Bristol Rovers 3-1 Peterborough United
Sky Bet League One, The Memorial Stadium, Sunday 2 February 2025
Goals from James Wilson, Isaac Hutchinson and Ruel Sotiriou secured Bristol Rovers a second consecutive 3-1 home victory, beating Peterborough United.
Defender Wilson opened the scoring early in the first half when he latched onto debutant Matt Butcher’s whipped corner, poking home from six yards.
Luke Thomas had a curling strike ruled out for offside before half-time but the Gas would not be denied a second, as Isaac Hutchinson cleverly finished from Grant Ward’s delicious, lobbed pass.
Peterborough showed signs of threatening a fightback, hitting the top of of the cross-bar before Chris Conn-Clarke superb volley was kept out by Josh Griffiths, but Ruel Sotiriou’s calm goal on the break put the match beyond all doubt, even with Ricky Jade-Jones’ late consolation.
There were six changes for Rovers from Tuesday’s loss at Charlton Athletic, with Jack Hunt returning at right-back, and the No32 was involved in almost a perfect start for the Gas; setting up Hutchinson for a low effort that Nicholas Bilokapic barely kept out.
The attacking midfielder forced another stop by the Peterborough No1 a few minutes later before Gustav Lindgren wasted a massive one-on-one chance to put the visitors ahead.
An immensely open quarter-of-an-hour saw Rovers draw first blood with their first corner of the match. The debuting Butcher sent in a sumptuous set-piece, which captain Wilson was only too happy to side-foot home from five yards.
Buoyed by the deserved lead, the home side pushed in search of a second. Hutchinson fired another shot wide from outside the area while another Butcher corner was almost punched into his own net by Bilokapic.
Goalkeeper Josh Griffiths was hardly involved in the first half but had to be aware to deny Chris Conn-Clarke’s driven, low attempt, and only the linesman’s flag stopped Rovers from finding a second goal after Thomas netted on the stroke of half-time.
Looking for a way back into the game, Peterborough made a double change at the interval with Cian Hayes and Malik Mothersille entering the fray. The latter tested Griffiths from a narrow angle, with the shot-stopper tipping the effort away.
Withstanding the visitor’s storm, Rovers got a delightful second just after the hour mark. Ward played a wonderful chipped pass over the Peterborough defence into the path of Hutchinson, who chested the ball into space before poking it past Bilokapic into the goal via the inside of the far post.
Immense pressing by Chris Martin almost led to a double for Hutchinson and a third for Rovers, only for the shot to be well saved, before the away side hit the top of the cross-bar via a deflected effort by De Havilland.
Conn-Clarke almost halved the deficit when he caught a corner superbly on the volley, forcing a terrific stop by Griffiths.
But all three points were secured when the third goal was netted on 82 minutes, as Sotiriou showed great composure to sprint from inside his own half, cut onto his stronger right foot and bend in a well-taken finish to wrap up the win.
Bristol Rovers: Griffiths, Sousa, Wilson ©, Ward, Sotiriou, Thomas (Sinclair 71), Taylor, Hutchinson, O’Donkor (Martin 41), Butcher (Sawyers 83), Hunt (Senior 83)
Subs not used: Hall (GK), Moore, Mola
Goals: Wilson 16, Hutchinson 62, Sotiriou 82
Booked: Thomas,
Peterborough United: Bilokapic, Johnston, Collins (De Havilland 71), Conn-Clarke, Odoh (Mothersille 46), Edun, Nevett (Katongo 75), Jones, Lindgrem (Hayes 46), Susoho (Kyprianou 63), Hughes ©
Subs not used: Blackmore (GK), Wallin
Goals: Jones 90
Booked: Nevett, Susoho, Bilokapic
Referee: Reubyn Ricardo
Attendance: 7,461 (including 444 away)
