Pre season

DC absent from yesterday match at Melksham, Broadbent in the stands and Menayese and Sinclair also not in attendance do we have injuries already or are they on their way to another club

 

I think Sinclair is injured

 

Injuries are not known as the club keeps that quiet but Sinclair ended the season injured so I wont be surprised if he is still struggling.

Why was DC not at the club?

 

As for the game itself.... not a bad result 6-0 although the result don't really matter. Its all about building up the match fitness. At half time all starting 11 players were subbed off so 22 players got 45 minutes each.

1st half 11
Smith
Leadbitter
Lockyer
Craig
A. Clarke
Upson
Sercombe
Matthews
Bennett
Nichols
Trialist

2nd half 11
Slocombe
Partington
Bailey
J. Clarke
Kelly
Mensah
O. Clarke
Lines
Rodman
Harrison
Reilly

 

Tweets from the game for the 1st half....

2 - Early chance for Rovers, as Kyle Bennett floats a pass over the top towards Tom Nichols. The striker takes a touch, but diverts his effort narrowly wide, 0-0.

GOAL! Rovers take the lead, as a deflected cross lands in a congested area, where today's trialists pokes an effort towards goal that takes a heavy deflection past the Melksham 'keeper, 0-1.

5 - Alfie Clarke delivers a threatening cross on the overlap that is claimed by Kavpinen in the Melksham goal, 0-1.

7 - Low cross into the Rovers area is calmly dealt with by Tony Craig, who clears the danger with a well-directed pass to Alfie Clarke, 0-1.

8 - Good linking play between Bennett and Nichols, as the winger plays the striker in with a through-ball. Nichols uses the pace of the ball to round the 'keeper, but the Melksham defence gets back to cover and are able to deflect his effort away, 0-1.

11 - Quick footwork by Kyle Bennett opens up a shooting opportunity inside the area, but his side-footed attempt is held by Kavpinen in the Melksham goal, 0-1.

16 - Tom Nichols again gets in behind the Melksham defence, but on this occasion, the striker is greeted by the offside flag, 0-1.

18 - Adam Smith called into action, as the shot-stopper gets down low to his left to tip a Simon Gilbert effort away from goal, 0-1.

20 - A Crucial block from Tom Lockyer, as the defender stands tall to defelct clear a close-range shot that was heading towards the target, 0-1.

GOAL! Kyle Bennett runs clear through on goal after being played through by Sam Matthews and produces a perfectly weighted chipped finish to loft the ball out of the reaches of the Melksham 'keeper, 0-2,

GOAL! Rovers add a third goal, with Tom Nichols finding the far-corner with a well-placed finish, 0-3.

28 - Floated delivery from Sam Matthews drifts away from a number of Rovers players inside the Melksham area, as the ball bounces behind for a goal-kick, 0-3.

31 - Low ball into the area from Bennett finds Ed Upson. The midfielder takes a touch to adjust himself to shoot towards goal but gets tackled in the process, 0-3.

34 - Nichols has the ball in the net again, but the effort is quickly dismissed as the linesman's flag is raised for offside, 0-3.

35 - Long-range attempt from Sam Matthews drifts just wide of the goal from twenty-yards out, 0-3.

39 - Nichols again in a one-on-one situation with Kavpinen, but on this occasion, the Melksham 'keeper stands his ground to direct the striker wide where he can't find space to shoot at goal, 0-3.

GOAL! Bennett again on target, as the winger digs out a right-footed finish that has the power to beat the Melksham 'keeper from the edge of the area, 0-4.

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Tweets from the game for the 2nd half....

46 - Chris Lines picks up a loose ball outside the area and looks to strike a side-footed effort towards goal that is deflected wide, 0-4.

48 - Rovers give away a free-kick, as Michael Kelly is punished for a challenge inside the Rovers half, 0-4.

49 - A threatening cross from Gavin Reilly flashes across the face of goal and narrowly misses the advancing Ellis Harrison at the far-post, 0-4.

51 - Speculative volley from twenty-five yards from Chris Lines requires the Melksham 'keeper to be alert to tip the attempt wide, 0-4.

53 - Ellis Harrison finds himself free behind the Melksham defence. The striker advances towards goal but places his right-footed effort just wide of the target, 0-4.

54 - Lines again goes for goal from range, this time drifting free-kick inches wide of goal, 0-4.

GOAL! Chris Lines' inventive pass finds Ellis Harrison free in the area, as the striker places a low-finish into the bottom corner, 0-5.

GOAL! Harrison again on target, finishing confidently after being put through on goal once more by Chris Lines, 0-6.

63 - Long ball punched forward is chased down by Gavin Reilly, who manages to muscle his way to possession, but a loose touch sends the ball out for a throw-in, 0-6.

69 - Cross to the far-post picks out Ellis Harrison, but off-balance the striker can't force his attempt towards the target, 0-6.

71 - Superb link-up play between Lines and Mensah inside the area, as Mensah lays off a pass to Lines who sees his well-struck attempt pushed away from goal, 0-6.

73 - Deep cross directed into the Melksham area is tracked by Bernard Mensah, as the winger times his leap to produce a header that creeps over the crossbar, 0-6.

77 - James Clarke watches a cross from wide out right and navigates his way to make a headed clearance at the near post, 0-6.

79 - Curling cross from the left by Michael Kelly manages to bounce away from Ellis Harrison at the far-post, after the cross wasn't dealt with by the host's goalkeeper, 0-6.

82 - Chance for Ellis to grab his hat-trick, as the striker sees a low effort tipped clear by the Melksham goalkeeper. The rebound balls to Gavin Reilly, who places a reactive header onto the post after adjusting his body late, 0-6.

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I wondered if DC was player scouting

 

Rovers are losing 1-0 away to FGR. Nichols missed an open goal to make it 1-1. I really cant see him getting any better. Sorry but what a waste of money.

We were playing with 1 up front which was Nichols. He was so bad he was subbed off at half time. Mensah now up front on his own.

Rovers development side getting hammered 4-1 away to Bath. We were 1-0 up too. But the better players here are in our 1st team against FGR so the development team is mainly filled up with trialists and U'18s.

 

Lost both games today 6-1 at Bath 1-0 FGR

 

Rovers' Development Squad defeated in pre-season encounter at Twerton Park.

For the fixture at Twerton Park, Chris Hargreaves named a starting eleven that blended members of the Development Squad with a proportion of U18's and trialists.

Josh Bailey and Ben Morgan resumed their partnership in the heart of the defence, while U18's Zain Walker was also included the line-up.

Rovers enjoyed the perfect start to proceedings - as a mix up inside the Bath City penalty area led to the trialist striker rounding Ryan Clarke and slotting home into an empty net to put Rovers ahead early on.

The advantage in the game was short-lived, as just minutes later Rovers were punished as the referee deemed that a cross from the right struck the arm of Connor Jones and was quick to award the penalty. Former Rovers player Sean Rigg was tasked with taking the spot-kick and held his nerve to glance the ball into the bottom corner to bring Bath back level.

The encounter had an energetic feel, with both sides looking to force attempts on the break. There was an anxious moment for Rovers as the twenty-minute mark passed, as a close-range attempt from Ross Stearn was held up on the goalline by a series of last-ditch clearances.

The Romans did take the lead midway through the first half. A driven effort from Ross Stearn was pushed away by Rovers' trialist 'keeper, but the rebound fell favorably for Andy Watkins, who converted from ten-yards to put the home side on top.

The goal signaled a positive spell in the game for Bath City, who had to deal with the loss of Sean Rigg through injury. The setback didn't hinder the hosts, who added to their lead as Adam Mann connected with a well-struck left-footed volley that flew into the net to give Bath a two-goal cushion heading into the break.

Chris Hargreaves introduced Alfie Kilgour at the break, as the defender was used as a straight swap for Josh Bailey.

The first chance of the second half fell the way of Rovers. A volley from thirty-five yards out from Alfie Clarke looked set to creep under the crossbar, but a touch from 'keeper Ryan Clarke proved to be just enough to tip the ball over the frame of the goal.

Bath City added again to the lead as the hour mark approached. A corner from the right was flighted into a threatening location - as Robbie Cundy got a run on his man to power home a header.

Rovers still looked to ask questions of the Bath City defence and were awarded a penalty when a trialist was tripped inside the penalty area. The same player took the spot-kick, but Bath 'keeper Ryan Clarke guessed the right way from the spot and palmed the penalty away from danger to preserve Bath's advantage.

Clarke was again called upon from the spot as the game entered the final quarter. This time the 'keeper only had himself to blame, as Cameron Ebbutt was bundled down by the shot-stopper. Clarke redeemed his error by producing another save, diving in the same direction to reproduce a copy of his earlier save.

As the clock ticked down Bath City added two late goals, with John Mills converting home from close-range, before Adam Mann found the net with a curling effort that honed into the far-corner from the edge of the Rovers area.

Inside the final minutes, Sam Heal was introduced, as the member of the U16's squad made his first appearance for the Development Squad, replacing Alfie Clarke.

Rovers: Trialist GK, Trialist, A.Clarke (81' Sam Heal), Jones, Bailey (45' Kilgour), Morgan, Walker (U18's) (67' Ebbutt), Leigh-Gilchrist, Trialist, Allen (45 Trialist), Trialist.

 

O Clarke goal gives Rovers 0-1 lead at HT

Nichols Craig Leadbitter Matthews Smith on Mensah Broadbent Rodman Sercombe Slocombe off

 

we win 2-0

 

Bennett got the 2nd goal.

 

Match report.... https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2018/july/25.7.18-report-eindhoven/

Interesting that we played in last seasons away kit. Why not this seasons away kit?

 

DC seems pretty certain that we will have 2 strikers in before the window. May get loans in before the end of August too.

 

2-0 down against Exeter after 28 mins

 

Our LB is on the bench along with our new ST and we are losing, I think it is going to be a very long season

 

I some how thought tis game was next week as we are now 3-0 down I think I am glad I am not there