Charlie Binns made his Bristol Rovers debut in the Pirates' Tuesday night outing against Cobham Next Gen (CNG) in the EFL Trophy and is eager to play again in front of the Gasheads.
The 21-year-old signed for the Gas in early August after departing Bath City in the summer and has been working hard to earn a place in the team.
Binns got his chance against CNG, with Rovers dominating the opening 70 minutes and leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Mees Rijks and Joe Quigley. However, the Young Blues showed plenty of spirit and levelled through late strikes from Harrison Bettoni and Chizaram Ezenwata before claiming the extra point on penalties.
Speaking to BRTV after the match, Binns was pleased to make his debut at The Mem but was disappointed that the Gas let their advantage slip away.
REFLECTIONS ON THE GAME
"Yeah, it was frustrating, really, being two-nil up and cruising, to be honest. I'm not sure what happened. We were probably happy with the lead and sat off a bit and didn’t keep doing what was working for us. And then it ended up costing us in the end, two-two, and then penalties are a bit of a lottery.
"Disappointed not to get to save one, really. I got close to one; it hit the post and came out, but yeah, I loved playing at The Mem on my debut. Really loved it. Fans are great, and hopefully I can have the opportunity again."
MAKING HIS DEBUT
"It was great. It's quite a change from my last game, but yeah, it's a great ground, great atmosphere. I really like the old style, and the fans close to the pitch make a lot of noise. I don't know how many were here tonight, but obviously it wasn’t full; I thought the fans were good."
BEING NAMED IN THE TEAM
"I thought I would probably start yesterday. James Bittner, the goalie coach, had said to be ready. But you never quite know until the team sheet is announced, but I had a feeling I probably would."
WORKING HARD TO GET A CHANCE
"You’ve got to try and take your chance when you're playing, and in training you’ve got to really work your hardest and prove to the gaffer that you deserve a chance. That's what I'm trying to do, and hopefully I can prove to him that I deserve a go."
EXPERIENCE AT BATH CITY
"It was great. I mean, in terms of the season for us, we got relegated, so it wasn’t a great season. But it was a really good learning curve for me, probably a year in men's first-team football, step two.
"It was a really good experience. I loved it. Great club, Bath actually. And it's really put me in good stead for nights like tonight, playing in similar crowds at step two, and it's definitely progressed me more than playing in 21s ready football."
THE FANS
"It was great. The Thatchers Stand felt full, and this whole side was brilliant, and they all stuck around at the end for autographs and pictures. It's great. I think they were a great bunch, making lots of noise, and hopefully we can give them some things to shout about."
