Bristol Rovers 1-2 Bolton Wanderers - Match Report Post #56

Reebok Trotter wrote:Ten of us going down to Bristol tomorrow. Mini Bus leaving Lancaster at 1pm with pick up at Walton Summit and any junction of the M6 southbound. If any nutters fancy a trip out there are a few spare seats at £20 return. If you are up for it then PM me before midday tomorrow.

Ill look out for you as im coming back from cov on the m6

See you at the ground RT, as agreed

boltonbonce wrote:My Windows phone is telling me it's tonight.

Change it to an iPhone then and then you won't get to matches 24 hours early 

Reebok Trotter wrote:Ten of us going down to Bristol tomorrow. Mini Bus leaving Lancaster at 1pm with pick up at Walton Summit and any junction of the M6 southbound. If any nutters fancy a trip out there are a few spare seats at £20 return. If you are up for it then PM me before midday tomorrow.

Fair play to you guys, hope they put in a performance and win for you, look forward to reading your comments.

Scouting report: Bristol Rovers

SEASON SO FAR…
Sealing back-to-back promotions in the past two years to reach the third tier from the Vanarama National League, Bristol Rovers have enjoyed a quiet summer in the transfer market so far with Peter Hartley, Byron Moore and Luke James their only new additions, as manager Darrell Clarke kept hold of the majority of his squad that won promotion.

Clinching automatic promotion on the final day of last season on goal difference alone, the Pirates are unbeaten at home since November 2015 having 15 of their last 16 home matches at The Memorial Stadium.
   
Despite suffering defeat on the opening day of the season against Scunthorpe United, they maintained that home run in their last outing by dispatching Oxford United to pick up their first three points of the 2016/17 Sky Bet League One campaign.

Having also beaten Sky Bet Championship side Cardiff City in the EFL Cup, Bristol Rovers will be full of confidence as they look to continue their form in front on their home fans against Wanderers on Wednesday night. 


RECENT FORM
• L 1-5 - Swansea City H - (Pre-Season Friendly, 23/7/16)
• L 3-0 - CE Sabadell A - (Pre-Season Friendly, 26/7/16)
• W 3-0 - Cheltenham Town H - (Pre-Season Friendly, 31/7/16)
• L 3-1 - Scunthorpe United A - (Sky Bet League One, 6/8/16)
• W 1-0 - Cardiff City H - (EFL Cup, 11/8/16)
• W 2-1 - Oxford United H - (Sky Bet League One, 14/8/16)


THE MANAGER: DARRELL CLARKE
Previously serving as John Ward's assistant manager at Bristol Rovers, Darrell Clarke has led the club to back-to-back promotions from the Vanarama National League since taking over as the Pirates' manager in March 2014.

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A midfielder during his playing days, the 38-year-old enjoyed permanent stints with Mansfield Town, Hartlepool United and Salisbury Town before taking his first steps into management with the latter as player-manager at the start of the 2010/11 season.

Twice overseeing promotion with the club, he left the club to join Bristol Rovers in June 2013, but was unable to help them avoid relegation in his first months as manager after taking over towards the end of the season.

Bouncing back to secure an immediate return to the Football League via a penalty shoot-out National League Play-Off Final victory over Grimsby Town in his first full campaign in charge, Clarke then oversaw another promotion last year as a late push from Bristol Rovers saw them clinch their place in the third tier on the final day of the season.


KEY PLAYER: MATTY TAYLOR
Arriving at Bristol Rovers in July 2014, Matty Taylor's goal for the Pirates over the past two seasons have proved vital to the club clinching back-to-back promotions.

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Starting his career with Oxford United, the forward enjoyed prolific permanent stints with both North Leigh and Forest Green Rovers before Darrell Clarke brought him to the Memorial Stadium.

Initially slow off the mark as he went eight games without a goal following his move to the club, the 26-year-old finished the campaign with 20 goals, including one in both legs of their play-off semi-final victory over former club Forest Green, as Bristol Rovers won promotion back to the Football League courtesy of a penalty shoot-out victory over Grimsby Town.

Sky Bet League Two's leading goalscorer last year, he fired a further 28 goals in all competitions as Bristol Rovers clinched automatic promotion to League One on the final day of the season on goal difference alone.

Already off the mark this year, Taylor scored in Bristol Rovers opening day defeat against Scunthorpe United, before coming off the bench to score the winner against his former club Oxford United last time out.



LAST BRISTOL ROVERS XI (v Oxford United, W 2-1)
Mildenhall, Brown, Lockyer, McChrystal, J.Clarke, O.Clarke, Lines, Montano, Easter (Harrison 58), Bodin (James 66), Gaffney (Taylor 58).



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I still feel that our two wins had an element of luck about them so I don't know how we'll go on but a solid performance would be reassuring.

wanderlust wrote:I still feel that our two wins had an element of luck about them so I don't know how we'll go on but a solid performance would be reassuring.

To be fair lusty picking up bits of luck is a decent habit to have, we've had the opposite habit long enough.
But having been to the Sheff Utd game and reading the reports of Blackpool and Wimbledon we had more than enough chances to win all those games easier. Yes we had to defend at times but we did it well (apart from lapses against Blackpool) and will always have to as we haven't got a dominant team.
But we also had bad luck with chances missed as well so it balances out.

whatsgoingon wrote:

wanderlust wrote:I still feel that our two wins had an element of luck about them so I don't know how we'll go on but a solid performance would be reassuring.

To be fair lusty picking up bits of luck is a decent habit to have, we've had the opposite habit long enough.
But having been to the Sheff Utd game and reading the reports of Blackpool and Wimbledon we had more than enough chances to win all those games easier. Yes we had to defend at times but we did it well (apart from lapses against Blackpool) and will always have to as we haven't got a dominant team.
But we also had bad luck with chances missed as well so it balances out.

Apart from the injury to Wheater, our luck definitely seems better this season. Some people say you have to make your own luck so maybe it's a reflection on the team's improvement but it's early days yet so I'll sit on the fence for a while as regards where we are at as a team.

Just noticed that the two teams we have beaten so far currently lie 22nd and 24th in the table so I think we'll need to up our game if we are going to go top tonight.

wanderlust wrote:Just noticed that the two teams we have beaten so far currently lie 22nd and 24th in the table so I think we'll need to up our game if we are going to go top tonight.

Yes because we demoralised them and ended their season, Bristol Rovers will be down there with them in a couple of weeks.
It's the BWFC wrecking ball

wanderlust wrote:

whatsgoingon wrote:

wanderlust wrote:I still feel that our two wins had an element of luck about them so I don't know how we'll go on but a solid performance would be reassuring.

To be fair lusty picking up bits of luck is a decent habit to have, we've had the opposite habit long enough.
But having been to the Sheff Utd game and reading the reports of Blackpool and Wimbledon we had more than enough chances to win all those games easier. Yes we had to defend at times but we did it well (apart from lapses against Blackpool) and will always have to as we haven't got a dominant team.
But we also had bad luck with chances missed as well so it balances out.

Apart from the injury to Wheater, our luck definitely seems better this season. Some people say you have to make your own luck so maybe it's a reflection on the team's improvement but it's early days yet so I'll sit on the fence for a while as regards where we are at as a team.

I believe in football you do make your own luck to a degree, if you create more chances and make more efforts on goal you will get lucky more times than if you make less and if you limit your opposition to few chances the odds on them getting lucky are reduced.
In terms of injuries there are several factors - training methods, playing an effective system so people have to make less reckless/last ditch challenges, and keeping the ball so you defend less and have to run less

Norpig wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

No Max Clayton on the bench

speechless.

9 useful points to staying up this season. well done !!

the MIGHTY whites are back!

Sounds like backs to the wall for the second half but we're getting into the right habits, get a couple more forwards in and maybe 1 good midfielder now Pratleys out and we are heading in the right direction

To Be Frank wrote:9 useful points to staying up this season. well done !!

the MIGHTY whites are back!

Let's just concentrate on getting to that 40 point mark 

Just enjoy the table

wessy wrote:Just enjoy the table

Oh sorry I was looking at it upside down and thought it was last seasons