Inigo Calderon has admitted that Bristol Rovers’ 3-1 win at home to Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon was “a long game” full of “too many small games” as the Gas dramatically sealed the three points.
Chris Martin gave Rovers an early lead after heading home Lino Sousa’s cross but the Gas couldn’t add extra breathing space before half-time.
Burton then started the second half the better of the two teams and, after huffing and puffing, eventually scored a deserved equaliser through substitute Fabio Tavares.
At one point, the Brewers looked the more likely to nick the victory but Rovers re-discovered their quality and regained the advantage as Luke Thomas latched onto a knock down from Martin and slotted home past Max Crocombe.
The three points were then sealed in added time as Martin was the creator once again, setting up substitute Isaac Hutchinson was an excellent finish.
Reflecting on an eventful game post-match, Calderon joked: “[I’m] losing hair, health. I mean, I said to the boys just after the game that the next time a game is going to be like that someone is going to die.
“It was a long game. Too many small games. You start to think about the game. It was a long, long game. I think we started really well until we scored and after it was a difficult moment because we were with the ball, but with not too much control so I think it slowed down the tempo a bit and I think we are better when we have the high tempo.
“Second half, I don’t think we start well, or they start better probably. We couldn’t go out and put ourselves a little bit under trouble.
“For me, the key moment was when they scored. I think the boys showed saw a great, great character to find a way to come back and to score the second one because it was a difficult moment after being winning, all of a sudden they are 1-1.
“It was a difficult moment so credit to the boys, the way they showed that character to score the second one was really important for me.”
There was an element of a game of two halves but Burton had threatened in the first half, demonstrating their directness with a number of balls into the Rovers penalty area. However, the Gas often had answers to any degree of aerial bombardment or the Brewers failed to demonstrate the necessary quality to really put pressure on the hosts’ defence.
They found that quality in the second half while Rovers were guilty of some cheap giveaways having played, at times, some delightful football in the first half.
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However, confidence has clearly been re-instilled under Calderon with the victory the Gas’ third at home in four games alongside Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Stockport County.
“Especially in the first half I think we were still with the ball but we slowed down the tempo of the ball and I think they were more happy than us having that and the second half was different,” the Rovers head coach declared.
“In the second half they were more aggressive and we couldn’t find the solutions in the build so there was more time defending and we tried to kick it and we couldn’t get it. So the way we were too exposed, too open.
“So I think they were different. As I say, there were too many different games in the game. In that one, we couldn’t find the solution, that’s the reality, so we have to try to work on that because that will happen again. So we have to find a solution for that. After the equaliser was another game but in there, I think we were better.”