THE GAME
Awaydays have been pretty grim for Rovers supporters this year but at last there was cause to celebrate as a 1-0 win against previously unbeaten Grimsby Town saw a first win on the road since January.
A stunning first half strike from Macauley Southam-Hales was the difference between the sides as Darrell Clarke’s side kept a clean sheet for the third successive league match.
The only change to the starting lineup from the last league game, against Cambridge United, saw Ruel Sotiriou come in Isaac Hutchinson.
Grimsby, on a high from their midweek Carabao Cup win against Manchester United, were unable to unlock a well organised Rovers defence in the opening stages of the match while Rovers were making little impression at the other end of the pitch.
The deadlock was broken in spectacular fashion, though, in the 27th minute and it came from a Rovers corner out on the right. When Jack Sparkes floated the ball into the Grimsby area it was headed clear, but only to the edge of the area where Southam-Hales was waiting.
Without hesitation the defender struck a superb first time volley which flew past goalkeeper Christy Pym before nestling in the back of the Grimsby net.
The home side’s expected response was muted and all they could manage before the half time whistle was a free kick, taken by Charles Vernam, which was comfortably saved by Luke Southwood.
Grimsby made a double change at the start of the second half, one of which saw George McEachran come on to oppose his brother Josh in the middle of the park.
Rovers forced two early corners immediately after the break, but were increasingly forced back by a Grimsby side intent on finding a way back into the game.
Southwood parried an excellent effort from Vernam, and then got dwn to collect a low cross into the box from the same player. Substitute McEachran lifted a shot over the bar while Jaze Kabia headed wide from a free kick out on the right.
The home side continued to exert pressure on Rovers back line but could not find a way through. Southwood gathered a cross from Rose, While Alfie Kilgour blocked a shot from on the line from Evan Khouri.
In spite of all of their second half pressure Grimsby were unable to find an equaliser as Rovers continued their recent improvement. They look a far more resilient unit than they did at the start of the season and whilst there is still room for improvement, there is a growing feeling that this side, with possibly a few additions, will continue their climb up the League two table.
THEY SAID
‘I thought the goal was fitting to win any game, if I am honest with you. I’m really pleased to come to an in form team that has started the season well. To get the three points and the first away win is important. It’s something as a Club that we weren’t very good at last season, and you have to get your fair number of points if you’re going to reach the goals and today was a starting point for our away form.
‘Grimsby are a good team, and David Artell is doing a cracking job here, so we knew it would be difficult, but I also thought we had our moments and perhaps could have got a couple of goals as well, but we’ve had to defend well. I’ve had to change the shape numerous times, and there are reasons behind that because we’re not at the levels I want us to be at, but that will come.
‘Somebody told me beforehand that it’s been three years and six months since three league clean sheets. That’s a long time for a football club not to get three league clean sheets. It’s a bit of a monkey off of our back, and we defended really well at times. We rode our luck a little bit at times today, but we’ll take that. Three points are good, but the objective doesn’t change from where I sit and where I stand. There is a hell of a lot of work to be done with our group, but testament to the boys today, they put their bodies on the line and got the three points.’ Rovers Head Coach Darrell Clarke
‘The back four have kept a clean sheet, the whole team have kept a clean sheet, the subs that have come on have kept a clean sheet. I’ll keep saying it because it’s massive for us. But it certainly gives us a platform to build off, and everyone who stepped on the pitch, Taylor Moore, Ryan Howley, Fabrizio Cavegn, everyone plays their part, and even the ones who haven’t got on today have played their part, travelling and training. So, it’s massive for everyone.
‘It’s a foundation to build from. The skipper getting a block in the end there and just celebrating moments like that and getting behind that is just as important as the goal in my eyes. Taylor Moore comes onto the pitch and does brilliantly, Jack Sparkes down the side, and Kacper Lopata as well. Everyone, to a man, even midfielders and strikers, plays a part in a clean sheet. So, it’s massive.”
‘As for my goal, I’ll have to watch it back, I haven’t seen it, but it’s come off my foot nicely and into the bottom corner. I think I’ll give the assist to Promise for jumping over it, but in those positions, I just thought, ‘what’s the worst thing that could happen?’ I could stick it into the stand or the goal, and it went in the goal, luckily.’ Rovers goalscorer Macauley Southam-Hales
‘We lost because we only played for 45 minutes. We were sluggish in the way we played in possession in the first half. They get a goal in that time, albeit a very good one from their point of view, but our performance in that first half was our worst of the season.
‘“We were much more like us after the break and I think the fans appreciated that, but it couldn’t have been much worse from the first 45. It was always going to be the game after (the Manchester United tie) rather than the ones leading up to it that we might have struggled, which is understandable, but they’re still professionals.
‘The second half was as good as we’ve shown in any match, so on another day the chances we created in that time would have led to a goal, but it didn’t.’ Grimsby Head Coach David Artell
