Steve Evans dedicated Bristol Rovers' club record 11th straight home league victory to the Gasheads after the Pirates beat Exeter City 1-0 at The Memorial Stadium.
The 63-year-old was looking for someone to write their name in the Pirates' history books at half-time when the game was goalless, and Fabrizio Cavegn did just that, getting on the end of Alfie Kilgour's flick to send an overhead kick into the back of the net.
The Gas had to dig deep to stay ahead, but fully deserved their victory, beating the Grecians at The Mem for the first time since April 2016. Celebrations moved into the Thatchers Bar, with Evans, Paul Raynor and the players going in to celebrate with the Gasheads.
Speaking to BRTV after the fixture, Evans was delighted with the victory, with big performances helping his time over the line.
REFLECTION ON THE MATCH
“The game is a game where I felt we were always in control. They're always going to have an odd half chance because they play on the counter. It's a typical Matty Taylor team that's gritty and determined. They play with six, seven, eight players behind the ball, and they're relying on the likes of Rose, Gordon and Reece Cole to do that a little bit of individual quality.
“But I think our boys had some big performances today and there were some big characters today. Jack Sparkes has not been near the team, but he's been fighting for fitness.
“We’ve never discussed it, but he gets back in. I thought he was very good today. That’s not anything on Ben Purrington, who has been good for us. And of course, we had our skipper back in today. Alfie’s been fighting to get that fitness and the double hernia operation."
THE PERFORMANCE FROM THE GAS
"You only need to look at the group that's in the dressing room. You know, they have their faults, and they have their weaknesses. We have our complaints about them, as they do about us, but we're here without some big players today.
“You’re here without Tommy Leigh, you’re here without Riley Harbottle, you're here without Jack Aitchison. You've got Macaulay Southam-Hales, and Ryan de Havilland back at the training ground.
“Everybody will play a part, and will do their bit. That's why we're really pleased today with the performance of the skipper and the performance of Jack Sparkes.”
THREE AT THE BACK
“We just wanted a bit more security. I think we've been a bit open with the four. It's very difficult then for our front two, the screeners, the Smallwoods and the Molas, to protect that a little bit, and we just know how they play with Reece Cole in that little pocket.
“So, he can be a really dangerous little individual, and he just said to me half-time, he's walking off the pitch, can Richie Smallwood leave me alone, and I just said to him at the end of the game, Richie Smallwood is coming for lunch tomorrow, Reece, at yours, and he said, I think he might be.
“But that was a wonderful job because he's a big threat for them. As is Danny Rose, but I thought the skipper and Balmer and Kelly were on their game. A bit sloppy in possession and coming out, and one or two passes overhit. But this is a team playing in front of a full house here today.
“It's on the back of two defeats, so there's going to be a little bit of nerves. But I think in the second half, we dominated and if we take our chances in good areas on the pitch, we'll probably win this quite comfortably. We’d probably win three or four, but today was just about making history, and we've made history.”
CAVEGN'S WINNING GOAL
“We were a bit frustrated with him in the first half because he wasn't taking up the positions from set plays that we'd asked him to. That's why anybody was looking at the bench, seeing two of the staff run at me because at half-time I was quite insistent that Fab gets in that area, which is just drifting off the back post.
“He can either go off the back post or the near post, but he had to be convictive in what we're trying to get him to do, and he did it and then the goals in front of him. It's a brilliant overhead kick, and he's unlucky, of course, not to get another one, and of course, Jack Sparkes has a brilliant effort that goes in on another day.
“So, we're pleased with a win, and we got a reaction, and that's for every Gashead. What an attendance today. What an atmosphere today. The noise when the goal went in and the noise to carry you through that last six or seven minutes was fantastic.”
SELLOUT AT THE MEM
“It's been a fantastic day. It's been a difficult week internally, as we just explained some of the bits, but we're a real family at the headquarters. Our chairman gives us every opportunity. We prepare properly.
"I'm just so pleased for every Gashead in the stadium today that have seen their club make history, you think, since 1883.
“All the supporters that have been at the various stadiums our football club has played at, and everyone that's been here today, have seen a team win 11 consecutive home league games, unprecedented in any football, in any league in the world. Go and find out the last time Barcelona did that.”
A CAREER FIRST FOR THE GAFFER
“Never 11 wins consecutively at home, and I think at half-time, my thing to the players was that we have to step up 15, 20 per cent and get closer to people and play the passes a little bit quicker and be a bit more inventive.
“And I said, 'someone create a magical moment to get us this piece of history in our careers'. We'll all look back on this, and Fabrizio did that for us.
“He created that special, special moment, and that's what I spoke to the players about at half-time. Be the one that creates a special moment.”
