OPINION - GAS GOSSIP

Strong and disciplined defence was completely absent during the first 45 minutes of our midweek game at Doncaster Rovers writes Steve Knowlson.

A defensive horror show saw the Gas concede three goals in the opening half hour as the team were torn to shreds by the home side. In truth we were lucky to get to the break just three down.

It didn’t get much better in the second half when Keiran Sadlier unleashed a cracking shot from 25 yards barely a minute after the restart. Rovers reduced the deficit with a Clarke-Harris penalty but there was to be no way back as Rovers conceded four to Doncaster for the second time this season.

That result certainly knocked the confidence out of the fans.

Bristol Rovers grabbed a valuable away point with a 2-2 draw at Plymouth Argyle last Saturday thanks to a 91st minute equaliser from sub Gavin Reilly.

The game properly sprang to life in the second half as Rovers twice came from behind. The Pilgrims’ Portuguese playmaker Ruben Lameiras beat Jack Bonham with a curling effort on 51 minutes, before Jonson Clarke-Harris drove forward and buried a 20-yard shot into the top corner for the Gas.

It was another tremendous strike from Rovers’ latest talisman who just can’t stop scoring.

Unfortunately, we conceded just three minutes later when Tony Craig – who was having a decent game up to that point – headed the ball into his own net on 75 minutes when under no real pressure. The ball bounced up at him awkwardly from a corner but he should have done better.

Thankfully, Rovers’ late rally was rewarded when Reilly flicked on James Clarke’s searching cross giving former Gas stopper Matt Macey no chance in the Argyle goal.

It was a deserved point from a fiercely-contested West Country derby attended by over 12,000 at Home Park.

The match marked a first start for young Alfie Kilgour who filled in for Welsh international Tom Lockyer and did an excellent job– he looks like he’ll develop into a strong and disciplined defender.

We remain three points above the drop zone and things don’t get any easier this Saturday as we host leaders Luton Town.