Rovers Roll As Saints March On

Bristol Rovers succumbed to a 1-0 defeat away at the hands of promotion chasing Southampton despite an improved performance.

Guly do Prado strolled past two Rovers defenders and put the ball in the net with just eight minutes left on the clock, leaving the visiting fans and defenders feeling numb. Danny Senda saw a shot in the 95th minute glanced onto the frame of the goal by Saints keeper Kelvin Davis but there could be no argument with the fact that Southampton deserved the win.

There were two changes to the Pirates starting line up, caretaker boss Stuart Campbell retaking his place at the heart of midfield for Reggie Lambe while Byron Anthony returned from a stomach bug to play at left back but, unfortunately, there was to be no return for top scorer Will Hoskins, remaining out with an ankle injury.

Danny Butterfield re-took the right back spot for Southampton as Jonothan Forte made his first start for the club.

Surprisingly it was Rovers who made the early running, winning a corner that Gavin Williams skied well over the bar before Jo Kuffour had a superb early chance saved at close range by Davis.

Former Rovers striker Rickie Lambert, who had scored in each of the previous three league meetings between the sides, flashed a header inches wide of Logan's right hand post.

The ever threatening do Prado then had his first opportunity of the game. A ball in from the left found the Brazilian in acres of room in the area and he struck a fierce volley that required the legs of Conrad Logan to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Lambert looked as though he was trying to find his range, sending a low, well struck shot into the hands of Logan after creating space for himself on the edge of the box.

With Rovers looking to regain some momentum Jeff Hughes found himself with his back to goal in the area but perhaps turned the wrong way, swivelling and striking the ball with his weaker right foot, his effort sailing harmlessly wide of the target.

Barbadian international striker Forte was making his eighth appearance in a Southampton shirt and nearly grabbed his third goal, heading the ball into the floor from where it rebounded sharply up, bouncing onto the underside of the crossbar.

Chris Lines had the final chance of note in the first half but his free kick smashed into the Saints defensive wall.

The home side were the ones to start the second half better, Guly placing a shot wide of the upright, and the pressure was well and truly on the Pirates for the final 45 even though one Southampton's most influential players was forced to make his way off the pitch.

Lee Barnard, a constantly moving thorn in Rovers sides, went up for a header but fell awkwardly on his ankle and remained on the deck for a number of minutes, eventually being stretchered off to applause from both sets of fans.

His replacement was David Connolly, scorer of two goals in an FA Cup tie between the same teams last season, and he made an instantaneous impact, crossing for Lambert to head over the bar from the edge of the six yard box.

With a quarter of an hour remaining the ever static Kuffour was subbed off by Craig Hinton, being replaced by seventeen year old Ellis Harrison who was making his first appearance in a matchday squad having impressed in a Gloucestershire Cup match against Cheltenham in midweek. The youngster looked sharp, constantly moving and looking for the ball, very different from what Kuffour was offering up to that point.

Lambert thumped a piledriver wide of the mark before Gavin Williams saw a long range dig comfortably held by Davis, and then came the moment that mattered, the Saints goal.

Guly picked up the ball on the edge of the area and burst through two Rovers challenges before beating the ball past a helpless Conrad Logan, giving his side the lead that their second half pressure had deserved, not that it silenced the travelling Gasheads one bit, a rousing chorus of 'Goodnight Irene' springing up almost immediately.

Lamar Powell became Rovers second seventeen year old debutant and he almost latched onto a James Tunnicliffe ball with a diving header.

Yet another long range Rickie Lambert strike came and went, Conrad Logan being forced to acrobatically tip the ball over the bar, but there was to be one last chance for the gallant Rovers.

A ball from wide on the left found it's way past everyone in the area and fell to Danny Senda at the back post, the full back hammering a shot that struck Davis and rebounded off the angle of post and crossbar, not that the Saints custodian knew much about it.

That was to be the final chance and as cheers from the home support rang around St Mary's Rovers were left to travel home pointless but knowing that further performances with such effort and a little more panache will reap the rewards required to see them beat the drop.

The results of the teams around Rovers went very much the way of the Gas, Notts County, Dagenham and Walsall all losing meaning that the relegation picture looks little different to how it did on Friday.

Post match Southampton boss Nigel Adkins stated his pleasure at how his side stepped up a gear in the second half, saying:

"Bristol Rovers came here with a game plan and set up with a 4-5-1 with a holding midfield player defending their half of the pitch. That makes it a small area that you have to try and break through, but we could have scored a couple in the first half.

"We had to try and get the tempo going because every time the ball went out of play it wasn't coming back quickly enough, so the ball wasn't in play for long.

"We needed to shift the ball a hell of a lot quicker than we did, and we talked about that before the game and at half time. If teams want to come and park the bus you need to get the ball quickly and move it out wide to expose them that way.

"Great credit to the players because I thought we played some exceptional football in the second half."

Stuart Campbell was pleased with what his side put into the match and gave a fair assessment of the game, telling the press:

"I'm very proud of the lads and the spirit, effort and commitment they showed, though I did feel that all of us gave the ball away a little bit too easily in the second half.

"I thought we were excellent in the first half and felt that we passed and moved the ball around very well. We created a couple of chances against a very good Southampton side and we were disappointed to reach half time without having scored.

"In the second half we didn't keep the ball as well, but Southampton threw everything at us and although we defended for our lives it was unfortunate that we were unable to hold out."

A Tough Saturday Ahead

When your down the bottom and fighting for your life the last thing you want is to come up against one of the best teams in your division, especially with five games to go, but that is exactly what Bristol Rovers must deal with as they travel to the south coast for a crunch game against promotion chasing Southampton.

But there's no going back now, Rovers just have to keep calm carry on and hope a bit of luck goes their way, and it will certainly need to if they continue to play as they have in their previous three fixtures. Yeovil away saw the Gas steal a win through ex-Glover Gavin Williams, the home side having missed a host of golden opportunities to take the lead.

Then came a home fixture against Bournemouth, another win that came courtesy of the oppositions profligacy in front of goal, Conrad Logan having to be on top form once again to keep a clean sheet as a Jeff Hughes penalty gave the home side victory. But then the luck seemed to run out last Saturday.

Exeter were the next visitors to the Memorial Stadium and dominated first half proceedings. The second half continued in the same manner, though Rovers did have a couple of half chances, before a crazy moment from Conrad Logan, rushing out towards the retiring Marcus Stewart left leaving Daniel Nardiello with the simple task of thrashing the ball into an empty net. A second followed for Nardiello as a poor day all round was wrapped up for the Gas.

Southampton, however, are far less likely to be so wasteful in front of goal, Lee Barnard is currently on fifteen for the season while ex-Rovers favourite Rickie Lambert is on eighteen and hunting for more.

Last time out the Saints went down 2-0 to Rochdale at Spotland, Joe Thompson and Chris O'Grady the goalscorers on Tuesday, but where they are really dangerous is at their own St Mary's stadium. There they have won every one of their last six games, including a stunning comeback from 2-0 down against MK Dons to win 3-2, on loan Jonothan Forte netting two in that match. Southampton are also unbeaten in their last eight home league games, ever since a 2-0 loss to Brentford back in December, the only home defeat in that period coming unashamedly in a 2-1 reverse against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Though Lambert is a technically gifted player at League 1 level the man in goalscoring form for the Saints is his strike partner, Lee Barnard. The 26 year old has scored six goals in his last eight games, his most prolific spell of the season, while attacking midfielder Adam Lallana is also into double figures in all competitions.

If Rovers are to claim anything from this weekends clash their will have to be Sterling performances from both Rovers centre backs Danny Coles and James Tunnicliffe. The latter started the first five games of the season for the Pirates before spending some time on the subs bench. Since then the defender, on loan from Brighton, has been in and out of the team but in recent weeks has found himself in much better form than he showed in his inconsistent start. Stuart Campbell has shown faith in the big centre half, bringing him back in from the cold for his first game in charge against Tranmere and including that match Tunnicliffe has been involved in four clean sheets out of seven since, beginning to look like the player that Rovers wanted when they signed him at the start of the season.

The overall record between the two clubs is far and away in the favour of Southampton, the Saints having won 15 of the 25 games played, Rovers winning 8. The last two results have not been in Rovers favour, Southampton coming away each time with a four goal winning margin, winning 4-0 earlier this season and 5-1 towards the end of the last, both at the Memorial Stadium. There is no need to be so downhearted though, as last season there was a win for the Gas against Southampton, and that one came at St Mary's.

Adam Lallana had his opener cancelled out by Chris Dickson before Lambert put his new side ahead with a header that came down off the crossbar. Jo Kuffour got a second leveller before Andy Williams cut inside in the 96th minute, touching the ball on and curling a superb left footed shot into Kelvin Davies' far corner, driving the travelling army of Gasheads wild and sending them home happy.



Rovers will give star striker Will Hoskins a late fitness test to determine whether his ankle has healed enough to allow him to play but Rene Howe, who only returned for a reserve team game this week, has picked up a hamstring injury and looks likely to miss out.

Danny Senda returned to training after being taken off with a knee injury against Exeter while Byron Anthony has recovered from the stomach bug that forced his late withdrawal last time out.

Adam Lallana came on as a substitute on Tuesday in recovery from a groin injury and will hope to regain his place in the side. Teenage winger Alex Oxlade-Chaimberlain is still on crutches after suffering an ankle injury against Charlton.

Richard Chaplow is 50/50 as to whether he will play for Southampton but it looks as though the game may come too soon for Morgan Schneiderlin to start.

Bristol Rovers assistant boss Craig Hinton spoke of how everyone was ready to face the Saints after the loss to Exeter at the weekend telling bristolrovers.co.uk:

"Everyone is fighting fit and fresh and everyone has a smile on their faces and are looking forward to Saturday's game.

"Rest is important at this point in the season, especially with the position we are in and a tough three games in seven days.

"Physically the Exeter game was hard, but mentally due to the position we are in, it was tough in that sense as well.

"Everyone was disappointed at the weekend, but they came in Tuesday bright and sharp and hopefully that disappointment has gone out of the window and we are all looking forward to Saturday."

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins expects Rovers to step up their game for the trip to St Mary's, he was speaking to saintsfc.co.uk when he said:

"I think it has been highlighted in every single game that we have played this season that the opposition manager or someone connected to them will turn around and say 'that is the best our team has played all season.'

"That is what will happen in every single game and we have to expect that, Bristol Rovers will be no different at the weekend, wherever they are in the league table, they will do everything that they can to try and raise their level to beat Southampton.

"We never underestimate the opposition. Every team will have their strengths and weaknesses. There will be opportunities and threats for them, but there will be opportunities and threats from ourselves.

"We are confident about our ability at this football club but we never underestimate the opposition, we never have done and we never will do, as you only do that at your peril."