BRFC v Plymouth Match Thread

Great football match!

Stats: BRFC 2 Plymouth 2 - 48% - 52% - Shots 17-10 - On Target 6-3 - Corners 8-7 - Fouls 10-14 - Yellows 1-4 - Referee: Christopher Pollard - Attendance: 9,258

Match Report...

A superb second-half comeback from the Gas secured a point against league leaders, Plymouth Argyle, at The Mem.

Joey Barton made two changes to the side that beat Cheltenham last weekend, with Hoole and Anderson coming in for Gibbons and Coutts.

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The visitors started on the front foot, forcing a couple of early corners without threatening Belshaw's goal.

At the other end, Loft and Collins were working hard and the latter's ball towards Gordon gave the Gas a corner in the 10th minute, but referee Pollard blew for a foul. The man in the middle then waved play on when Finley was upended, a decision that did little to endear him to the home crowd.

From nowhere, the dangerous Azaz fired Rovers ahead from the edge of the box with a superb curling shot that Belshaw could only watch fly past him.

Collins then had a glorious chance to equalise in the 16th minute, but he could only fire straight at Cooper from ten yards out.

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Houghton was shown a yellow card in the 22nd minute for a late challenge on Collins. The number ten then ran at the Argyle backline a minute later and the ball fell to Finley, who fired over the bar.

Randell was next in the book after half an hour, bringing down Evans as the midfielder looked to glide forwards. Rovers worked the ball down the right-hand flank and Finley played it into the area but his ball just evaded the onrushing Loft.

The big striker then found his way into the book after 36 minutes for a late, sliding challenge on a Plymouth defender.

Ennis looked lively for the visitors, but Rovers were largely bossing possession as the half drew to a close. Rovers broke away in the 43rd minute, with Evans' low cross sliced behind for a corner, from which Anderson headed narrowly over.

More Azaz trickery then saw Aryle extend rtheir advantage, as he put Mumba away down the right. His cross was cleared, but only as far as Randell, who rifled home from thirty yards to send the 1,240 Argyle fans into raptures.

The Gas started the second half, attacking the Thatchers End, looking to overturn a two-goal deficit - and they made the perfect start.

Collins burst down the right and crossed low for substitute Josh Coburn to bundle home with his first touch.

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It was nearly two-all in the 51st minute, as Loft cut inside and shot on target from twenty-five yards. Cooper couldn't hold it and Collins latched onto the rebound and chipped towards the back post, where Rossiter was denied by a goalline clearance. Cooper then spilled the ball two minutes later as Argyle were rattled. Loft was next to go close, firing a snapshot narrowly wide.

Anderson's slip almost gifted Argyle a third, but Belshaw was alert at his near post.

It was 2-2 in the 57th minute as Rossiter nicked the ball in midfield, fed Loft and his flick was perfect for Collins to run onto and fire low into the corner of the net.

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Great work from Harry Anderson almost saw the Gas snatch the lead as he whipped in a cross from the right but Coburn was flagged offside.

It was to be Anderson's parting shot, as Gibbons replaced him in the 64th minute. Rovers kept pressing and Loft set up Finley for a shot that ballooned over the bar. Loft then drew a foul and a caution from Galloway to give the Gas a free-kick in a dangerous area after 69 minutes. Evans' shot was on target but comfortably claimed by Cooper.

Argyle finally enjoyed a spell of possession after barely seeing the ball for twenty-five minutes, with substitute Hardie to the fore. The visitors won a corner after 75 minutes, but it drifted harmlessly behind.

Rovers pushed for the winner with the unbelievable backing of the Gasheads but would have to settle for a point.

Next up for Rovers is the trip to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday, 26th October (8pm).

Rovers: Belshaw, Gordon, Hoole, Gibson, Thomas, Anderson, Rossiter, Finley (c), Evans, Collins, Loft.

Subs: Jaakkola, Gibbons, Saunders, McCormick, Sinclair, Clarke, Coburn.

Argyle: Cooper, Houghton, Wilson, Edwards (c), Ennis, Mumba, Azaz, Whittaker, Randell, Lonwijk, Galloway.

Subs: Burton, Butcher, Hardie, Grant, Craske, Jenkins-Davies, Edworthy.


P.S - In the Reading v the1982ersltd, the Sh*te had 58% of the play, but not 1 shot on target in the whole game.... 

Funny old game.

Dire in the 1st and excellent in the 2nd.

Changing from 2 up front to 3 upfront really helped his game. I'm not if it was coz argyle put less pressure on him. Or coz he had another option for playing the ball off.

Delighted he picked up in the 2nd half.

I would have given mom to Gordon though.

Excellent result and definitely a bonus point from that run of fixtures in October though it sounds like we were unlucky not to have taken all 3. Can we carry this through to Hillsborough on Weds?

Ryan Loft - 9

Up there with his best performances in a Rovers shirt. His power gave Argyle's backline a difficult afternoon, creating platforms to attack for the Gas. He drew a couple of excellent saves from Cooper and created the equaliser with an assist that was Premier League quality. He mustered a sensational backheel from Rossiter's reverse pass and it set the detonator charge for Collins to blow the doors off the defence and the roof off the Mem. Gave his team everything but a goal of his own.

Just got in...

*Hic!*
What a great day's entertainment.
And a great advert for 3rd division football.

It comes to something when a team top the table resorts to time wasting on 79 mins, so that's a testament to how far we've come....and possibly, how much further we can go.

Housekeeping out the way:
Plymouth...a good, strong, organised outfit that have flair style and trickery in attack, solid on defence. Az apart, I thought our defence coped pretty well against him and Ennis (was he playing? And he's a great player)....their 17 was mazy runny and dangerous, their 22 was hard and solid, their 5 gave the whole east side a wink because he feigned injury to try to induce a booking, he wasn't even touched 🤬 cheeky sod.

Now....
What ever way you cut it, you've got to give JAB credit for man managing this match. I didn't see the Hoole sub, nor did anyone around me, but it worked a treat. In fact, Plymouth checked, checked again and a 3rd time with their own changes to keep up with us.... that's great management and reading of the game by JAB team and it so almost paid off. A truly game of two halves.

Gordon's gintastic attacking role of wing back helped stretched them.
Lofty is just going from strength to strength since Port Vale dink.
Aaza is our Gazza.
My m o m Gibson as both centre back were awesome, but Gibs reminds me of CT last season both in style and looks. Nothing beat him. Looks like he owns that position and has been playing there for years, is mature beyond his time and composed.
Rossiter is rising quicker than damp, his midfield running is majestic and opposition must hate his break up play, very unnoticed, exactly how it should be, he dovetails perfectly into a midfield engine.
Anderson brilliant wing pass to set Evans on the way for his assist..... and Coburn whom they couldn't really handle without pulling his and Lofty shirt everywhere (that seems to be legal now!?).

Excellent move for the second goal, worthy enough to draw or win any match.

Ref missed so much or perhaps now fouls are legal against us but not anyone else!

I was quietly confident going into this match, see above, but I think before a ball was kicked most Gas would've been happy a draw....as it transpired, I think leaving the game, Plymouth would have been happy with a draw, more..



JAB has quietly turned us into credible opponents competing for a place in this division. That's a good first third of season for me, but who would dare to dream for more?

I thought he meant it to be a cross,I was behind him.