‘DC squeezes every drop from the players he’s got’

It finally happened. Bristol Rovers picked up three points away from home! The world seemed a different place back in early October, when we last won on the road with that 6-0 thumping of Northampton. Well, it did for me, anyway. For a start, it seemed way back then that Rovers actually got a bit of luck sometimes.

Between Northampton and Doncaster, I can count three away games before Christmas where we were good value for a point but drove home with none. Then, there were the three away draws since Boxing Day. There wouldn’t have been much in the way of sour grapes had we nicked a winner in any of them, especially Blackpool, where their goalkeeper worked miracles to send us on our way with a solitary point.

What we’ve seen in the last ten games is the manager’s talk of cutting out defensive errors, and defending more solidly as a unit, coming to fruition. Other than the horror show that was Gillingham, where we lost 4-1 and were never in the race, performances at the back have improved. In addition, Darrell Clarke has built the longest unbeaten run of the season, all while dealing with the sale of Billy Bodin.

It’s the latter part of that which has impressed me most. Of course, other than Bodin, we have struggled for any real quality in wide positions all season. But DC has, of late, converted the midfield into a diamond formation, which our gang of four central midfielders have taken to like the proverbial ducks to water so far. Up until recently, the boss has flattered to deceive in the transfer market but it’s a surprise to no-one that he’s great at squeezing every little drop out of the players he’s got.

Doncaster away, last week, was a prime example. Having (yet again) gone behind to an early goal, Rovers went on to, by and large, dominate the home side, and, yet again, come back from behind to win.

If any of you had a 3-1 win and Ryan Sweeney to score, congratulations on the new car you can now afford! The big man isn’t a regular goal threat but even he couldn’t miss the chance laid on a silver plate for him to level things up.

It was great to see Rory Gaffney back in the goals; the numbers (six in 32 games this term) don’t tell the full story of a player who has improved, looks more at home at this level, works his socks off, and lays on chances for others. But strikers, after all, are judged on one thing only, and his seventh of the season was as well-taken as any that have gone before.

That one was laid on by – who else? – Ellis Harrison. Once again, the Welshman covered every blade of grass at the Keepmoat Stadium, and followed up his headed assist under pressure with a sublime 50-yard run and cool finish into the bottom corner to end the long winless streak on our travels. And the player who started that move? Gaffney.

A couple of good chances not seized upon by Doncaster surely helped, especially Matty Blair’s sitter at the far post with the scores at 2-1. But maybe that’s an example of the luck returning, as mentioned earlier on. We still defended really well, keeping our shape better, communicating with each other better than the early days if the season, and, yes, having a right old go at one another if someone wasn’t doing their job or keeping tight on their man. That, particularly, is a sharp improvement. There were a number of goals conceded in the first half of the season where we just saw the back four silently trudge away after it went in.

After a huge result, the positive news kept coming in on the media’s favourite day of the season: transfer deadline day. Well, the day after transfer deadline day. Rovers did things their own way, and announced their two new signings the day afterwards, what with both men being released by their former clubs the night before.

Tony Craig looks like a top quality signing. Promoted three times from this division, with 500 games under his belt at only 32, his acquisition fills one of the voids in experience and leadership left when the older players departed last year. A left-footed central defender or left back, his versatility is another asset.

Kyle Bennett isn’t a player I know much about, to be honest. It’s a refreshing throwback to the days before everyone could watch a 15 minute Youtube compilation of any player on the planet. But he shone as Portsmouth got promoted to our division last year, and the Hampshire side gave him a three-year deal only in the summer, so he’s worth a punt.

Both new boys should go into the squad for the home game against surprise package Shrewsbury on Saturday. Still only two points off of the summit, Salop are showing sides whose budgets are at the lower end of the third tier scale how it’s done this season.

Don’t ask me how it’ll go, I’ve no idea. One thing that’s worth saying is that the 4-0 battering we took in Shropshire back in October shouldn’t have much relevance; we’re a changed team since then.

They took Premier League West Ham to extra time in an FA Cup replay the other week, and have added five players to their ranks since then, so it’s not going to be a stroll in the park for us. But we are now officially hard to beat. It’s a game that, if we come out with a point or maybe even one better, that inspire a belief that, against the odds, maybe the season’s not over just yet.