Darrell Clarke was pleased to watch his side come from behind to salvage something from a game for the first time this season. Darrell said: "There was a belief in the changing room at half-time; a belief that we could still go and win the game, let alone draw it. It is important to be able to respond in a positive manner when you go a goal down because there are going to be times when that happens in games across the course of the season. To perform in the way we did when we were down to ten men was also extra pleasing for me, and it is something we can refer back to later in the season at times when we need it." Ollie Clarke says the team spirit among the current crop of Bristol Rovers players is the best it has been in the five years he has been around the senior team. Ollie Clarke, who came through the ranks to make his debut as a fresh-faced 17-year-old in 2011, is one of only a handful of players remaining in a squad that has been totally overhauled in the aftermath of relegation out of the Football League last season. The new-look squad endured an indifferent start to the campaign, but recovered to win five games on the bounce prior to battling to a 1-1 draw at Eastleigh on Tuesday night. Rovers were behind as a result of Jamie Collins' goal and had been reduced to ten men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall in the first half. Clarke scored a superb equaliser, from all of 35 yards, during the second half to ensure a share of the spoils, and Ollie said: "We really believed we could come back when we went a goal down. That is something the manager has said we need to improve. We have struggled when we have had to respond to a setback at times in recent seasons, but it helps that the spirit among the lads is the best it has been since I have been here. It was a tough game, made even tougher by the fact we lost Steve Mildenhall early on. We made quite hard work of things at times because we didn't always keep the ball as well as we should have. I think we had a few chances to go on and win the game, but when you enter that last ten or 15 minutes you're always wary that it is important to sometimes preserve what you have."
CJS - I think confidence is a massive thing in football. The Rovers squad buoyed by their 5 game winning streak would be confident - and that translated itself onto the pitch even when they were losing (and down to 10 men). It would seem from Ollie Clarke's comments that they also enjoy playing together, which is all also a great thing to have (team spirit is hard to build but easy to destroy) I must say, it feels like you guys have turned a corner.
Spirit its something we haven't seen or heard off in a very long time its nice to have it back at the club
I dont think we've had it since the days of Steve Elliot, Craig Hinton, Craig Disney, Paul Trollop etc.... You could just tell they were good mates even though it sometimes went against us, like people claiming PT wouldn't drop any of his mates from the team. I think it really showned how tight the team was when Craig Hinton went and the lads were totally gutted but we all knew he was miles past the level we needed him to be.
We have lacked leaders on and off the pitch. We seem to have that now. Belief and Spirit has been driven in to the team by the leaders.
Don't get me wrong, I like a drink or three but spirits in the changing room is bang out of order. Belief is good though.
