‘Ten games unbeaten at the Mem’

Saturday’s 2-1 win over struggling Chesterfield continued Rovers’ incredible home form. In a game that could’ve been over after half an hour, had they taken one or two more of the numerous chances created, Ollie Clarke and Rory Gaffney’s goals settled it, albeit with something of a grandstand finish when the visitors pulled one back late on following a missed tackle in the home box.

Clarke’s goal was a thing of beauty: the young Bristolian is getting a bit of a reputation for scoring long-range goals lately and this 20-yard hit with the outside of his left boot, leaving Spirites ‘keeper Thorsten Stuckmann with no chance, is up there with the best of them. Gaffney’s neat finish, also on his left, was just as accurate, tucking into the side netting under pressure from an oncoming Stuckmann and with a defender to beat.

It’s no more than the Irishman has deserved lately. While his all-round game is still strong, creating chances and starting moves (he started the move that ended up in Clarke’s goal as well), he’d be the first to admit that his goals return has been a little bit of a disappointment.

But for some decent stops from the mountainous German between the sticks, and his failure to keep a shot down while unmarked in front of the North Terrace in the second half, he’d have had another. So would Clarke, having an effort saved before half-time. Luke James, too, had a decent strike saved from 25 yards out.

James, the Peterborough loanee, is somewhat of a conversation piece around the fan base at present.  Once again, he was busy on Saturday, setting up Gaffney’s goal, and, to use an old-school football term, “putting himself about” – generally chasing any sniff of the ball that came to him and contributing positively. But, as we know, strikers are judged on one particular statistic.

It’s fair to say that the youngster’s chances have been limited, especially before Christmas, where he was very much on the fringes of the first team. But no goals all season so far speaks volumes.

He’s clearly a talented player, and goalscoring is so often in the mind – he just needs one to go in off a bobble in the pitch, or his shin, or anywhere – and maybe the burden will be lifted and he’ll start converting chances more regularly. But if he’s available for the manager to sign permanently in the summer, much debate will be had about that decision given that the goals column is bare so far.

James is unlikely to get a better chance to open his account in the quarters than the penalty he had saved on Saturday. I am no fan of giving players the opportunity to take penalties when they’re not usually the regular taker. Competitive league football isn’t a place to give someone a penalty because they need a goal; it’s unlikely that our season will now be decided on goal difference, of course, but if it did, that’s a moment that might come under some scrutiny.

That result makes it ten games unbeaten at the Mem, and, ever since Darrell Clarke took over, results in BS7 have been nothing less than impressive: Rovers have won two-thirds of home league games in that time. As mentioned previously on these pages, one will wonder what could’ve been if we’d have picked up the odd away win more than we’ve got. But, given that we’re a newly-promoted side and the, ahem, changes to the squad, the season has been an impressive one.

Coventry City lie in wait at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday. Rovers are taking a whopping 4000 fans to the West Midlands, for our first visit to the Sky Blues since the 1960s. It might, sadly, be the last for some time, too; City, beset by problems and debts arising from losing control of their huge stadium and off-the-field mismanagement of the highest order by their hedge fund owners, are going to be relegated from League One. A trip to Wembley in the Checkatrade Trophy final awaits next week, but their season, indeed their recent history, has been miserable.

Coventry’s trip to the Mem for the reverse fixture, on Boxing Day, was the debut of new manager Russell Slade. Since then, he’s already been sacked and replaced, which is a sign of the state this once proud club, FA Cup winners thirty years ago and Premier League mainstays up to the turn of the millennium, now finds itself in.

Rovers outclassed the visiting City side that came down at Christmas, winning 4-1 in a game that could have seen seven or more goals in the home column. An away win has to be expected, to send that huge travelling army of Gasheads back down the M5 in good spirits.

Read more: ‘The dreams of a third promotion are floating away’