Football is a results business, and Steve Evans is certainly getting things right at Bristol Rovers at the moment.
The Gas' 2-1 victory over Gillingham was their fifth win in seven outings, lifting them 13 points above the bottom two with seven matches to go. It was not a simple match for the Pirates, who had to come from behind to claim a victory after Ronan Hale fired a penalty into the bottom corner to give the hosts the lead.
However, Evans, as he often has done at Rovers, made several changes to turn the momentum of the game. The Head Coach brought on four fresh faces at half-time, with the Gas scoring seconds after the restart.
Captain Alfie Kilgour headed in Rovers' first before Ellis Harrison got the second, scrambling the ball in from close range after he and Luke Thomas saw shots saved by Jake Turner. Speaking after the victory, Evans praised his team, the Gasheads and the reasons behind his quadruple switch...
Steve, a massive comeback victory. How do you feel about it?
"The result is massive, isn’t it? I think we started really bright today; we were in total command. From nothing, a free-kick into the box, the referee gives them a penalty, which is clearly a wrong decision; it is a clear foul on Riley Harbottle. I think even Gareth Ainsworth was surprised at the time that it was given, but with such respect for Gareth, we can both have that conversation at the time.
"I think we probably were more wary about conceding a second goal, rather than getting a goal, and getting back into the game, and I saw a little bit of trepidation, a litte bit of fear in the players, and I went in at half-time and said, 'There is no fear here as I have got the cavalry coming and we are going to make the changes. Don’t be disappointed if you come off because it doesn't mean that you won’t start against Accrington; it just means that for here and now, we are going to make four changes. Tommy is coming off because you are on a yellow, and you just get involved there a little bit off the ball,and the referee managed it really well for both, I think, both for the Gills player that was on a card, and ours'. That was an easy decision, and it gives us a bit of shape. I always believed that young Yusuf and Luke Thomas would come on and play a part today.
"I'm really pleased for the group, really pleased for all of them. We have been working so hard on the training ground, but that work must continue. We are involved here and now in a relegation fight. People say to me, 'A couple lost today, therefore this' - it does not matter.
"When somebody says mathematically that Bristol Rovers will stay in the football league at the end of the season and they are going to be a part of it, I have done the job that I was given to do when I came in, and then I can have discussions about my career."
You have made three changes a couple of times before, but what made you do four this time?
"Yeah, I don’t know, obviously just getting carried away wasn’t it. The fans were brilliant today. We are 1-0 down, and we come out to the second half and they are singing, I said to Paul Raynor, 'These fans ain’t right in the head, these Gasheads they are wrong in the head, they are singing away when we are 1-0 down', so then, we get the goal and it's all them and they are singing, the Gills fans go quiet, which home support can do. We are very lucky at The Mem - our fans don't go quiet.
"But you could see we get 2-1 in front, then they've throw in a few long balls in with the 13 and a half extra the referee played, but you can see the Rainham End then, trying to suck it in but I am especially grateful to the reception I got prior to the game and everyone of these Kenties, Gillingham folk, Medway people. I lived amongst them for many years. There's only one person who took me at this football club, and I don’t forget that, but this is a special football club, and I wish this football club every bit of success. We've just got to go and do our homework now and get ready for Accrington."
You have done hundreds and hundreds of games before, have your changes ever worked so quickly before and done that well that you have scored seconds after the restart?
"Well, I think we said, when we were making the changes, that we were going to catch them a little bit because they were trying to work out what formula, what shape we were doing, and I think we did catch them, and to be fair, it is a big header from the skipper.
"They are easy to just pop over the bar and loop it in, but he went for power, and thankfully it goes over the line. I think it was well over anyway, but it goes in, and then right after we get the ball back, and we are on the front foot, and we are attacking, we are putting crosses into the box, and then obviously, we get the advantage of a poor defensive header. Someone tries to clear a header and plays Ellis onside, a couple of scraps later and then Ellis puts it in the net, and I am so pleased for him because I thought he was outstanding today."
I guess that is what Ellis gives you. He always seems to be at the right place, at the right time.
"He is a wonderful character, and I have loved him since the day I walked in. We have had to get him a little bit fitter and a bit sharper. He was a bit down before; he is not down now, you know, under us, he is not down; he knows he has got a part to play. I won’t make decisions going forward on whether he is around or not; that is for other people to decide, but I love Ellis Harrison. I have tried to sign him on a couple of occasions, and he wouldn’t join me, but I am glad I have got the opportunity to work with him here."
After he scored, it felt like you could have done even more, scored even more, but it was a battling performance just to keep the win.
"We were strong at the back, we were solid. Does Balmer have a bad game? I don’t think he has a bad game. Does Smallwood? Smallwood was like the maestro in the middle of the park, pulling the orchestra around, and Luke Thomas and Yusuf gave us a real balance on either side of the pitch, and even when we brought big Joe and Ellis on, he said he ran his legs; he had nothing left.
"We brought big Joe on, and my God, he won some headers, and he took some battles, and he took some big headers in our box. But what we are is a team that will first and foremost work hard, and work for this badge, and afterwards we will see if that is going to be good enough."
And finally, you can see from the stands but also online that the Gasheads have fallen in love with the Club again. Is it just about keeping that up?
"They are very much in love with it, and as I said, I am not going to keep talking about petrol stations anymore, but I am going to talk about supermarkets, because every time I am in a supermarket, I meet Gasheads. I have met a few [Bristol] City fans as well in there, they are not so keen, but I live amongst them, I have been there the whole week now, I will be there next week, I live amongst them.
"I just love the infinity they have for this Football Club and I have often described it as reincarnated Leeds United, now I am talking for myself, Leeds United is a massive club but absolutely lived and breathed their football club, I get that in the Bristol Rovers fans in Bristol, so thank you so much for you support, thank you for your personal support."
