The Memorial Stadium Saturday 19th November 2022
Bristol Rovers 1-0 Peterborough United Sinclair (53)
Referee: Peter Wright Attendance 8,635
Peterborough United arrived at the Memorial Stadium in fourth place despite losing the same number of games (seven) as their hosts; just one draw as opposed to the six managed by Rovers was the difference.
Joe Barton made one change to his starting XI and that saw James Connolly return in place of James Gibbons, a switch that had proved so successful in the second half of the game against Fleetwood Town seven days earlier.
Although they put in a strong first half performance, Rovers had no goals to show for their efforts and failed to take advantage of the possession they enjoyed.
Nevertheless, Barton’s switch from a back four to a back three, with Scott Sinclair and Lewis Gordon operating as wing backs on the right and left respectively, seemed to give a better balance to the side and Peterborough were no match for them.
They might not have scored in that opening 45 minutes, but Aaron Collins was denied a goal by Lucas Bergstrom’s fine save while Antony Evans might have done better when presented with two good opportunities just after the midway point of the half.
As for Peterborough, an early Jack Marriott effort, deflected through to James Belshaw, was all they could manage.
The second half began with Rovers continuing where they had left off in the first; in the ascendancy, and it came as no surprise when they finally broke the deadlock just eight minutes after the restart.
When Collins found Sam Finley with his pass, the skipper had options to his left and to his right, but he spotted the run of Sinclair into the box and picked him out with an inch perfect pass. There was no hurried shot from the player who has returned to the club where it all began, but a sublime left foot effort curled around the keeper and into the net.
Cue scenes of celebration from Sinclair as he slid on his knees in front of the Thatcher’s End to celebrate his first ever Rovers league goal.
Peterborough’s hopes of a comeback were dented on 76 minutes when they were reduced to ten men following the red card brandished to Ronnie Edwards. The defender brought down Josh Coburn, who had already shrugged off one illegal tackle, and was deemed to be the last man so was shown red by referee Peter Wright.
By this time former Gas striker Jonson Clarke-Harris had entered the fray for Peterborough and there were a few hearts in mouths when he lined up an 84th minute free kick from a distance Gasheads were used to seeing him score from.
On this occasion, though, he blasted his effort over the bar. He then glanced a headed wide of the target before Belshaw pulled off the save of the match when he denied Ricky Jade-Jones what would have been an undeserved equaliser.
This really was an outstanding team performance by Barton’s side and although Sinclair was voted Man of the Match, there really was only one player deserving of that accolade and that was skipper Finley who totally bossed the show.
Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Thomas, Connolly, Gibson, Sinclair, Finley, Rossiter, Evans (Gibbons 90 + 4), Gordon, Collins, Coburn.
Substitutes: Jaakkola, Kilgour, Clarke, McCormick, Saunders, Marquis.
Peterborough United: Bergstrom, Thompson (N), Kent, Edwards, Butler (Knight, 79), Fuchs, Kyprianou (Randall, 62), Poku (Jade-Jones, 46), Burrows, Mason-Clarke (Thompson (B), 62), Marriott (Clarke-Harris, 62).
Substitutes: Watts, Blackmore.
ALSO
Former Rovers striker Jonson Clarke-Harris entered the fray as a second half substitute
A yellow card was issued to Bobby Thomas
Sam Finley was skipper
One substitute used
First Rovers league goal for Scott Sinclair
Ten added minutes
(Photos courtesy of JMP)
Keith Brookman