Bristol Rovers claimed their first win of the season with a gritty display against Cambridge United, backed by a buzzing Mem crowd. A first-half strike from Ellis Harrison and another clean sheet sealed the points.
Defender Kacper Łopata and captain Alfie Kilgour both put in monstrous defensive displays at the heart of the Gas defence as Cambridge piled on the pressure in the late stages of the game.
Łopata joined Rovers on a season-long loan from Barnsley; however, it is not his first taste of life in Bristol. Kacper moved to Bristol in his youth and attended South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. The Polish defender feels his links to the city give him extra motivation to perform for the Club.
After the game on Saturday, Łopata spoke to the media to reflect on the fixture and his start to life as a Bristol Rovers player.
“It's massive for me personally," he said. It's important to get another clean sheet on the bounce at home, and to get the first three points of the season is huge. You see the crowd at the end getting behind us—it’s just very important for us and the gaffer. So yeah, buzzing.”
Harrison’s 50th goal for the Gas was the difference between the sides, with the striker finishing from close range just past the half-hour mark. Kacper emphasised the importance of finding the net and building fitness across the squad.
“Goals win you games—that’s obviously something the coaches have been working on with us, and today it’s paid off," said Łopata. "But it’s a work in progress. We’re still gelling as a group, and everyone is still getting fitter. This is the first 90 minutes I’ve played in months, and a couple of the other lads are still catching up on minutes.
"The gaffer’s just said in there that there’s more to come, as we’re all going to get fitter and gel more. But it’s important to get that first win."
"I feel like we can make this place a fortress with the fans behind us, and I’m sure if we keep putting performances like that in, then they’ll get right behind us.”
Rovers earned back-to-back clean sheets following the 0-0 draw with Oldham last Tuesday night, with goalkeeper Luke Southwood hardly tested across the two fixtures. Łopata highlighted how much that means to the squad.
“That’s something not just myself, but the other defenders and keepers pride ourselves on," he said. "It gives the team a good base to win the game. We came in at half-time and said that a clean sheet wins us the game—it’s just a good habit to get into.
“I don’t think Luke had many shots to save, which is good. We didn’t want to work him too hard. They were on top for a bit, but that’s going to happen in games. We’re going to have to ride things out, and luckily, we did today. We stuck at it and got the three points.
“The players here are good, and I’m sure the gaffer’s still going to bring players in—he’s mentioned that before. But you know, it’s hard after getting relegated—for the fans, the staff at the Club, and the players. It’s important to dust yourselves down and getting that first win gets you going again. It builds belief and helps shrug off the dust from last season, which isn’t in my mind because I wasn’t here. But I’m sure the boys are focused on this season, and that’s the most important thing.”
This is not the first time Łopata and Darrell Clarke have worked together, with the defender having played under Clarke at Barnsley. Kacper believes that the connection has helped him settle quickly into the Rovers squad, with the centre-back also having links to the other members of the coaching team.
“I’ve worked with all the coaching staff—the gaffer, obviously, and Jon Stead at Barnsley, plus Rhys Carr from Sheffield United—so I know what they’re about," said Lopata. "I knew integrating into the team wouldn’t be a problem because I know what to expect from them, and they know what to expect from me.
"It’s black and white. Sometimes it can be tough, especially when the team hasn’t won and things aren’t looking great, but I know football changes really quickly. Hopefully, we can keep this decent run going.”
Łopata used to live in Bristol as a youngster, and returning to play for the Pirates feels like a homecoming.
“Today, before I came to the game, I left my hotel a bit early and went for a drive around where I used to live to remind myself," he reflected. "It definitely means a bit more, I remember I used to go out for little runs with my football around Horfield and play at the back of the sports centre up there. So that drive reminded me of when I was a kid with a little dream, and maybe that played a little part today.”
