Town boss won't take strugglers for granted

Town’s 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Championship side Bristol City at Highbury on Tuesday night.

But despite the cup exit Town are still nine unbeaten in the league and sit sixth in the table as Rosler’s play-off chasing side head to struggling Coventry who are four points off safety at the foot of the table.

And after narrow wins over Coventry’s relegation rivals Shrewsbury Town, Oldham Athletic and Chesterfield in recent weeks Rosler says Town will have to keep the focus they maintained in those clashes as they head to the Ricoh.

Rosler said: “I think we can’t underestimate anybody.

“We played the Chesterfields, the Shrewsburys, and we got the results against those teams but every game was very tight, anything could happen; we were very focused and that is exactly what I would expect from us against Coventry.

“We are not in a position to underestimate anybody in our league.”

But Rosler is keen to make it 10 league games unbeaten at Coventry after their cup run came to an end.

He said: “In general think the team did reasonably well against Bristol City.

“Of course we lacked in one or two areas a little bit compared to them but that is why they are playing in the Championship and have a budget of £20m and we are whatever we are.

“We did well; the players put a lot of effort in and they were brave on the day.

“We were hanging in there and on another day we might get a late equaliser so I’m not disappointed in any way.

“The cup run was a good experience and we had a little bit of a journey going to Bristol and playing at their place in a wonderful stadium against a good footballing team.

“So, in the long run, that makes us better; for me the cup run is done now and now I am truly focused on the league.

“We are nine games unbeaten in the league and we want to keep that going.”

Town keeper Alex Cairns was brought into the team at the start of the 13-game unbeaten run.

He believes the team possesses ‘a really good chemistry’ at the moment.

He said: “I’m loving it, I’m really enjoying it at the minute.

“As a team I think we are defending really well at the minute and attacking really well.

“There is a really good chemistry in the team and that is players that have been playing and players that haven’t.

“We have got a group of players and it is showing that, on the pitch, the team spirit is really high at the minute.”

There have been changes in personnel at the back for Town in recent weeks.

Ben Davies has slotted in on the left-hand side of a back three after sealing a loan switch from Championship side Preston North End.

Ash Eastham recovered from a broken jaw to replace injured skipper Nathan Pond off the bench in the 3-1 win against Bristol Rovers.

And Cairns says that ability to slot in shows the versatility of Rosler’s side.

He said: “When Ash came in he did really well.

“That shows how versatile the team, that we can chop and change and people do jobs and people know exactly what their role is and, when they come in, they have to do a job.”