Steve Evans believes Bristol Rovers were unfortunate not to beat Notts County on the final day of the Sky Bet League Two season.
The Pirates had to show their resilience to come from behind after Nick Tsoroulla drilled a low strike beyond the outstretched leg of Brad Young in the first half, with the hosts enjoying most of the early opportunities as they looked to push towards automatic promotion.
Nevertheless, half-time changes made the difference, with Tommy Leigh immediately pulling the strings in the midfield before lofting a clever pass over to Ellis Harrison, who thrashed his shot through James Belshaw's legs and into the back of the net.
Chances came on either side of their leveller, with Shaq Forde and Yusuf Akhmarich going close, but the Pirates had to settle for a point. Speaking to BRTV after the game, Evans felt his side could have claimed a ninth straight victory.
Steve, a game that could have gone either way, and it ended in a draw. How do you look back on it?
“Yeah, listen, it was two really good teams, wasn’t it? We knew we were coming into a pressured environment, big home support and big travelling support. Thank you to every Gashead who came to Notts County to get behind us today, and they made it a brilliant atmosphere with both sets of supporters.
“So we came against a team who, for me, are one of the better teams in the league when you break it all down, technicians, got strength, got height, got power. I thought the first half was a little bit scrappy. I don’t think that we had enough dominance in the middle of the park, and we gave away a sloppy goal because we cleared our lines and we didn’tsecure the ball, and we conceded sloppily, but we always had a plan to change it, probably not as early as half-time, to be honest.
“But I have never been one to sit and mess my lines up; if it is going to be changed, it has to be done. So, we changed it, and I think that the second half, all bar counter attacks from Notts County, we were the dominant side. Over the course of the 90, and memory tells me, you always look back and say, ‘were we fortunate to be unfortunate?' Just based on clear and simple chances, we were unfortunate because we could have scored four or five today with clear one-on-one chances against the goalkeeper. I think that we didn't hit the target enough, and another one we put cheaply into the goalie's legs.”
Those half-time alterations certainly made a difference. What did they bring to the team?
“Well, we just changed the shape, we changed the dynamics of it. We went for more width, we went for more one-on-one battles all over the pitch, and I have just complimented Notts County, saying what good players they have got and what a good job Martin Paterson has done.
“But I think the one thing they will be pleased with is that they are playing Chesterfield and not Bristol Rovers in the play-offs. They would not want to play us now. We are in a good place, and we will be in an even stronger place come July.”
It feels like, at the moment, anything Ellis Harrison takes a shot at it goes into the back of the net - tight angle, it does not matter.
“Listen, what I remember for the goal is probably one of the passes of the season from Tommy Leigh, it was just a fantastic pass, but Ellis has to cushion that properly on the run and drill it with precision.
“Now you’ve seen this a few times, Yusuf, Shaq and that, they did not get the precision and didn’t get the accuracy in their sights, and Ellis did, and he drove it into the far corner and then after, there is one team unfortunate not to win it.”
You mention it a bit there. The first half was difficult, but the second half, two, three, four chances, you could be walking away with nine of the bounce here.
“Yeah, we played really well. I think the first thing we understood when we came here is that when you're playing a team as good as the setup by Richard [Montague], and the board here with Patto supporting it, is that you're going to play a team in good form, they are going to the playoffs, a big crowd, it's difficult to come here.
“So, we are going to have to do a containing job and be in the battle and turn that 50 minutes or turn that 60, 70 minutes and be in the game, as I've always said, I referred to today to the boys as like a cup tie and in cup ties, I have always had the message, 'be in the game in 70 minutes'.
“We were in the game within 60 minutes and missed three or four good opportunities to go and win it. But what I would say is congratulations to Notts County. They are in the playoffs. They have got a humdinger of a local derby.
“I would come and watch it, to be honest; it is such a good game. I know we wish them every success. Of course, huge, huge congratulations to Stevenage and Alex Revell. I'll be with Alex in a couple of hours, and we will be sipping a beer, but congratulations to Phil Wallace, the board and everyone at Stevenage. It's a club that is close to the heart.”
You're up against top players on the pitch, and big crowds in the stands as well. If you're going to be where you want to be next season, you are going to have to battle against these sorts of teams every single weekend. It felt like you did that for most of the contest.
“We don't want to be there. We will be there. There is a difference. We wanted to be there last year, but the team wasn'tstrong enough, it wasn't good enough, it wasn't fit, all the stuff we could name; we stayed away from that. We're not going to go there now.
“We have a hard job to do in the summer to convince good players to join us. We have to move on one or two or three lads that are not quite for us, but it does not mean that they are bad lads because everyone's played a massive part since the January window."
And finally, it feels like it has been quite a while since you joined the club. It's the end of the season. How do you reflect on the season that you've had at Rovers?
“Yeah, I think it was difficult to start with. We came in to players that were very low in confidence and didn't see any forms of light at the ends of dark tunnels. And it was very difficult for us - for myself and Paul - to be leading that charge through the last couple of weeks in December, but we knew the names, I knew the names when I met our chairman and board that I wanted to bring in, and we brought them in, and they've made such a difference.
“But so are the lads that we have kept. You mean Shaq Forde, Clinton Mol,' Joel Senior, Jack Sparkes, they've just become different players because they have had some help playing about with other good players and it's not been those five or six, seven players or whatever it is, trying to compete because you can't do that with five or six players and you can't do it with players that are really low in confidence for reasons that nobody placed confidence in them.”
