Rovers lose 0-3 in testimonial match
Bristol City 3
Woolford (22), Adomah (80), Pearson, (85)
Bristol Rovers 0
Bristol City won the first local derby for five years with a first half goal from Martyn Woolford and a second half strike by substitute Albert Adomah.
The home side dominated the opening exchanges and although the early tempo of the match wasn’t maintained, Rovers didn’t force goalkeeper Tom Heaton to make a save all afternoon.
While fitness levels and work rate couldn’t be faulted, there wasn’t too much for the 1,362 Rovers fans to cheer.
Manager Mark McGhee selected the following starting lineup for this afternoon’s match with City at Ashton Gate.
Rovers included goalkeeper Iain Turner, the former Everton shot stopper between the posts for the first time.
The manager was forced to make a late change to his starting lineup as skipper Matt Gill dropped out after the warm up an Ollie Norburn was called in to replace him.
City made the early running and it was Jon Stead who had the first real goalscoring opportunity. Hhe burst into the box before getting a shot away, though Garry Kenneth’s outstretched leg prevented it going anywhere near goalkeeper Iain Turner.
Greg Cunningham was next to try his luck but his effort was blocked by Michael Smith.
The home side should have gone ahead with ten minutes on the clock as Jon Stead was allowed time and space to stroll to the edge of the area. His powerful drive was parried by Turner as far as Cole Skuse, but he wasted a good chance of scoring when he blazed his shot over the bar.
Rovers first attack, a minute later, almost brought them a goal, Matt Harrold’s delightful through ball split the home defence and found David Clarkson in space and he drove a shot across goal and just wide of the upright.
Yannick Bolaise and Greg Cunningham both hit shots wide of the mark and Kenneth did well to block another effort from Brett Pitman.
Pitman should really have scored on 19 minutes when he contrived to hit the underside of the bar after running on to a superb cross from Mark Wilson.
Kenneth was replaced by Rogvi Baldvinsson on 20 minutes after struggling with an injury and two minutes later City took the lead.
Stead played a ball into the box and Martyn Woolford powered a left foot shot towards goal and Turner, at full stretch, could only touch the ball on its way into the net.
The impressive Stead was then denied a goal by Turner, who pushed his shot round the post and Pitman fired another effort high over the bar.
There was a rare chance for Rovers nine minutes before the end of the half when Harrold ran on to a through ball from Seanan Clucas and directed a low shot just wide of the upright.
After Norburn had hit a free kick high over the bar, City went close again through Stead who hit a powerful shot just wide of goal.
Both sides made early second half substitutions, with City’s Carey being replaced by James Wilson and Shaquille Hunter coming on for Rovers in place of Fabian Broghammer.
After Rovers Adam Virgo had gone close with a header from Lee Brown’s free kick, a quick break by City saw Woolford hit a low shot across goal and wide if the target at the other end.
Skuse was denied a goal when Turner dived full length to touch his shot round the post and the keeper then made another excellent save to deny James Wilson.
A minute later he did even better, touching another shot, this time from Paul Anderson, behind form a corner.
He was beaten again on 80 minutes, though, when Adomah rifled a shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the area. Although he got a hand to the ball again, he was powerless to prevent the goal.
The third goal arrived on 85 minutes when Stephen Pearson nonchalantly beat Turner from close range following Adomah’s ball in from the right.
Rovers: Iain Turner, Michael Smith, Garry Kenneth (Rogvi Baldvinsson, 20), Adam Virgo, Jim Paterson, Fabian Broghammer( Shaquille Hunter, 49) (Mitch Harding, 86), Ollie Norburn (Joe Anyinsah, 74), Seanan Clucas, Lee Brown, Matt Harrold, David Clarkson (Eliot Richards, 60)
Substitutes: Conor Gough, Wayne Brown, Ross Staley
City: Tom Heaton, Mark Wilson (Richard Foster, 62), Liam Fontaine (Lewin Nyatanga, 89), Louis Carey (James Wilson, 47), Greg Cunningham (Joe Bryan, 84), Yannick Bolaise (Albert Adomah, 65), Cole Skuse, Stephen Pearson (Aaron Amadi-Holloway, 86), Cole Skuse, Martyn Woolford (Ryan Taylor, 70), Jon Stead (Jody Morris, 70), Brett Pitman (Paul Anderson, 70)
Substitutes: Dean Gerken
Attendance: 8,713
Rovers supporters: 1,362