The Memorial Stadium Thursday 29th December 2022
Bristol Rovers 3
Collins (57), Coburn (64), Sinclair (pen, 74)
Exeter City 4
Nombe (13 & 90), Collins (48), Dieng (85)
Referee: Simon Mather Attendance: 9,735
For the final game of 2022 manager Joe Barton made three changes, which saw Scott Sinclair, John Marquis and James Connolly replaced by Sam Finley, Ryan Loft and Lewis Gordon.
As a way of highlighting homelessness, Rovers had chosen this game to wear their away kit for a home fixture as permitted under EFL rules. However, they only wore their away shirts, teamed with their home shorts and socks and it wasn’t a good look!
For some reason Exeter seemed blissfully unaware of the fact that Rovers were doing this and they turned out in light blue shirts, dark blue shorts and light blue socks. Why they didn’t just wear their red and white striped shirts goodness only knows!
Barton’s side started reasonably well, but failed to trouble their former loan goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and the visitors drew first blood, in the 13th minute when Jevani Brown picked out Sam Nombe down the right and the striker curled a shot past James Belshaw from the edge of the area.
There weren’t too many chances for either side after that but just when it seemed as though the Grecians would hold a slender one goal lead going into the half time break, they scored again.
Antony Evans gave the ball away on the halfway line when attempting to play a pass to Luca Hoole thus setting up a chance for Archie Collins who took full advantage of hesitancy in the Rovers defence and rifled a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
It was all change at the start of the second half as Barton’s side came out in their home shirts of blue and white quarters and sent on Harry Anderson, Connolly and Sinclair in place of Gordon, Hoole and Loft.
There was a more purposeful look about the side and it came as no surprise when they pulled a goal back after 12 minutes of the second period. Sinclair played in Aaron, who became the second player named Collins on the scoresheet when he hit a left foot shot past Blackman.
Seven minutes later Rovers were back on level terms when Collins turned provider and set up a chance for Josh Coburn who scored from close range after the ball was sent in from the left.
Incredibly, Rovers then took the lead. There were 74 minutes on the clock when Sinclair sent Blackman the wrong way from the penalty spot after Collins had been taken out by an Exeter player as he weaved into the penalty area.
Marquis had an opportunity to make it four shortly afterwards but was denied by Blackman’s save. That, surely, was the time to shut up shop and defend the lead that they had fought so hard to obtain.
However, their determination to score again was their undoing. Jay Stansfield set up Timothy Dieng for an 85th minute equaliser and then, as we went into stoppage time, Blackman pumped the ball downfield and Belshaw rushed off his line in an attempt to clear the danger but Nombe beat him to it and headed over him and into an empty net.
Great entertainment for the neutral, though I don’t think there were than many of them present!
Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Hoole (Connolly, 46), Thomas, Gordon (Anderson, 46), Gibson, Finley, Coutts, Evans (Sinclair, 46), Collins, Loft (Marquis, 63), Coburn.
Substitutes: Jaakkola, Whelan, Gibbons.
Exeter City: Blackman, Sweeney, Diabate (Dieng, 80), Hartridge, Caprice (Key, 67), Collins, Kite, Sparkes, Jay (Stansfield, 60), Brown, Nombe.
Substitutes: Harper, Chauke, Lee, Grounds.
ALSO
Jamal Blackman, former Rovers loanee goalkeeper, faced his former side for the second time this season. Former Rovers goalkeeper Kevin Miller, newly appointed as the Grecians goalkeeping coach, was out on the pitch with the Exeter keepers
A yellow card was issued to Aaron Collins
Paul Coutts was skipper
Four substitutes used
Twelve added minutes
(photos courtesy of JMP)
Keith Brookman