Bristol Rovers boss Matt Taylor is relishing his side’s difficult run over the Christmas period, which kicks off against Wanderers this weekend.

The Gas also have matches against Blackpool and Portsmouth coming up over the next couple of weeks as they aim to climb the League One table.

Taylor knows it won’t be easy but is looking forward to coming up against “some of the best teams in the league”.

“These are the games you want to play,” he told Bristol Live. “Three of the best teams in the league, with a history of higher levels or have been there recently and are challenging at the right end of the table in this current climate.

“Fantastic games of football and all good places to play - whether that's Bolton this weekend, Blackpool next week or even the home game on Boxing Day against some of the best players this league has got to offer.

“We need to be at our best if we're going to get anything from any of these games over this Christmas period and if we want to be serious about challenging towards the top half of the table.

“It is a bit of a test and this will be where we find out a little bit more in terms of where we can pick up points against some of the best teams in the league.”

Taylor’s side currently sit 13th in the table and have failed to win any of their last four games in the league.

He continued: “Everyone can talk about (promotion) but we have got to make it real. You make it real by competing and picking up points, something we have probably not done enough of to date so far this season.

“We are kind of in that mid-range block at the moment. We have almost got to break that next level up and get up in that group which are really challenging.

“That is ultimately the top half and then the top 10, and then if you have got a chance of winning the top 10, you have got a chance of pushing for play-offs.

“It is small steps, little moments, but it is these moments where you have got to pick up points.”