Rovers v Charlton Athletic.Match Thread.

Good stuff bt, but your third line is inaccurate.

I was lucky enough to be at Eastville for the 5 5.Great game.
1 3 down,2 4 down,3 5 down.

Good morning, Gas or time of the day wherever you are.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder...?
I don't know about that.
I just think it's good to be home on a day that offers much in the way of weather, crowds pre and post match company surrounding the the 90 mins of theatre.

I would rather be on the Glos Rd than travelling away. It's adopted spiritual home, and whilst I never shed a tear leaving Twerton, the same can't be said for me if we are (un)fortunate to find a new abode. Only time will tell..

Anyhoos, onto more less important matters:

Defence shot after 8 months is poor management imo and sometimes we are fighting ourselves as much as opposition and officials.
Sort that out and am confident goals will come.
Not confident on this one, but it is there to be won.

A Gas double.
1-0.
Coburn.

8888 attendance.
Plenty of beverages of choice to see that spring has sprung (not Andy), so see some of you later and don't forget your shades 😎

Enjoy your day your way.
Looking forward to this.
UptheGas..

So far so good. We had two good chances just before the interval.

1-0 Marquis (pen)

Luca Hoole well deserved his MoM today.

I think we wanted the 3 points more than Athletic.I thought 1 goal would win it and we managed to get 'over the line'.

Lucca Hoole was excellent and as has been posted ,he deserved his MOTM award.

Bogarde was also very good,going about his midfield duties quietly and efficiently.

A midfield to select from Bogarde,Rossitter, Finley and Ward would be lovely for next season. 🤞

Gibson played very well,cool and calm.His goal line tackle/clearance played a major part in our victory.

Joe got his selection and tactics right.

48 points looks good and vital after Stanley beat Vale 3 0.

Bristol Rovers player ratings vs Charlton Athletic: Hoole and Gibson outstanding in deserved win..by Sam Frost

James Belshaw - 7
Did not have a save to make throughout the game with his defence performing brilliantly, although he would have been pleased to see Gibson in the right place at the right time to clear Miles Leaburn's header off the line in stoppage time. On a quiet afternoon, Belshaw got his basics right, with precise kicking and a couple of commanding punches.

Luca Hoole - 9
Outstanding performance from an in-form player. Made significant contributions in attack and defence, curbing the threat of Charlton out wide and shutting down any moments of danger before bursting forward to great effect. That was on show as the Gas won the penalty to break the deadlock, producing a clever flick around the corner for Bogarde to meet. It was a little moment of class on an afternoon that seemed certain to end goalless.

James Connolly - 7
Had a solid game until the very last minute when he gave his teammates a scare by ceding possession in a dangerous area, but Gordon was on hand to block the shot from substitute Daniel Kanu.

Lewis Gibson - 9
Didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon. Defended with great authority while also showing his class on the ball. Led the backline expertly and made a decisive contribution in stoppage time by hooking Leaburn's header off the line.

Lewis Gordon - 8
Goes from strength to strength. Sometimes, he can be on the periphery in the attacking phase, but he was a big part of many of Rovers' best build-up moments and he defended cleverly to ensure the Gas did not come under significant pressure in the second half.

Grant Ward - 7
Tireless in the centre of the park, making of a nuisance of himself from first minute to last to deny the Charlton playmakers time and space. Could have made better use of the ball in the final third, but he played a big part in a clean sheet.

Sam Finley (c) - 7
Caught in possession in dangerous areas on a couple of occasions, but he used the ball well for the most part and latched onto second balls at both ends of the park. A solid showing from the captain, who could have had a goal on another day had Coburn's through ball not been smartly intercepted by Ryan Inniss.

Lamare Bogarde - 8
His persistence, aggression and quality meant that the Gas won the midfield arm wrestle as the game went on, and the Dutchman played a massive part in the winner, darting into the box and forcing a handball from George Dobson. The Aston Villa prospect's engine was still running on all cylinders deep into stoppage time when he ran the ball away from danger to make sure of the win.

Antony Evans - 7
Linked well with Hoole on the right flank throughout his 60 minutes on the pitch and he proved to be quite an effective outlet on the right flank. Produced the best effort of the first half by far when he forced a fine save from Ashley Maynard-Brewer with a 25-yard blast that seemed destined for the top corner.

Scott Sinclair - 6
Had some nice exchanges with the likes of Gordon and Finley, but his wayward strike from 20 yards after darting inside Steven Sessegnon summed up a first half lacking in quality in the final third. Replaced on the hour.

Josh Coburn - 7
Gave everything for the team in his 66 minutes, leading the line alone and doing well to occupy the Charlton centre-backs. However, chances didn't fall his way and he could not produce the required quality when he had opportunities to create for his teammates. A solid performance nonetheless.

Substitutes
Aaron Collins (for Evans on 60') - 7
Would have been frustrated to see himself on the bench when the team was named, but he was an effective impact sub and looked likely to create a goal.

Ryan Loft (for Sinclair on 60') - 7
Made a real nuisance of himself, which put Charlton on the back foot before the opener and then helped get the Gas up the pitch when they had a lead to protect.

John Marquis (for Coburn on 66') - 8
The South Londoner proved to be Charlton's tormentor again. After a double off the bench to win it at The Valley, he decided the contest again by dispatching the penalty. Thereafter, he showed intelligence to keep the ball and secure the win.