It’s easy to get carried away with a first win and first goals in four matches and it was ‘only’ against League 2 opposition at home in front of a paltry attendance but nevertheless it was a relief to defeat west country rivals Yeovil Town eleven days ago after suffering a last-minute defeat here at the hands of Walsall. Such are the expectations here at Rovers!
In fact it was a well deserved victory that means we qualify for the knock-out stages of the Checkatrade Trophy but the ‘Glovers’ made it very difficult with a plucky performance that could have heaped more pressure on our boys. That they didn’t was initially due to some more fine goalkeeping by Jack Bonham who made another three great saves, a couple of them being his now ‘trademark’ one-on-one blocks. Jack is definitely a ‘Mem-favourite’ already and is the best keeper here since the last on-loan star Joe Lumley. A supurb goal for Alex Jakubiak and a Rovers first for Alex Rodman capped a very good display in what I thought was a very entertaining game.
Justice done on the night then especially as Rovers did not deserve to lose to Walsall. But, the gods are clearly not with us at the moment as we then almost unbelievably suffered a repeat of the ‘Saddlers’ game with another injury-time defeat at Burton last Saturday. It was the same scenario with Rovers creating a couple of chances to win the game in the closing minutes only for the ‘Brewers’ to somehow escape and then go up the other end and snatch all the points with scruffy winner. How good it would be to turn the tables this afternoon but it certainly won’t be easy with Oxford showing signs of improving their own poor start to the campaign. Get behind the boys in blue and let’s hope for a change of fortune in front of goal in a League match – it’s long overdue!
Jim Chappell.