THE GAME
Rovers were well beaten by Stevenage in their final match of 2024 and played most of the second half with ten men following the red card brandished in the direction of Jamie Lindsay early in the second half.
New Head Coach Inigo Calderon made two changes to his starting XI for his first match in charge, bringing in Luke McCormick for the injured Kamil Conteh and Scott Sinclair for Luke Thomas, who dropped to the bench.
There was little to choose between the sides in the opening exchanges though the hosts went close through Jamie Reid, whose shot was deflected behind for corner.
At the other end, Promise Omochere’s shot on the turn drifted just wide of the upright.
Home substitute Lewis Freestone, on in place of the injured Dan Butler, fired a shot over the bar when well placed and as Stevenage forced Rovers back, it came as little surprise when they took the lead after 34 minutes. When Luther James-Wildin slung in a cross from out on the right, List met it with a diving header that evaded the clutches of Josh Griffiths.
Shaq Forde’s header at the other end, in first half stoppage time, was comfortably saved by Murphy Cooper and Rovers headed into the break a goal down.
Their task became much more difficult when, eight minutes into the second half, Lindsay collected his second yellow card of the match and was sent off. A minute later the hosts doubled their lead from the free kick awarded after Lindsay’s offence.
Dan Kemp crossed to the back post, Freestone headed back across goal and Jordan Roberts fired a shot into the Rovers net.
Rovers struggled after that and though there were one or two half chances in a poor second half and Omochere fired an effort over the bar, the numerical advantage told and it came as no surprise when Stevenage scored again with two minutes remaining.
Louis Thompson found Roberts with a through ball who laid it off for Jamie Reid who fired home to ensure his side took all three points
THEY SAID WHAT?
I think we started well, and I liked what I saw in the first 15 minutes. After that, I think we stopped doing the thingd we would like to see more of. We disappeared a little bit and we knew that Stevenage can score from set pieces or crosses and they did exactly that. They had the plan, they did it and they scored. We deserevd to lose today, it’s as simple as that. On top of that there were key moments in the game, a clear one being the red card and the goal straight after.
‘It’s too early. We cannot see the progress of the team in one day, it’s impossible but, at the same time, we cannot use the excuse for too long. The change and the reaction has to be quick and has to start against Leyton Orient. We have to improve, it’s as simple as that. I said to the boys that it’s not unlucky, it’s not the referee, it’s us. We have to improve in evert single aspect of the game, but we will.
‘We have a lot of games, so the players are going to have a chance. Everyone has to be ready. Ideally, for a coach it’s not the best because you cannot train and the training ground is where you can see the improvements and you can implement your plan. But, at the same time, that gives chances to the players to prove that they can play. So I think it is a good moment for themas everyone is going to have their chance.’ (Rovers Head Coach Inigo Calderon)
‘It’s obviously disappointing. I think we started the game OK, bright and with positive things that we could have built on, but obviously they gained a bit of momentum with the goal and from that point we were on the back foot a bit. Then when things aren’t going your way, you go down to ten men which never helps, and we’re fighting an uphill battle. It’s disappointing and we need to improve.
‘We just need to be better as a team. We’ve got the new manager coming in, and we’re trying to slowly, but surely, implementhis way of playing because there’s not been a lot of time on the training pitch with that. It’s all going to be a bit of a work in progress, but we need to be better individually and as a team and be a bit tougher to beat.
‘We’ve been close to a positive result. Exeter should have been one. We know that as a team, so there’s been plenty of positives amongst all the negatives. I think we’ve just got to keep doing the things we are doing well and just tighten up as a team with regards to keeping the ball out of our net. I think it’s really exciting with the way the new manager wants to play and the players we have at the club.’ (Rovers midfielder Isaac Hutchinson)
‘We’re still finding our way a little bit at playing the way I want us to play, but the players believe in what we are doing and they are trying as hard as they can to tuen up every game and deliver that. There are going to be bumps in the road but the way they bounced back from our Boxing Day defeat was really pleasing.
‘The first half was kind of balanced. We scored a fantastic goal but we weren’t always good enough on the ball, we gave it away. But second half we stepped on. We’d asked the players to be braver and show more courage on the ball and play the way we can with more runs in behind and power, and we delivered. It’s always difficult when the opposition go down to ten men, but we managed the game really well.
We want to see us at our best for the whole game and the final goal probably sums us up in terms of what we want to see. It was great play by Jordan Roberts and a great cut back and that’s where you want Jamie Reid, in the middle of the goal.’ (Stevenage manager Alex Revell)
