Memorial Stadium Tuesday, July 19th, 2011   1st Team Friendly Attendance: 2,500       Bristol Rovers 2-0 Burnley
2011 /12

Comments :

Tue 19 Jul 2011 Bristol Rovers 2 Harrold (24), Richards (63) Burnley 0 If tonight's impressive display is anything to go by, Bristol Rovers fans are in for a treat this season. Exciting wing play, strikers prepared to have a shot on goal, midfielders willing to graft and a solid back line should make for an exciting and, hopefully, successful season. No matter that the personnel changed after the break, as the end product was the same and competition for every place in the side will surely be of benefit to manager Paul Buckle in the long months ahead. Tonight's game was won with a first half goal by the impressive Matt Harrold and a second half strike by Eliot Richards, but once again it was a team performance that whetted the appetite for the new season. Championship side Burnley did hit the woodwork twice, but other than that they seldom threatened Rovers and in terms of fitness looked to be a little bit off the pace compared to their hosts. The visitors did make a bright start, though, and almost took a first minute lead when the ball reached Martin Paterson in the area and, with his back to goal, the striker hooked a shot towards goal that evaded Scott Bevan's outstretched arms and came back into play off the post. Rovers quickly moved up the other end and a long range shot from Chris Zebroski was blocked at the expense of a corner. Burnley went close again on eight minutes, but Chris Lines was on hand to block a shot from Chris McCann. Although both teams were passing the ball around well on a lush surface, it was eighteen minutes before we saw the next attempt on goal and that came from an Adam Virgo free kick. Although the central defender's effort was powerfully struck, it was straight at keeper Brian Jensen who saved comfortably. However it signalled a spell of Rovers pressure and they took a 24th minute lead through Matt Harrold who struck a firm shot past Jensen following Matt Gill's corner from the left. Gill almost created another goal five minutes later when his inch perfect ball into the box found McGleish, who managed to get the slightest of touches on the ball but was unable to steer it wide of Jensen and the danger was cleared by Danny Fox. Rovers kept up the pressure and Burnley's failure to deal with a ball into the box almost cost them another goal. Two shots ricocheted off of Burnley defenders before falling to McGleish who saw his close range effort blocked by the outstretched legs of Jensen. Then it was Burnley's turn to break and Paterson saw his curling twenty yard effort comfortably saved by Scott Bevan. Five minutes before the break Harrold almost scored a second goal when he chested down a cross from Michael Smith, but hit his shot high over the bar. Paul Buckle made seven half time substitutes and it was interesting to see Stuart Campbell take up the left back position. Ben Swallow played out on the right and Jo Kuffour was given a chance up front, partnering Harrold. Mustapha Carayol made an immediate impact, cutting in from the left before seeing his cross cleared by the Burnley defence and then being cynically brought down the next time he dared venture down the flank. Burnley took a while to get into their stride after the break and it was the hour mark before their first serious goal attempt and then a long range effort from Chris Eagles was well wide of the target. Kuffour almost doubled the lead when he intercepted a poor back pass by Danny Fox but lifted his shot over goalkeeper Jensen and the crossbar. A second goal wasn't long in coming, though as two minutes after replacing Harrold, young Eliot Richards ran on to a through ball from Wayne Brown before comfortably beating Jensen for his second pre season goal. Byron Anthony almost got on then scoresheet, but powered a close range header from a free kick straight at Jensen. Burnley were unlucky not to pull a goal back when Ross Wallace hit a spectacular long range effort that saw Bevan clutching at thin air, but the shot hit the crossbar and rebounded in to play. Wayne Brown went close to adding a third goal four minutes from time, when his free kick from the left drifted through a crowded penalty area and was touched round the post by Jensen. Bristol Rovers: Scott Bevan, Michael Smith (Michael Boateng, 61), Adam Virgo (Cian Bolger, 46), Byron Anthony, Lee Brown (Stuart Campbell, 46), Chris Lines (Wayne Brown, 46), Matt Gill (Craig Stanley, 46), Chris Zebroski (Ben Swallow, 46), Joe Anyinsah (Mustapha Carayol, 46), Scott McGleish (Jo Kuffour, 46), Matt Harrold (Eliot Richards, 61) Substitutes: Lance Cronin, Kayne McLaggon Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Michael Duff, Ben Mee, Danny Fox, Dean Marney, Chris Eagles, Chris McCann, Wes Fletcher (Ross Wallace, 46), Martin Paterson, Alex Macdonald (Wade Elliott, 46) Substitutes (all on in the 68th minute) Steve Hewitt, Brian Easton, Andre Bikey, David Edgar, Marvin Bartley, Charlie Austin, Jay Rodriguez, Kevin Long Substitute: Steve Hewitt Attendance: 2,500 Away attendance: 230