Brizzle Rovers - View from the Trent

Despite arriving in Bristol about 3 hours before kick-off we managed to miss the kick-off due to a combination of staying in pub too long / unplanned detour around Industrial estate / not being able to park near ground / being sent the wrong way by stewards.

On arrival we found the away end was basically a marquee over a temporary stand (which felt like it would collapse everytime anyone jumped up and down) and the facilities were 3 portaloos round the back.

No Thompson in the team – Wise had decided to keep it solid with Douglas and Hughes in the middle. Having missed the first 5 minutes, when apparently we hit the post, I arrived just in time to see Beckford get in front of the defender and get a slight touch on Carole’s cross past the keeper to put us one up.

After that the game settled down into a bit of a war of attrition and we really only had a Douglas header from a corner to show for the rest of the half. Rovers probably had more of the ball but apart from a couple of headers from corners and long range shots didn’t really look like scoring.

Start of the second half was a bit of a different story. For 10-15 minutes we were really under the cosh, the ball fizzed across the box a couple of times and Douglas had to get back to hack the ball off the line after the forward had bundled his way past Casper. Rui also made one fabulous block tackle as the ball ran to an unmarked Rovers player in the area.

We weathered the storm however and gradually assumed a modicum of control and looked comfortable for most of the half, with Beckford beginning to look more dangerous as he got more space to run in. We began to hold possession with some neat passing and created a few overlaps for Frazer on the right. After another attack down the right, Bristol Rovers appeared to stop, assuming the ball was running away for a corner, but Prutton picked it up and fired in a low cross, which the keeper could only help out to Kandol, who buried it.

It became celebration time in the tent, with “We’re not bottom anymore” joining “We’re going up as Champions” and “F*** off to the football league” which had been sung all match. Still a bit of defending to do though, Wise brought Westlake on for Carole to stiffen it up a bit and Casper made a great save low to his left as a shot came through a pack of players.

The final goal flattered us a bit but it was a great goal, Beckford controlling Kandol’s cross and putting it into the bottom corner with an overhead kick from the penalty spot. Casper had time to make another fine stop low to his right this time before the final whistle went and we got the normal huddle in front of the away end.

It’s a bit odd to be 6 out of 6 despite not having really dominated any games this season but whose complaining. Yet again Wise’s tactic of keeping it solid in the middle and relying on us taking more chances than the opposition worked and credit to him for persisting with Kandol, who looked the worst player in the world (Lards included) last season.

Scores

Ankergren 7 – Made 2 excellent saves near the end to secure the game and looked safe under the cross for once.

Richardson 7 – Tidy in defence and got forward well in the secondhalf.

Clapham 6 – Done what was needed.

Heath 6 – A lumbering necessity in this league.

Rui 7 – A touch of class and gets the foot in where needed

Prutton 6 – Broke up play effectively without contributing a lot going forward.

Douglas 7 – One of his better games, very effective in hovering up ball and keeping it.

Hughes 6 – Did a job.

Carole 6 – Little chance to shine offensively but worked hard on his defensive responsibilities

Kandol 7 – A relevation this season, caused problems

Beckford 8 MotM – Always looked lively, especially second half where he ran at them as the game opened up. 2 quality goals.


Subs

Westlake 6 – Shored it up

Huntingdon – Game had finished before I worked out who he was.

Onwards and upwards

Matt