THE GAME
Both sides maintained their 100% records in this match; trouble is we have nil points and Fleetwood Town six!
Darrell Clarke’s side were undone by two first half goals at The Highbury Stadium, both scored by summer signing Will Davies.
After a bright opening, during which former Fleetwood striker Promise Omochere headed over, the home side took control of proceedings and took the lead on 26 minutes when a through ball from Elliot Bonds reached Davies in spite of a vain attempt to intercept the pass by Taylor Moore and the former Sutton United striker calmly beat Luke Southwood to give his side the lead.
Eight minutes later the same player doubled his side’s lead when he took a pass from Harrison Neal and chipped the ball over Southwood who had come off his line in an attempt to clear the danger.
Kamil Conteh blazed a shot wide of the target in first half stoppage time but, in all honesty, it was a poor first half showing from Rovers who could, and should, have prevented both Fleetwood goals.
Clarke made a substitution at the start of the second half, sending on Ruel Sotiriou in place of Taylor Moore and opting to go with a 4-4-2 formation as opposed to the 3-5-2 system he started the game with.
It made little difference and Southwood di well to save from Neal before Clarke made a double substitution just after the hour mark which swung gave his side more bite in attack.
Ellis Harrison and Luke Thomas began to cause the home side problems and they were handed a lifeline when Omochere was bundled over in the area by James Bolton.
The striker got up to fire the resulting penalty past goalkeeper Jay Lynch, though the fightback that the goal was meant to inspire, didn’t really materialize and although they huffed and puffed Rovers were unable to pierce the home side’s defence again and another frustrating afternoon was endured by the Gas faithful.
WHAT THEY SAID
‘It was a frustrating afternoon. In the first 20 minutes, we started OK, and then we gave two of the softest goals away ever. The first one looks a yard and a half offside, and then we’re chasing the game. In the second half, we have a response, make a few changes, but there was a little bit of softness and a little bit of a mentality thing still in the group that we have to try and stamp out.”
“’hey were shocking goals. The first one looks a yard off, and the second one is shocking defending. When you’re doing that, you’re chasing the game. In the second half, there was a response, but then we scored the goal and came off what we were doing well to open them up on numerous occasions.
‘We missed a lot of chances. So, it’s a rude awakening call for the group and ourselves, if I am honest with you, but I’m used to coming into teams that haven’t had that rhythm, haven’t had that connection, haven’t had that mentality, and we’ll get there.’ Rovers Head Coach Darrell Clarke
‘We’re gutted. We’re not happy about this at all. It’s two on the bounce now, and in the second half, we were better, but the first two goals were easy goals to concede. We got back in it, and then we couldn’t find an equaliser in the end.
‘The gaffer changed shape in the second half. The boys responded well, and then we got back in it. We were on top of them in the second half, we got one with a penalty, and we just couldn’t get the second one.
‘When you go two goals down, it’s always hard to come back from, and it’s a big hurdle to come back from. Football is a game of momentum, and once we got that, we were on top and then we were just pushing and pushing them. It’s a loss at the end of the day.’ Rovers Defender Clinton Mola
‘We want to be the aggressor, really put the opposition under pressure and make it difficult for them. That intent was clear in the first half, where chances flowed at both ends before we broke the deadlock through a well worked move finished by Davies.”
‘It was a strong defensive display in the final stages, with the crowd really driving the players forward. The atmosphere in those last 15 minutes was as good as it’s been since I’ve been here, and that’s vital for us going forward.
‘We want to make Highbury a tough place to come. Success is built on strong home form, and we’re determined to make this season one to remember., Fleetwood Head Coach Pete Wild
