Rovers see red as they let valuable away victory slip from their grasp
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RISTOL Rovers threw away a victory in a crazy finale at Colchester United last night. Brett Pitman gave Rovers a deserved lead just before the hour, but the Gas started ceding territory at the JobServe Community Stadium in the closing moments.
Cian Harries’ second yellow card left Joey Barton’s side down to 10 men and Noah Chilvers struck a superb equaliser with two minutes to play. Two more red cards followed as Trevor Clarke and Junior Tchamadeu scrapped off the ball in stoppage time, but Rovers clung on for a point when they were good value for three until losing the plot late on.
Rovers were the better side in the first half, although their will to play out from defence did get them into trouble on occasions.
First, goalkeeper James Belshaw’s pass was snapped at by Frank Nouble’s outstretched leg and it almost fell for the striker to shoot, but Belshaw recovered just in time.
Nouble’s fellow former West Ham United teammate Freddie Sears also could have punished a poor pass in Rovers’ defensive third, with Antony Evans too causal
with a ball along the perimeter of his area. Sears pounced, but Belshaw saved superbly with his feet.
Those awkward moments jolted Rovers into life, and they had no trouble working the ball into dangerous positions. The issue then was making those opportunities count.
Midway through the half, Brett Pitman dragged a shot just wide from Evans’ wrapped cross, and 20 minutes later Evans’ was responsible for another wicked delivery, but Barton was left furious when no man arrived at the back post to nod in. Rovers’ closest effort of the period came in stoppage time, with
Pitman’s low free-kick turned ontothe inside of the post by Shamal George. The goalkeeper was relieved to see the ball land in his arms after bouncing on the goal line.
The Gas knew small improvements on their opening 45 ought to reap rewards, and they obliged by raising the tempo. Barton’s side built a head of steam and broke through just shy of the hour mark. Evans claimed his third assist in three halves after creating both goals at Bradford on Saturday, and his sensational delivery was on show again in Essex. His wicked corner was perfect for the predatory Pitman to glance a header into the far corner from the near post.
Pitman had the ball in the net again soon after, this time with a more powerful header, but he was adjudged to have barged his marker to the floor.
More chances came for the Gas to kill it in the final 25 minutes but Alfie Kilgour and Aaron Collins blasted shots over the top.
As Rovers started to tire, the balance shifted in Colchester’s favour and Barton may regret making three defensive substitutions. His attempt to lock down Rovers’ defences also invited pressure.
Still, the Gas were relatively comfortable, keeping possession in the corner with three minutes remaining. But from a resulting throw, Harries was deemed to have taken too long and was punished for time-wasting. Colchester were only encouraged by the dismissal and their late burst of pressure paid when Chilvers struck a half-volley beyond Belshaw from 20 yards.
More drama followed with Clarke, who had only been brought on 10 minutes beforehand, and Tchamadeu engaging in a scuffle in the first minute of stoppage time.
With 10 versus nine, Colchester slung several balls into the box but Rovers held their ground for a point. After a miserable year away from home, Rovers are now unbeaten in three away games, but that is soured for Barton with two points slipping away here.