Will Hoskins targets Bristol Rovers turnaround

Hoskins joined Bristol Rovers on a free transfer after leaving Watford

Striker Will Hoskins insists there is no need for panic at Bristol Rovers despite slipping into League One's relegation zone on goal difference.

Rovers fell to 21st in the table after a 6-2 hammering at Sheffield Wednesday.

"When I came at the start of the season I said I was pushing for promotion and now we're in a relegation battle," Hoskins told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We need to stick together and with the league as it is we could be in the play-offs with two or three results."

Before going into an 18-day enforced break because of the weather, Rovers had picked up draws at high-flying Brighton and Charlton.

But the loss at Hillsborough means it is now seven games and two months since they last won in the league, although they are just eight points off sixth spot.

Their sole win in that time came in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and Hoskins, who scored twice against the Owls to take his tally for the season to 10, knows that same competition can lift the club with Exeter due at the Memorial Stadium in the one-legged Southern Area semi-final on Tuesday.

"We need to get our heads up, get our chins up and know that maybe we aren't as good as we think we are sometimes," he added.

606: DEBATE

Sure it was a bad result but we've played more away games than the top sides and have a run of home games coming - by January we'll be fine and looking towards the play-offs

Gaastronomic

"We have the belief to pick ourselves up. We know we can get it together, we need that consistency and Tuesday can boost our confidence. It's a big game that can put us in the area final and we need to look towards that to turn it around."

Manager Paul Trollope hailed the contribution from his striker, who sat out the draws at Brighton and Charlton through injury and is aware that clubs could be interested in an in-form marksman come the January transfer window.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he told BBC Radio Bristol. "We beat off a lot of competition to get Will in the building and he's given us the contribution that we thought he would.

"He's got a lot of quality and scored goals at the level above in the Championship and what he needed more than anything was a home where he was going to play and play regularly to get him back to what he was a few years ago.

"He's started on that process but I still think there's more to come from him.

"On another day he could have got another couple. I've been pleased with his contribution and he's into double figures now but it's not only his goalscoring that has improved us but his link play too."