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Revs try to bounce back against Rapids

May 6, 2011 - 6:54 PM Foxborough, MA (Sports Network) - The New England Revolution will be trying to erase the memory of a humbling 3-0 defeat at Chivas USA last time out when the club welcomes the Colorado Rapids to Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

New England put in its best performance of the early season in a 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City the week before, but followed it up with its worst effort in a 3-0 defeat in California last time out.

"I think too many of us were listening to all the praise that we got after the Kansas City game, which I think contributed to the performance that we had against Chivas," head coach Steve Nicol told the club's official website. "We've kind of spoken (to the players) about that, so we're pretty sure that isn't going to happen on Saturday."

Nicol will certainly be hoping his team plays more like the one against Kansas City than against Chivas if it wants to improve on a run of form that includes three losses in four league games.

One way for the Revs to improve upon their poor run would be to tighten things up in the back, as New England is one of three teams in MLS that has yet to keep a clean sheet.

Colorado snapped a four-game winless streak in its last match on Wednesday as the club earned a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo in a game that saw the Rapids score two goals in the last 15 minutes to claim the win.

Goals have not been easy to come by for the Rapids of late, with just three goals in the last five games, but some of the struggles can be attributed to injuries, with the strike partnership of Omar Cummings (ankle) and Conor Casey (hamstring) sidelined through injury.

With that duo out, players like Andre Akpan and others are being counted on to step up and fill the void, which defender Scott Palguta did on Wednesday by scoring the winning goal in the 84th minute.

"Guys are putting in extra preparation to make sure they are ready when they get the chance," Palguta said. "Andre [Akpan] did it over the weekend, and I was able to get on the end of one tonight. I think it's a theme that I hope you will see occur throughout the season of guys doing the right things, biding their time, and stepping up when they are called upon."