The Memorial Stadium Tuesday 18th April 2023
Bristol Rovers 1
Collins (47)
Sheffield Wednesday 2
Bannan (29), Famewo (41)
Referee: Josh Smith Attendance: 9,003
Prior to kick off there was a minute’s applause in memory of former Wednesday player, and Rovers player and manager, Don Megson who passed away just a few weeks prior to the game.
Three changes were made by manager Joe Barton; Jarell Quansah returned after a three match ban, while Ryan Loft and Josh Coburn were recalled to the starting XI.
The players to make way for those three were Scott Sinclair, Sam Finley and Harry Anderson, all of whom were left on the bench. The manager also changed his formation, opting for a back three (or five if you prefer!).
An early cross shot from Luca Hoole was safely gathered by goalkeeper Cameron Dawson, while Rovers’ custodian James Belshaw made a smart save from Dennis Adeniran.
James Connolly almost gifted Wednesday an opener when his back pass was intercepted by Michael Smith, but thankfully the Wednesday player rolled a shot just wide of the upright.
Ryan Loft volleyed a cross from Hoole straight at Dawson as Rovers probed for an opening. However, they conceded with 29 minutes on the clock when Quansah had his pocket picked by Wednesday skipper Barry Bannan who strode on before rifling a 30 yard angled drive past Belshaw.
The lead was doubled four minutes before half time as a corner from the right caused all sorts of problems at the back for Rovers and, following a goalmouth scramble the loose ball fell to Akin Famewo who drilled the ball into the net from close range.
In spite of the stat that said Rovers had enjoyed 67% first half possession, Barton’s side had failed to penetrate the Wednesday defence or trouble Dawson, while two poor errors had been punished by a very direct and physical Wednesday side.
Barton made a triple substitution at the start of the second half, sending on Antony Evans, Finley and Sinclair in place of Connolly, Grant Ward and Loft and the switch was made to a back four.
Within a minute of the restart, Rovers pulled a goal back as a long clearance from Belshaw found Collins out on the left and he rounded his marker and raced on before sliding the ball past Dawson.
Ironical that all of the first half possession play had failed to yield a goal and a direct approach led to Collins halving the deficit with his 16th league goal of the season.
The game continued to be played at a high tempo, with Rovers searching for an equaliser and Wednesday looking for a third goal. Coburn saw a shot deflected behind for a corner by Aden Flint, while at the other end Smith fired a shot over the bar.
With nine minutes remaining John Marquis, on in place of Lewis Gordon, fired home after being played in by Finley. However the assistant referee deemed him to be offside, a decision that was criticised heavily by Barton in his post match press conference.
The manager collected his side’s only yellow card of the evening for protesting too vigorously about a foul on Collins, who had the game’s final shot of the evening which brought a corner that was cleared as the final whistle was blown.
Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Quansah, Connolly (Evans, 46), Gibson, Hoole, Gordon (Marquis, 75), Ward (G) (Finley, 46), Bogarde (Anderson, 88), Collins, Coburn, Loft (Sinlair, 46).
Substitutes: Ward (J), Gibbons.
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Palmer, Flint, Iorfa, Adeniran, Vaulks, Famewo (Bakinson, 51), Johnson, Bannan, Gregory (Paterson, 65), Smith.
Substitutes: Stockdale, Brown, Dele-Bashiru, Shipston, Durrant.
ALSO
There were no former Rovers players in the Sheffield Wednesday side
A yellow card was issued to manager Joe Barton
Lewis Gibson was skipper then Sam Finley when he came on
Five substitutes used
Six added minutes
(photos courtesy of JMP)
Keith Brookman