Gas-heads should be jumping for joy after the final whistle last Saturday. After an indifferent start, we have found a style that suits. This team is scarcely recognisable from that which started the season. We have found the freedom to play open and attractive football, and the inclusion of players such as Gosling and Leadbitter offer both speed and inventiveness. Our away record is awesome. One loss in the last 26 games. Tremendous.
From a team that had a negative goal difference, our excellent scoring run over the last few weeks has seen us make more opportunities and arise the beneficiaries of this, Messrs Easter and Taylor. Following his injury last season, Easter has had a slow return to fitness, and it was said by one commentator that he is now 85% fit. Last season’s top scorer Taylor also had a slow start this term and many amongst us suggested that he would not make the grade in the League. Surprising what a bit of confidence can do.
Most, myself included thought that we had not brought in enough players with league experience in the close season. Whether this was due to our inability to attract players, or strict finances, starting the season playing negative football and not scoring goals was not what we thought we had been promised by Darrell Clarke and the board.
Gasheads should be rightly proud that we have re-established ourselves in the bargain basement and that we fear no-one. On our day we can beat the best, but this results could be a mixed blessing along the lines of the Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
The Good.
We scored a good goal from open play at a time when Mansfield were in the ascendancy. Leadbitter in an advanced role chested Taylor`s cross down to Easter who made no mistake.
We kept going and scored in the last minute to claim a precious victory. It is not the first time we have done this, but I don’t recall seeing anyone score in the 98th minute before. Well done Matty Taylor.
The Bad.
Easter was sent off for violent conduct and is facing a three match ban, unless overturned.
2 minutes from the appalling League Show on channel 5 did not really clarify any issues. Easter went down in what seemed to be a dive, was roughly pulled up by a Mansfield defender and Easter then made a head-but in the direction of his attacker. The ref quickly changed his yellow card to a red. Did Easter make contact, or was the gesture enough?
The referee followed this up by sending off 2 of their players. For the first, the camera panned to the Rovers penalty area where Tom Lockyer was rolling around on the floor, and the nearest Misfiled player got his marching orders. Nicky Hunt, who had a less than successful spell at Ashton Gate, then got his marching orders for 2 bookable events.
The Ugly
First half crunching tackles on Chris Lines and James Clarke went unpunished by the officials. My view is that the referee lost control in the first half, and Mansfield are looking to appeal the first sending off on the grounds that the referee was levelling up the numbers.
Nicky Hunt, a player with Premier League experience told the Ref how to deal with the ‘Easter incident’ and it is sad to see him so desperate for a win that he gets a fellow professional sent off. It was poetic justice to also see him get his marching orders.
Referees and Assistants at this level are as poor as in the Conference. How many times do we see petty rules upheld when possibly dangerous situations are ignored? Is Compliance in danger of taking over from common sense?
There was clearly tension in the air as Mansfield were the team that ‘got us’ relegated from Division 2. Perhaps this was professional pride, but there has never been any previous antagonism between the fans. When we got relegated the Mansfield fns were in party mood as they had nothing to play for, and several said before the game that they hoped we avoided the drop. What got us relegated was not the Mansfield result but the dismal points haul following DC taking over from John Ward
Conclusion
I hope we can forget this silliness and concentrate on our next two home games. Having arrived in the top half of the table it would be nice to cement our place there and press on towards the play-off places. Having got Easter firing on all cylinders his loss for 3 games would be hard to take, but amy offer hope for other squad members. We have 2 counties this week, Notts and Newport. Lets hope we can capitalise on recent performances and improve our home performances. Come on you Gas!
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