In terms of importance, Bristol Rovers’ away win at Cambridge United on Saturday could well be up there come the end of the season after the Gas kept their heads above water in a game that would have been detrimental to lose.
They rode their luck at times but equally saw a seemingly perfectly legal goal ruled out which would have provided breathing space. In the end, Rovers deserved their 1-0 victory.
The three points get the Inigo Calderon era in BS7 fully up and running at the third attempt and, although their position still isn’t a healthy one, the Gas can hopefully start to glance upwards while also keeping a cautious eye over their shoulders.
After Crawley Town’s defeat to Barnsley, Rovers return to being five points clear of the relegation zone but the fact that they are still 20th emphasises how much work there is still to be done while Crawley do also boast a game in hand.
Barnsley are, in fact, Calderon’s men’s next league opponent but they have a welcome fortnight away from League One action amid the end of the hectic festive period and their continued participation in the FA Cup thanks to a victory over the Tykes.
It’s now-Premier League Ipswich Town up next for Rovers in the FA Cup third round and they can go into this two week break from league commitments feeling a bit better about themselves having secured an important win.
With all that considered, here are the stand out talking points after Cambridge United 0-1 Bristol Rovers…
Another important account opened under Calderon
On New Year’s Day, Chris Martin got his long-awaited first goals of the season and this time it was Luke Thomas who opened his account at long last.
The winger has had an extremely tough campaign so far, effectively being shut out for whatever reason by former manager Matt Taylor for the final few months of his tenure. Thomas had been underwhelming compared to his standards in the opening couple of weeks of the season but the fact that he was still the club’s best creator of chances entering November told the whole story.
Since Taylor’s departure, the 25-year-old has started three times and come on as a substitute twice while registering one assist and now one goal.
It was excellent wing play from Scott Sinclair who produced a perfect cross towards the back-post with his opposite there to score a rare header.
There was doubt about Thomas’ future at the club had game time remained limited going into January but the hope now will be that he can thrive in the second half of the campaign under Calderon and get that arm around the shoulder he needs.
Asked about the importance of his winger, the Spaniard went for the more general approach in his response, telling Bristol Live: “All the players, when I came here, I told them that they will have the chance and I think everybody has his chance. For me, as I’m new here, I cannot judge them because I don’t think it will be fair because of what I saw on the videos and that I don’t think it’s that fair.
“So I want to see them. That’s why the positive thing about this many games is that we will see everyone and listen, we need all the players to be in the right mentality to help the team because we are still in a bad situation.”
Verdict on Isaac Hutchinson’s disallowed goal
It’s not something to dwell on too much now but the general verdict seems to be that Isaac Hutchinson’s goal was wrongly disallowed which could have made a significant difference on the match. Thankfully, one goal was enough.
A lovely cross from Taylor Moore was cushioned down nicely by the head of Chris Martin for Hutchinson, who had only just come off the bench, to nestle the ball into the bottom corner with a lovely finish. However, the flag on the far side was eventually raised as the midfielder and his teammates began racing towards the travelling Gasheads to celebrate.
You’ve got to feel for Hutchinson who saw a goal ruled out at Exeter City on Boxing Day, however that was admittedly the right decision. But this one is baffling.
The feedback passed onto Scott Sinclair who then relayed it in his post-match interview was that it was he who was supposedly in the goalkeeper’s eyeline while in an offside position, despite zero protests from any Cambridge players.
They do say luck with decisions balance out over the course of the campaign and this may be the universe condemning Rovers after ruling out what seemed to be a legal Shrewsbury Town equaliser late on in the Gas’ 1-0 win back in October.
However, it’s particularly frustrating how significant officiating decisions are proving to be on Rovers matches at the moment. Jamie Lindsay’s second yellow at Stevenage was questionable while even Richie Wellens himself admitted that Diallang Jaiyesimi should have been sent off for Leyton Orient on New Year’s Day.
The Gas have had luck themselves with decisions this season but were fortunate that a perfectly good goal being chalked off didn’t end up costing them any points.
The perfect birthday present
Inigo Calderon probably didn’t expect to be waking up in Cambridge on his 43rd birthday two weeks ago but that was the reality and there was potential for it to be extra special with a first win in senior management.
Although it feels as though points were left out there against Leyton Orient while the Stevenage game could’ve possibly gone differently if key moments were dealt with better, the timing of this win is particularly significant.
Again, it wasn’t perfect and there was some birthday bumpiness as Cambridge looked to equalise but the Spaniard’s side managed to hold firm and hold onto the points.
As previously mentioned, going into a two week break from league action with a defeat, possibly even a draw had Cambridge equalised late on, would have seen any ill-feeling linger in the air for longer without being able to right wrongs as quickly as they have been able to recently.
Asked how he’ll be celebrating his birthday, Calderon smiled, saying: “Even in the morning…for me it’s always a big thing, the birthday, but today I was so focused, so, so willing to win the game because I think we need that. I need that. They need that. The club needs that. So now I can really enjoy it and stay with my family. So happy days now.”
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Calderon’s long-awaited opportunity
It has been by no means perfect still but Inigo Calderon has clearly lifted spirits and already you can start to see evidence of his work being implemented despite extremely limited time.
The rest of January sees Rovers face one of the best away sides at home in Barnsley along with two tough trips to Wigan Athletic and Charlton Athletic so it may take some time to fully get out of this rut but the hope, as has been the case after every win this season, is that it will act as a springboard for much-improved form.
Hopefully any pending visits from Jack Frost won’t affect how much time the Gas can have on the training pitch but this week is what Calderon has been crying out for since his arrival – a week on the grass.
There’s never any exact measurement of how long it might take players to grasp a new style and ideas but without the distraction of midweek matches for the next two weeks there’s certainly an opportunity for the new head coach to make some clear progress with his group.
“We’ve played too many games and as you say, I couldn’t coach them,” the Rovers boss confessed. “It was just meetings, trying to convince them, but at the end of the day, they had to feel it and that feeling, that emotion comes with train with them and we couldn’t train.
“Yesterday we trained 10 minutes because you have to just to recover, try to get the most of them and that’s it. So now [I’m] looking forward to a whole week to train and to play.
“We are in progress. We’re in a situation where we can play much better. We are doing things better, but that takes time and it’s up to them, up to us how quick we can do that. [It] could be weeks, could be months but we cannot delay too much. But it’s true that every single day I see a step forward to the right direction so I’m really happy with them.”