Having looked at the first four FA Cup meetings between Bristol Rovers and Ipswich Town, we now come to instalments five and six ahead of the seventh meeting on Sunday.
Both games took place in 1997/98 in the Third Round of the competition which Rovers reached with a First Round win against Gillingham, after a replay, and an away tie at non league Wisbech Town.
Ipswich, skippered by former Rovers midfielder Geraint Williams, arrived at The Memorial Stadium on 3rd January 1998 for a tie which was played in atrocious conditions as the weather Gods gave us absolutely everything; a howling gale, lightening, hailstones, driving rain and even a short burst of sunshine!
In spite of that, both sides provided the crowd of 8,610 with a thrilling cup tie that ended all square at 1-1.
Rovers bossed the opening 45 minutes and Peter Beadle edged them in front after 36 minutes when he fired a left foot shot past goalkeeper Richard Wright.
Having had the strong wind behind them for that opening half, Rovers knew they would be up against it after the break and they did, indeed, find themselves under pressure as Mauricio Taricco, James Scowcroft and Matt Holland all went close before Mick Stockwell netted the equaliser 19 minutes from time.
After the match Rovers’ player manager Ian Holloway said this; ‘When those hailstones came down at the start of the second half, I’d have paid four grand for a wig! They were pinging about a foot and a half off the top of my head. I looked down and couldn’t even see my hands. I don’t think I’ve ever been so cold on a football pitch in my life.’
Ipswich skipper Williams, who still had a head of hair, said; ‘Obviously the gale played a major part but we’re just relieved to get another go at our ground. Rovers played very well and still had some good chances when they were against the wind in the second half. In the first, when we had to play into it, we didn’t really create one.’
The draw meant a Portman Road replay, which was played on 13th January 1998 in front of an audience of 11,362 who saw the home side win 1-0.
Once again Rovers had the better of the first half exchanges and took the game to their First Division opponents. Beadle had the ball in the net at the end of a flowing move involving Holloway and Hayles, but an offside flag ruled it out.
The only goal of the game arrived two minutes before half time and there was a huge element of luck attached to it. Stockwell’s mishit shot fell to David Johnson whose shot from ten yards out took a deflection off Scowcroft on the way past Andy Collett.
Ipswich might have been further ahead in the early stages of the second half as a Bobby Petts shot beat Collett and hit the post and Scowcroft hit the rebound wide of the target. Johnson fired a shot into the side netting and Steve Foster blocked another effort from Scowcroft.
Wright, in the Ipswich goal, made a vital save from Hayles, but Collett was the busier of the two keepers and made saves from Johnson and the ever dangerous Scowcroft before the ninety minutes were up.
‘If we had just got the goal when we were on top in the first half, I think we’d have done them’ said Rovers’ veteran midfielder Gary Penrice, before adding; ‘What hurts most, though, is that we know we should have finished them off in the first match at our place.’
With the seventh game in the series taking place this Sunday, we know there will be a result one way or another, as the days of the replay have sailed and so Ipswich supporters will be spared a Tuesday night trip to Bristol should Rovers force a draw this time around…extra time and penalties anyone?
Whatever the outcome, we wish all travelling Gasheads a safe journey to and from Portman Road.