor.

"But there's another one we're missing that we've not even named in the previous summary of players. So, we're missing some big players, but we have to grind this out, and the medical department has to work over time, and we need to try and get some of these boys back as quickly as we can.

"But I also understand, as an experienced manager, that sometimes it does take time because injuries have certain specific time scales. In the meantime, we have to batten down the hatches and take all the criticism, and despite us being atrocious for the last month, we're four points off the play-offs. And we're atrocious. That tells you about the league."

And how do you sense the players are, particularly coming to these away games? Are they quite fragile, Steve, and if they do concede first, do you fear at times?

"Well, you can be fragile, but you can run it. Some didn't run today. That will remain in-house; I've just said to them who it was. But our supporters are not silly people.

"In fact, they are very understanding of the game. I think, for ten minutes in the second half, when we got a goal back from Reiss, a little bit of magic from a very gifted kid, who actually ran about and put himself about today more than he's done in a while, and it was really good to see, because I had a good chat with him in the week.

"Young Phil came on and had to come on and had to play in a striker's position as a wide player; you know he's a winger. And I thought the two gave us a little bit of impetus. In fact, at one point, if there's not a foul on Reiss, he slips Phil through on goal, but the referee chose not to see it."

As you say, the finish was pretty special, the way he just lifted it over the keeper.

"Listen, he's a special talent in terms of being on the ball. He's had to come to us and learn the other side of football, which is the dark arts and running, and I had a long, long chat with him in the week, and he's gone onto the pitch today, and sometimes, I've always said to players, don't come into my office and sit and talk and make a point; do it on the pitch.

"Same as the manager, the Gasheads don't want to hear me tonight making excuses about injuries and suspensions, and that. But also, what I'd say to them is, get a little bit of paper, a piece of paper, and write them down.

"How many of them would start for them? Without me getting emotional. How many of them would start for them? I suggest six or seven. So don't tell me this is a Steve Evans team, because it's not."

Of course, you're guaranteed to have Tommy Leigh and Kofi back for Cambridge on Friday. Any sign of any of the injuries coming back?

"Well, Ellis still has a chance, maybe Bobby, as well, so listen, there's only probably Riley who's probably still three or four weeks away and Jack, probably the same timescales type of thing.

"But we're hopeful of others, but we always said it. I've said to the Chairman now, since before this run started, that we need to get through a period of November and December. And, thank God, October's ended; that's for sure.

"I'm really pleased, you know, it's ruined my birthday weekend, but I'm more worried about points than birthday candles."

Just on the lads at National League clubs, the likes of Mees Rijks. Is he now back, but injured, and Promise [Omochere], is there a recall for Promise at all? Or, does he have to stay until January?

"No, he went on a window-to-window loan. But, you know, and I know, if Promise stays fit, Promise is a hell of a good player. We had to go and let him go and get games in a change in environment, because all I'd seen him was on an injury table, and the fans the same, frustration, because he's a good player. Mees, we know he's a good player as well, but he can't come back either too. So he's injured. He's out.

"We would love to have Promise in the building now, and listen, if Promise is in the building, available to start games, and fully fit, Promise is probably one of our leading players on the pitch, but we've got a hell of an array of talent not been available to us.

"And we’ll have to take the pain, and I'll take the criticism, and I'll stand in front of the dressing room. Some of the players have given absolutely everything and more. Some are low in confidence, which, away from home, which you'd expect.

"So, we need to raise ourselves for a big FA Cup tie next week, get back on the training ground and work hard, because there is no other answer.

"You know, we’re not suddenly able to bring four youth team players up and think they could play against Cambridge United in an FA Cup tie at The Mem.

"So, we need to just concentrate in getting them, and remember that when we go back to league action, which is great, which gives us a two-week break from that, we go back four points off the play-offs, and let's start the season when we get three or four of these players back.

"When people knock me and put me down, they see a reaction; we win games, so let's see now."

On Tommy Leigh, obviously two straight red cards. I mean, those discipline issues, how do you sort that out, or is that more down to him?

"Listen, I've called him a nomadic genius. And he is. You take all the geniuses in this world who have invented everything that we love, telephones, and televisions, and stuff like that.

"They're all nuts, aren't they? They've all got a degree of nuttiness about them. But they're a genius. Tommy Leigh is just a top, top talent.

"If he wants to progress his career, and he wants to be at serious football levels going forward, he needs to cut that nonsense out."

And just on Bobby Kamwa - is it a short-term knock, or a bit more longer term?

"No, it's a short-term. He just felt the top end of his hamstring when he came on last week. And, you know, we've had him scanned. That shows clear, but the one thing Bobby Kamwa is, I love him he's a very honest kid.

"And when he said he's got a little bit of numbness in there, then we have to let the medical department take over it. I'm not good enough to be head of medical. I'm probably not good enough at the minute to be the manager. But I'm not good enough to be head of medical.

"But as I say, judge Evans and [Paul] Raynor, and [Byron] Anthony and [Lee] Tomlin; as it is now, judge us when we've got the real players available to us. We've not got our real players available to us, Will.

"How many? I'll ask you; you do the challenge. You do it in your paper on Monday. How many of the injured and unavailable players would start today? Would Balmer start? Would Tommy Leigh start? Would Ellis start? Bobby Kamwa? Harbottle?

"I'm just saying the point being, six. So, six is what, 58%, 57% of a team. It's quite powerful, isn't it? And that creates a spark from other players. We've not got that available to us.

"You know, we're watching teams around the country that have got two or three. We've got seven or eight, and six would start. It's massive."

And I mean, is that the message to the fans, just to remain calm, because the form on the road has been poor?

"Listen, there's no getting away from it; it's been worse than poor, hasn't it? And to see these Gasheads turn up in good numbers again today. I feel for every one of them.

"But what I would say to them is when they go home in the cold light of day, criticise me. I'll take the criticism for the dressing room. I'm big enough to go and sing and dance in front of them and go into the Thatchers Bar.

"I'm big enough to take the criticism. I've taken it all my career. There's always ups and downs in a manager's career. But what you have to then do is have a logic or a rationale behind it.

"Even I go home, I'll go home tonight, and I'll sit down and say now, if I wrote my team out of my squad, how many of the ones I couldn't pick today would be in that? I know everybody gets injuries, not six or seven big ones, and suspensions.

"We've got two out today suspended that are out suspended for the wrong reasons. Kofi - two of his bookings are dissent. Shouldn't happen. And Tommy for just indiscipline."