The Memorial Stadium Tuesday 19th October 2022
Bristol Rovers 3
Loft (63), Anderson (77), McCormick (83)
Swindon Town 0
Referee: David Rock
Attendance: 1,700
After the last group game against Crystal Palace U-21’s, manager Joe Barton had threatened to field a youth team for this final group game against Swindon Town.
He didn’t do that, but he did make ten changes from the side that had so comprehensively beaten Cheltenham Town the previous Saturday. Bobby Thomas was the only survivor from that side while Jerry Lawrence was the only youth team player to get a run out.
As for Swindon, already destined to finish bottom of the group, they made nine changes to their starting XI though they gave a good account of themselves in the early exchanges. Former Rovers defender Cian Harries was included in their lineup.
Lawrence saw an early shot blocked by a Swindon defender, while Anssi Jaakkola saved smartly from Morgan Roberts before Rovers were handed a one man advantage 13 minutes before the break when Ciaran Brennan, already booked for a foul on Harry Anderson, hauled down Josh Coburn.
It was another yellow card offence and referee David Rock had no choice but to send the Swindon man trudging towards the tunnel. Two minutes before the break he was joined back in the dressing room by team mate Ricky Aguiar who received a straight red for a late challenge on Alfie Kilgour.
As a result, the nine men of Swindon faced an uphill battle against a Rovers side made stronger with the half time introduction of striker Ryan Loft followed, midway through the half, by a triple change that saw Barton send on Sam Finley, Antony Evans and Aaron Collins.
By that time Loft had already broken the deadlock with a 63rd minute goal of sublime quality. The big striker had already headed one opportunity over the bar but, when played in by Sylvester Jasper, he calmly lifted the ball over goalkeeper Solomon Brynn who had rushed off his line in an attempt to clear.
Once behind, there was no way back for the nine man Wiltshire Robins and it seemed only a matter of time before Rovers would add to their goal tally.
The second goal duly arrived 13 minutes from time, thanks to Harry Anderson who brought the ball under control on the edge of the area and lashed a shot into the top corner of the net, giving Brynn absolutely no chance of saving.
That wasn’t the end of the goalscoring as Luke McCormick added the first goal of his second spell with the club seven minutes from time when he finished off what was probably his best game since his return when he was played in by Trevor Clarke and eased past his marker before slotting the ball past Brynn.
At that point in the evening Rovers headed the group and were guaranteed a home game in the knockout stages. However, Plymouth Argyle’s late goal against Crystal Palace U-21’s down at Home Park saw them finish as group leaders.
Second placed Rovers will face an away trip unless they draw another Premier League U-21 side which would guarantee another game at the Mem.
Bristol Rovers: Jaakkola, Hoole, Kilgour, Thomas (Evans, 68), Clarke, Anderson, Lawrence (Loft, 46), Westbrooke (Finley, 68), McCormick, Jasper, Coburn (Collins, 68).
Substitutes: Belshaw, Gordon, Coutts.
Swindon Town: Brynn, Lavginier, Iandolo, Brennan, Harries, Reed, Aguiar, Darcy (Minturn, 34), Parsons (Adeloye, 59), Roberts, Shade.
Substituites: Brann, Fox, Keyes, Cowmeadow, Massey.
ALSO
Former Rovers defender Cian Harries was in the Swindon Town side while former goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall is a member of the Swindon management team
No yellow cards
Alfie Kilgour was skipper
Four substitutes used
Fifth consecutive win in all competitions
Five added minutes
(Photos courtesy of JMP)
Keith Brookman