Bristol Rovers 2-1 Salford City
Sky Bet League Two, The Memorial Stadium, Saturday 27 September 2025
Fine finishes by Ellis Harrison and Fabrizio Cavegn saw Bristol Rovers fight back to secure a battling 2-1 win over Salford City.
The away side took the lead in the first half when Matt Butcher struck superbly from the edge of the area; a deserved advantage for Karl Robinson’s side based on the first half proceedings.
However, the Gas got level on the stroke of half-time when Harrison latched onto Alfie Kilgour’s knock-down, keeping calm to tuck in his third goal of the campaign.
The comeback was complete a little after the hour mark when another ball forward was tenaciously chased by Cavegn, with the Swiss forward slotting in his third goal in as many games.
There was late drama as Salford were awarded a penalty in the final moment of added time, only for Luke Southwood to deny Luke Garbutt’s effort to give Darrell Clarke’s side all three points and stretch the team’s unbeaten run to eight games in all competitions.
It was the visitors who had the first opportunity of note inside two minutes at The Memorial Stadium as Brandon Cooper headed over the bar from a Ben Woodburn corner.
The warning signs were there from the visitors but it was a familiar face that opened the scoring on eleven minutes. Former Rovers loanee Butcher capitalised on a poor clearance by the Gas to guide a clever, left-footed finish past Southwood and into the top corner.
Salford continued to pressure the Pirates, with captain Garbutt seeing his well-struck shot saved, before attacker Cavegn struck the cross-bar as his cut-back was deflected over Matthew Young.
The Ammies should have doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark when a swift counter-attack culminated in Haji Mnoga’s cross finding Kallum Cesay, only for the forward to skew his chance amid pressure from Macauley Southam-Hales.
As the match ticked over into six additional minutes of added time at the end of the first half, Rovers found the equaliser.
Southwood’s deep free-kick was met by the towering head of Kilgour. His knock-down was met by Harrison, who tucked into the far corner unchallenged to ensure an all-level score at half-time.
The start of the second half saw a second change for the Gas and a change in formation, as Kamil Conteh entered the fray in place of Taylor Moore.
A battling opening to the second half then saw Rovers complete the turnaround with a brilliant finish. Cavegn’s relentless spirit saw him latch onto a ball in a dangerous area, where he outmuscled Adebola Odoh before squeezing a smart finish under Young and into the net.
The well-taken goal was almost followed by a third for the Gas, and a second for Harrison, when the No19 met Luke Thomas’ lofted cross into the area. The experienced striker didn’t seem sure whether to hit the ball or try to set up Cavegn, and his effort was straight into the grateful arms of Young.
Salford continued to push for the leveller and it looked like the Gas were going to held on, only for referee Gareth Rhodes to give a penalty to Salford in the final minute of added-time at the end of the second half.
Up stepped Salford captain Garbutt, but Southwood made a superb save to deny the strike from 12 yards to secure all three points!
Bristol Rovers: Southwood, Sparkes, Moore (Conteh 46), Kilgour ©, Mola, Cotterill (Thomas 43), Harrison, McEachran (Bilongo 81), Southam-Hales, Chang, Cavegn
Subs not used: Senior, Issaka, Dewsbury, Hill
Goals: Harrison 45+2, Cavegn 63
Booked: Mola
Salford City: Young, Ashley, Woodburn, Harris, Cooper, Butcher, Mnoga, Cesay, Oluwo, Uboh, Garbutt ©
Subs not used: Howard, Turton, Grant, Bird, Edwards, Austerfield, Butt
Goals: Butcher 11,
Booked: Harris, Ashley, Mnoga
Sent Off: Mnoga
Referee: Gareth Rhodes
Attendance: 7,601
