What happened during the past week totally epitomised Rovers' season so far. On the back of some dodgy outings against Northampton and Kidderminster, where you got the feeling we might slip down into the mire of the relegation scrap again, we somehow snatched all three points from a more difficult opponent sitting higher up the table. But as soon as we seemed to be up and running, we then fell flat on our faces in the next game. In this now familiar cycle of ups and downs, it was the game against Scunthorpe that provided the high as Rovers shut up shop and got lucky with a contentious penalty decision. Christian Edwards, our best defender this year until a recent dip in form, was suspended for the match but any concerns we may have had over his absence were soon dispelled by the display from Kevin Austin, who looked solid in the centre and presided over a rare clean sheet. The Division's joint top scorer Steve MacLean was anonymous throughout, aside from a goal bound free-kick that was taken too quickly for the referee's liking. Just as we thought that we might be able to squeeze a point out of this drab affair, Wayne Carlisle picked up the ball and made straight for the area with a forceful run. Once inside, he was stopped in his tracks by a block tackle and thankfully the whistle-happy referee blew again and pointed to the spot. I didn't think it was much of a penalty and the ref waved away a bigger shout later on when Haldane tumbled. However, Wayne dusted himself down and smashed the kick into the roof of the net, only for the whistle to sound again because some Rovers players had encroached too soon. At the second attempt, Carlisle kept his nerve and drilled low into the corner for an unexpected lead. I was amazed when I looked at Ceefax after the game and discovered that we were up to eleventh! It just shows you how mediocre the lower two thirds of Division 3 really is, because those in the play-off places and above are the only teams to have put two results together. The big news of the week was the retirement of Andy Rammell. It is sad how injury curtailed the end of his goal-filled career, but he will always be remembered for keeping us in the league last season. I'll never forget that goal at Oxford which won us a game that we had no right to, as it was so one-sided you had to be there to believe it. The gaps left by Rambo and the recently departed Dave Gilroy were soon filled by the surprise signing of City striker Lee Matthews - perhaps one of the few players to have spent as much time in treatment rooms as his predecessor Rammell. Being the first loan move between the two Bristol clubs, Matthews made a bit of local history and I don't think too many of us will mind where he's come from if he finds the net a few of times. After all, beggars can't be choosers. His two long-range goals against us in the LDV Vans clash the other year were both good strikes and hopefully he can bang a few in like that while he's here. Tuesday's trip to Macclesfield marked his debut and by all accounts he looked a class above everybody else. It was his spectacular shot that bounced off the woodwork for substitute Lewis Haldane to equalise and how long Matthews can sustain such quality before being dragged down to our level is open to debate. He got one on loan at Darlington last month and if he bags a load of goals for us, it will be interesting to see what the reaction from City fans will be when he returns to Ashton Gate, if at all. © Chris Chappell - Friday 16th January 2004 Back to Index