Bristol Rovers triumphed 5-4 on penalties against Tottenham Hotspur U21 after a pulsating 4-4 draw in regular time at The Memorial Stadium. However, Ryhs Carr was quick to emphasise that the Gas must start games better than they did on Tuesday night.
The Pirates endured a difficult opening 20 minutes, falling 3–0 behind after rapid-fire goals from Tynan Thompson, Luca Williams-Barnett, and Yusuf Akhamrich. Ellis Harrison got one back for the Gas just before half-time, before his replacement, Fabrizio Cavegn, netted his first goal for the Club with a fine finish.
Tottenham responded swiftly, with Thompson curling in his second of the night—an unstoppable side-footed effort into the top corner that left Brad Young no chance. The momentum shifted again when Ryan Howley broke through on goal, rounded Samual Archer and was brought down by the goalkeeper, who received a straight red card for the challenge. From the resulting free-kick, Hutchinson curled the ball into the top left corner to bring the score to 4-3 before Cavegn netted his second to level the tie and send it to penalties.
Brad Young was the hero in the shoot-out, saving James Roswell’s spot kick to win it for the Gas. Rhys Carr spoke with BRTV after the game to reflect on a hectic evening at The Mem.
It was a game of ups and downs—how would you reflect on that one?
"My immediate reaction is that I am really disappointed with the first half in particular. We have to start games of football miles better than that—we know that—and we have to show that as well.
"To take some positives from it, we showed a little bit of character to get back into it. Fabrizio coming off the bench and getting his first couple of goals is a couple of positives to spin from that. But we can’t start games of football like that, or as open as that, so we’re disappointed, and that needs to be addressed—and we’ll look to put that right."
The first 15 minutes—is there no other word than disappointing for that?
"Absolutely. I don’t know how to describe it other than that. You know, we’re working with the players, we’re trying to make them better—that’s our job as coaches: to get the team organised and make the players better. So we’ll get to work on doing that, so this doesn’t happen again."
In the second half, was that performance much improved in your eyes?
"You saw the intensity in the game. You see that the energy went up. You saw the spaces were smaller. Yes, we tweaked things a little bit tactically, but it was definitely more energy out there in the second half as well.
"They did grab the game by the scruff of the neck a little bit. So, you know, you should probably be in a little more of a positive frame of mind than what we are—what I am—at the moment."
Fabrizio coming off the bench for his first two goals, which were two fine finishes, weren’t they?
"Yeah, really good. He works on it a lot in training. It's tough—he's a young lad, he's come to a new country, meeting new people, it's very, very different. But when he gets on the pitch, it's two goals at each end and a ball in the middle. So, to see his energy—not only his finishes, but his pressing, the way that he's working for the team as well—and yeah, that was really positive."
You mention the disappointing start, but to go from three goals down to 4–4—that is definitely something you can take as a positive...
"It is, absolutely. I think as coaches, it's our job to try to make players and teams better.
"When we do our analysis after our last two games with two clean sheets, we’re still talking about things we can do better defensively. So, as coaches, we’re always looking at that. But like you say, a poor start, but a good ending in the end."
And a couple of fine penalty saves from Brad Young as well—that must help his confidence going forward.
"Brad is a great character; he works really hard with James Bitler and Luke Southwood. They’re always pushing each other, so it was good to see him get that moment. I’m sure he might want one or two back in that game, but he’s a really strong character. I spoke to him just before the shootout—that they’re designed for moments to become a hero. He did with that save at the end."
