THE GAME
Rovers stretched their unbeaten league run to six with a 1-1 draw against Colchester United and once again Fabrizio Cavegn was on the scoresheet.
Going into the match Darrell Clarke made just one change to the side that beat Barrow, recalling Macauley Southam-Hales in place of Joel Senior.
The hosts began the game on the front foot and Luke Southwood was soon forced into action, saving well from Kyreece Lisbie.
Kayne Vincent-Young hit a shot over the bar, while Southwood kept out an effort from Teddy Bishop as the hosts continued to enjoy a great deal of possession.
Rovers first opportunity came from a Jack Sparkes free kick, which just evaded Kacper Lopata as he rushed in on goal.
Although the home side had enjoyed a great deal of first half possession, it was Rovers who scored the game’s opening goal, on 40 minutes. Played in by Alfie Chang, Cavegn took a touch before hitting a ferocious angled drive past goalkeeper Tom Smith to give his side the lead going into the half time break.
Lisbie tested Southwood again early in the second half, but the goal that Colchester had threatened all afternoon arrived within eight minutes of the restart when Jack Payne broke down the left and cut the ball back to Micah Mbick who netted from close range to register his first Colchester goal.
The game became quite scrappy following the equaliser, with few goalscoring opportunities for either side, though there was a chance for Colchester following their triple substitution on 78 minutes when a cross from Lisbie was just too far ahead of Sampson Tovide as he raced into the area.
Ellis Harrison headed wide from a Sparkes cross as the game drew to a close but given they weren’t at their best on the day Rovers were happy to return from deepest, darkest, Essex with a point.
WHAT THEY SAID
‘Listen, I don’t want to overanalyse it, to be honest with you. I said the same to my players; there was a lot going on in the game. A lot of changes. A lot of formational changes. Obviously, losing Promise Omochere to injury, there was a hell of a lot going on. We scored a really good goal, and our second half was sloppy. They came back into it, and then it was pretty even after that. A lot to analyse and digest.
‘I’d say I’m disappointed when we draw a game. So we have to be at it; we’re the team that has to be at it to pick up the three points. We weren’t quite at it today, in my opinion. If you’re going to say to me every three away games, we’re going to get seven points out of it, I’m going to be a happy guy, but we wanted a better performance today, we didn’t quite get that, but we dug in and got a point.
‘I don’t think there was a lot in the game if I’m honest with you. They were always going to give a reaction after their poor performance, and they’ll take plenty of points off of other teams, so it’s a hard earned point. Put it in the bag, we’ll get ourselves home and then prepare for next week.’ Rovers Head Coach Darrell Clarke
‘I think coming in right on Deadline Day and having an international break literally a few days later was quite tough for me. It’s obviously tough to get into a team when we’re on an unbeaten run. That’s understandable, but I think I’ve really settled in now, especially with the lads. A great group of lads. For me, now it’s just to keep building up those minutes and try to get in that team and stay in the team.
‘I think that it’s healthy competition and that’s exactly what you want at any club. But like I said then, obviously, when the team’s winning, I think it does create that healthy competition. Subs do come on in a game; they know exactly what they’re doing and how they want to impact the game. Obviously, to give that impression of why they should be starting, and I think that’s a really good thing we’ve got in this group right now.
‘I think any point away from home is a very good result, it’s a tough place to come. Obviously, we’re disappointed with the goal we conceded, but I think it’s a very important point for us and to build on that and reflect and go to next week. Darrell Clarke said to just go into midfield and try and make things happen. Obviously, it’s tough to do that when the game’s very back and forth, but I think I had some moments in the game where I picked up pockets and got on the ball.’ Rovers midfielder Joel Cotterill
‘I was proud of the performance. I’ve lived a lot of football, but that was one of my toughest weeks, that horrible feeling when you’ve let everyone down that we had to live with since our last game. It’s not the disappointment that defines you, it’s always the response because disappointment will happen in life and certainly in elite sport.
We responded really well and put a performance together that we can be proud of. I’m just sad really that we didn’t find that second goal because I thought we were really deserving of it. The boys talk a lot about what we stand for and what we want to be and we always say ‘no disappointment’ and that was the message at half time. We knew that if we played as well as we did first half in the second half, we’d get back into the game.’ Colchester Manager Danny Cowley
