Former Portsmouth midfielder Danny Rose mystified his new team Swindon Town lost to Crawley Town

Danny Rose, pictured playing for Portsmouth.
Picture by Ben Queenborough, JPI Media. — Danny Rose, pictured playing for Portsmouth. Picture by Ben Queenborough, JPI Media.

The Robins were unbeaten in three games running up to the clash having won at Macclesfield Town and drawn against League 2 leaders Lincoln City.

Rose came on a substitute during the second half of Saturday's 1-0 win by Crawley at The Energy Check County Ground, having joined the club on January 17.

The midfielder had previously turned down a chance to go to Crawley, and it had been rumoured he could be set to join Reds against during the January transfer window.

He told the Swindon Advertiser: "It is difficult to put our finger on it sometimes.

“There have been two great away performances, so we were desperate to keep the run going and be in touching distance of the play-offs.

“This result obviously hinders our progression a little bit.

“As to why, it could be a number of things. The conditions were difficult, but it is not an excuse – it is the same for both teams.

“We didn’t really get going with the ball. We pressed really well in the early stages of the game, but we lacked a little bit of composure all around to really get anything going and get some momentum.

“Because of that, we didn’t create too many chances and of the one or two we did create, we didn’t take them.”

Swindon didn't have much in the way of clear-cut chances to get back into the game.

However they did have a golden opportunity in the 90th minute when they were awarded a penalty taken by Keshi Anderson which was saved by Crawley goalkeeper Glenn Morris.

Rose said: “We were trying to get back in the game. It was 100 mph out there.

“We changed the formation to create more two-against-ones in the wide areas because they had wing-backs.

“But once we regained possession, we weren’t composed enough to get the ball in the right areas to cause them problems. Because we didn’t do that, we didn’t create enough chances.

“If we got the equaliser, hopefully, we would have had enough time to get another one and maybe nick something.

“But it wasn’t to be. We have to dust ourselves down. If we want to do anything this season we have to start getting some results.”