'Let's not get carried with stats. Ten consecutive defeats, getting beat fours and fives and could be tens and eights. So let's not put ourselves in that category.'

Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans said "Let's not get carried with stats" following Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat against the League Two leaders Salford City at The Mem, which is the club's seventh defeat in the last eight games in all competitions.

Brendan Wiredu and Daniel Udoh gave the Ammies a two-goal lead at half-time, but Rovers responded with a much-improved display in the second 45, which saw Ellis Harrison miss a penalty, moments before Jack Sparkes halved the deficit from a free-kick.

The hosts pushed for the equaliser, but the Ammies defended resolutely to extend their unbeaten run in the league to nine.

Reflecting on tonight's defeat at The Mem, Evans said: "Yeah, listen, I think there is no doubt a conversation at half-time reflected how we gave them too much respect as players. We must have been, as a group of players, apprehensive going into the game, because it looked that way to me.

"It looked as if we were trying to overcover, and when you overcover, you give good players time, and if you give good players time, they'll hurt you. And the first goal is a fantastic goal - it's a fantastic strike. We should defend slightly better earlier.

"The second goal, he should never score. He runs Sparkesy - that can happen, the ball goes into the box. We've got three defenders around their striker, and he gets it in the net, and then I think we come into the game ten minutes before half-time.

"Shaq should score. We have the clearest penalty kick ever on Alfie, not given, but I think there's a mandate that we don't get decisions like that.

"And then we said to the boys, play as we played in that last 10, 15 minutes, and the crowd will back us and they'll get behind us, and we're attacking the Thatchers End, and obviously you think you've got the breakthrough with the penalty with Ellis, and I don't think I've seen Ellis take a penalty like that, but he's a brave boy.

"He stands up every week for us, and he's out there probably 70%, 75% fit - him and Joe tonight. So, they get nothing but plaudits for me, but he stood up, and unfortunately, it didn't go in, but we had the momentum.

"Sparkesy has a wonderful free kick, and apart from counter-attacking, when they're breaking, we've almost laid siege to their box, haven't we? Without really making the goalkeeper make a wonder save."

Despite being dominated for the first 25 minutes, Rovers had more shots on goal and more xG - 1.61 compared to Salford's 0.64. It reflects a clear trend so far this season, with home performances significantly better than when the Gas are on the road.

When asked about Rovers' Jekyll and Hyde performances in home and away games, the manager said: "Yeah, it's caused a lot of sleepless nights, for myself, and Paul and Byron. Paul shouldn't be having sleepless nights, as we know, but he has now because we've been speaking at three and four o'clock in the morning.

"A little WhatsApp and then we're on the phone, and as Paul just said, coming off the pitch to me at the end. This team is taking some evolvement because we cannot turn up as we've played in the last two or three away games.

"And fans are entitled to be hurt by those performances, and then I don't think there's a Bristol Rovers fan who leaves The Mem tonight, and doesn't think that for 60 minutes we've been, as we have played here for, since we've come in the door."

Next up for the Gas is a West Country derby against Swindon Town, with Ian Holloway's side picking up an impressive win at Barnet tonight, to move ahead of the Gas on goal difference.

Rovers will be looking to improve on their recent run of form, which has seen them lose seven out of the last eight in all competitions.

When Evans was asked about the results in the last eight matches, he said: "Yeah, but let's not kid ourselves, two of them I played the reserve team at Wycombe and Chelsea.

"Let's not get carried away with stats. Ten consecutive defeats, getting beat fours and fives and could be tens and eights. So let's not put ourselves in that category."