25th February 2000    

Rovers previews
Reserves reports

BRISTOL ROVERS must smash their Boundary Park hoodoo tomorrow if they are to stay on track for automatic promotion. It is 26 years and 10 games since Athletic suffered a home defeat against the West Country side, who are currently clinging on to second place in the table. On paper, Rovers have never had a better chance of laying the ghost to rest. They have won more away games than anyone in the division and go into the match fresh from a 4-1 success at Luton. But Athletic, who won 3-0 at Wrexham last weekend, will be ready for the challenge of facing prolific strikers Jason Roberts and Jamie Cureton. Their one change sees Scott McNiven replace Paul Jones in defence after serving a one-match ban at Wrexham. 

Manager Andy Ritchie said: "It's one of our hardest tests of the season and we know Rovers will pose a big threat. "Roberts and Cureton are probably the best front pairing in the division and you always have to treat them with respect. "But we don't fear them we don't fear anybody. We try to concentrate on our own game. "It's good to have Scott McNiven back and I hope he settles back into the form he has shown all season. I feel a bit sorry for Paul Jones, though. He did very well at Wrexham last week and is unlucky not to be playing." With John Sheridan again missing out due to a neck injury, Richard Graham will continue in Athletic's midfield. Mark Innes is recalled to the squad and is one of seven players vying for a place on the bench. 

ATHLETIC: Kelly, McNiven Garnett, Hotte, Adams, Holt, Rickers, Duxbury, Graham, Dudley, Whitehall. Subs (from): Miskelly, Jones, Beavers, Sugden, Boshell, Innes, Thom. 

Rovers were today facing a goalkeeping crisis after regular first choice Lee Jones picked up a back injury. Manager Ian Holloway was trying to arrange a loan deal for Chelsea's Rhys Evans, who only turned 18 at the end of last month. Evans has never played league football and would face competition from former Athletic man Brian Parkin. Veteran Parkin, who is now Rovers' goalkeeping coach, spent two years as Andy Goram's understudy before leaving Boundary Park in 1984.

ROVERS (probable): Parkin, Thomson, Tilson, Foster, Pethick, Walters, Hillier, Astasjevs, Challis, Roberts, Cureton. Subs: Evans, Ellington, Trought, Trees, Leoni. 

THERE could be fireworks at Boundary Park tomorrow when Athletic take on a team whose brand of football is guaranteed to entertain the crowds. High-flying Bristol Rovers are perhaps the most exciting side in the second division — and their last four away games have produced an amazing 20 goals. Rovers are second in the table, being denied top spot only because Preston have a slightly superior goal difference. Their haul of nine away wins is the highest in the division and a scoring record of 29 in 16 games also leads the way. With a five-point lead over their rivals in the play-off zone, Rovers are sure to aim for a victory which would take them one step closer to promotion. That is the way they operate. And recent form suggests an afternoon of thrills and spills is very much on the cards.

Last weekend, Rovers fell behind at Luton and were in danger of suffering a third consecutive match without victory. Yet, with the help of some erratic goalkeeping, they were in front before half-time. When the 90 minutes were up, the lead had been stretched to 4-1 and their point was forcefully made. The goals — not unusually — were shared by Jason Roberts and Jamie Cureton, a striking double act which is less than a laughing matter for opposing defences. Just ask Oxford United, another recent victim of rampant Rovers and their love of all-out attack. The unanimous choice for man of the match that day was Oxford’s over-worked goalkeeper. But he couldn’t stop the visitors handing out a 5-0 thrashing. Before that, supplying a bright ray of hope for Athletic, was a remarkable game at mid-table Colchester. Rovers went 3-1 up in an absolute thriller, only to collapse dramatically in the second half and go down to a 5-4 defeat.

Their only `normal’ away game in recent weeks was a 1-0 reverse at promotion rivals Burnley. And, even then, the day’s outstanding players were Burnley’s ‘keeper, Paul Crichton, and their new £500,000 centre-half, Ian Cox. Roberts and Cureton have been headline grabbers ever since joining Rovers, each of them for £250,000. Roberts arrived from Wolves, Cureton from Norwich, and their combination of pace, power and poaching skills produced a total of 52 goals last season. They are now well on the way to beating that formidable tally, with Roberts so far notching 22 and his sidekick 19. Athletic’s entire squad this season has managed 42 goals in league and cup — only one more than the two men they must tame tomorrow. Yet it is misleading to suggest Rovers rely solely on Roberts and Cureton. All forwards need a supply line and a key element in the promotion push has been the signing of Mark Walters. The 35-year-old winger may be in the twilight of his career, but he has added style and substance, as well as vast experience, to Rovers’ left-hand side.

Walters began his career at Aston Villa before making high-profile moves to Glasgow Rangers and Liverpool. He was doing well in the first division with Swindon but, when the Wiltshire club hit a financial crisis, they began to lay players off the wage bill. Rovers manager Ian Holloway was quick to move in, securing Walters’ services on a free transfer. He immediately became a fixture in the team and, with the help of his deadly free-kicks, has added four goals to his many assists. Also starring in midfield is Vitalijs Astasjevs, the 28-year-old captain of Latvia who cost £150,000 from Skonto Riga. But, having won the work-permit battle over Astasjevs, Rovers have hit problems with another international, Nigel Pierre. The striker, a team-mate of Dwight Yorke for Trinidad and Tobago, was all set to move from a wonderfully-named Caribbean club side, Joe Public. Government officials have ruled otherwise and, just like Athletic during the Keith Gumbs affair, Rovers are now fighting to have the decision reversed.

HUDDERSFIELD RES ..................3

ATHLETIC RES.............................. 0

STRIKER Paul Beavers was unlucky not to be among the scorers after a lively display at the McAlpine Stadium. The former Sunderland frontman -plagued by injury for much of this term - had a goal disallowed, struck the crossbar with a header and had an effort brilliantly turned away by ‘keeper Martyn Margetson in the first half-hour of this Pontin’s League premier division clash. But it was the home side who ended the afternoon on top, condemning Athletic reserves to their fifth defeat of the season. Beavers and teenager Ryan Sugden - eager to run with the ball at every opportunity - posed plenty of problems for the Town defence in the opening 45 minutes. Sugden first teed up Beavers in the 16th minute, but his header was tipped over the bar.

Town nosed in front midway through the first half, against the run of play and just 60 seconds after Scott McNiven had wasted a clear-cut chance. McNiven found himself with the ball at his feet on the edge of the area with only the ‘keeper to beat, but stumbled at the vital moment and Town were able to clear. Town’s goal came courtesy of a penalty after assistant referee Lloyd had spotted the ball bouncing off Stuart Thom’s left arm. Rob Edwards stepped up to send David Miskelly the wrong way. Beavers had a goal ruled out a minute before the half-hour mark for a push on Darren Edmondson and moments later saw a header crash against the crossbar after a cross by Mark Innes. Town’s second arrived three minutes before the break and had much to do with a bout of uncertainty in Athletic’s defence.

Ben Thornley was able to squeeze the ball though to Delroy Facey on the 18-yard line and he placed his shot to the right of Miskelly. Margetson could be counted among the 333 spectators in the second half, so little did he have to do. Second-year trainee Alex Rock -making his debut on the right-hand side of a three-man defence -Ben Futcher and Thom were the busier of two backlines, while Phil Salt -continuing his comeback from an ankle operation -was a more than willing helper. The only real threat came from Ben Smith, who had switched to right wing-back in place of the substituted McNiven. Cutting in from the touchline, the youngster evaded three Town players before unleashing a shot, which was arrowing for the bottom corner until Thomas Heary stretched out a foot to block.

Smith then forced Margetson into a hurried save when his cross turned out to be a shot. Town’s third - and best goal -came in the 75th minute. David Beresford, who made 64 appearances for Athletic, swung the ball over from the right and Simon Baldry, with his back to goal, produced acrobatics to send his shot wide of Miskelly’s left hand.

ATHLETIC: Miskelly, McNiven (Walsh 45), Smith, Thom (McLaughlin), Futcher, Rock, Salt, Innes, Sugden (Wardle 72), Beavers, Boshell.

Western Daily Press

Good Evans to Rovers' rescue

BRISTOL Rovers today completed the signing of teenage Chelsea keeper Rhys Evans in a loan deal as Lee Jones was ruled out of tomorrow’s trip to Oldham.
The 18-year-old will add cover for the No 1 shirt as Jones, pictured, is sidelined after suffering renewed back spasms following a training session yesterday.
Holloway knows Brian Parkin could again step in if needed, but feels it is unfair to keep turning to his goalkeeping coach when he is short of match fitness.
And with Dutch keeper Michel Kuipers currently on a week’s trial at Millwall, the manager knows he needs to act quickly to bring in a new face. Evans has yet to make Chelsea’s first-team squad but Holloway will be hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Arsenal youngster Stuart Taylor, who filled in for a month when Jones was injured earlier in the season. “Lee has got no chance for this weekend and we are not sure yet how serious his back problem is, but we got the go-ahead from Chelsea this morning to get Rhys,” said Holloway.

Evans could be one of two new faces in tomorrow’s squad as Trinidad striker Nigel Pierre will now be eligible to play – at least until the next appeal over his work permit, due to be heard in a month’s time. Rovers look to collect their 10th away win of the term at a ground where they have not won since December 1974, But after laying their Bournemouth jinx to rest already this season, Holloway believes his side’s away campaign has been one of the driving forces behind their promotion push. “I am really looking forward to it tomorrow because Oldham are a team who will always come out and have a go at you – and that sort of game suits us,” said Holloway.

“The teams at the top will find that from now until the end of the season, other clubs will come to their grounds and try to shut up shop. Preston have found that out by slipping up at home a couple of times recently. “I think in a lot of ways it is easier for us to play away from home where the game is more open and the expectation of the supporters isn’t so great. I think we have played some of our best football away this season, and I think our travelling fans would agree with that.” It will be the second time in three years that Rovers have been without their first-choice keeper at Oldham. Two seasons ago Shane Higgs stood in and saw three goals fly past him in the first 20 minutes. “We have had some amazing games against them and I remember that one because we got back to 3-3 by half-time, then drew 4-4 after a late penalty,” Holloway recalled. Rovers are taking a look at former Chelsea striker Clinton Ellis during a trial spell and he could join ex-Manchester United youngster Stephen Cosgrove in a reserve team outing at Brighton next Tuesday.

Bristol Evening post

A YEAR may be a long time in football, but Andy Tillson knows a lot can happen in just 10 months as well. For proof, just think back to the last time Bristol Rovers visited Oldham. Ian Holloway’s men head north tomorrow looking to extend the five-point gap between themselves and the pack of teams currently occupying play-off spots. And it’s a far cry from position the visitors found themselves in on their last trip to Boundary Park. Rovers may not exactly have been staring down both barrels when they took the field on a chilly evening last April, but they were worryingly close to the basement zone. And a 2-1 defeat to Andy Ritchie’s side left them in 18th place, looking nervously over their shoulders at the dogfight below. It was to be their final reverse of the campaign though, and 11 points from their final games steered them to mid-table respectability.

Boss Ian Holloway has since identified that end-of-season revival as the starting point for his side’s promotion push this time, and Tillson admits that things could hardly be more different now with Rovers concentrating on securing Division One football rather than worrying about events at the wrong end of the table. “The Oldham result was a bad one for us last season, especially because we had just come off the back of a tremendous 4-1 win at Stoke,” Tillson recalled. “But we turned it around after that and started to look a lot more solid. It carried on right through to this season because if you look back at our early games this time, we had a lot of clean sheets. “I suppose looking at the League table you would say the transformation has been quite dramatic in less than a season, but what lies behind it is a lot of hard work by everyone, especially on the training field.  “In a way people probably benefited from going through what we did last season. Nobody enjoys being in that situation but you certainly do learn from the experience and that might have helped the lads.”

Tillson knows how stringing together good results brings an instant morale-boost too, and Rovers are looking to build on an already admirable record of nine away wins as they head up the M6. Last weekend’s 4-1 triumph at Luton was an emphatic enough result, even if Holloway wasn’t happy with aspects of his side’s performance, and the skipper admits that having prolific strikers is a major boost when Rovers need to turn games around. “Going behind like we did last weekend certainly isn’t great for our confidence, but we know we have people in the side who are always going to get us goals,” Tillson added. “Of course our first priority is to be solid anyway and not concede, and that’s what a lot of our success so far has been based on. “But we have shown on more than one occasion this season that we can fight back from behind if we have to, and that has shown that there is a lot of character in the side. “We feel perfectly capable of pulling off a result at any club in this division and our away record so far proves we are able to go away and come back with the points. “We’re expecting a tough game tomorrow, but we are not daunted by the prospect at Oldham.” 

Huddersfield Daily Examiner

He enjoyed a couple of surging forward runs and looked comfortable on the ball, playing in the left-back slot and seeming confident throughout in what must have felt strange surroundings after a short training spell at Storthes Hall. Town went ahead in the 22nd minute when Edwards sent keeper David Miskelly the wrong way from the spot after Oldham skipper Stuart Thom had needlessly handled in the box. Macari's men did not have it all their own way, however, as Oldham responded with some dangerous attacks and Martyn Margetson (who played well throughout) had to save smartly from Paul Beavers before the same player crashed a header against the bar and had another strike ruled out for offside. Danny Schofield had a couple of clear chances for Town before Facey netted their second after 44 minutes, firing low into the corner after approach work by Edwards.

David Beresford, back from his loan at Preston, added pace for Town as a second-half substitute and he created openings for Baldry and Facey which went begging as Town assumed complete control. It wasn't until 13 minutes from time that Baldry put the seal on Town's third successive win - and he did it in tremendous style. After an initial Beresford corner had been cleared, the speedy wingman whipped in a cross from the right with his left foot which was curling behind Baldry on the penalty spot. Baldry took off in an instant and executed a spectacular bicycle kick with wrong-footed everyone, including Miskelly, and lodged in the corner of the net.

Town: Margetson, Heary, Edmondson, Hodouto, Kaffour, Baldry, Horne (M Senior 70), Edwards, Facey, Thornley (Scott 78), Schofield (Beresford 45). Subs not used: Brown, Trueman.