YOU CAN BE AN ELL OF A PLAYER
still work to do – Stew ... but there’s
BRISTOL Rovers assistant manager Marcus Stewart was a top goalscorer in his day – and has challenged current striker Ellis Harrison to make the most of his talent.
Stewart scored goals aplenty for the likes of home-town club Rovers, Huddersfield, Ipswich and Sunderland in a two-decade long career.
So he could appreciate the quality of Harrison’s 13th-minute winner against Fulham in the Carabao Cup second round at Craven Cottage last Tuesday.
Brilliant work from Billy Bodin and Liam Sercombe put the 23year-old through on goal and he kept his composure superbly to round Whites keeper Marcus Bettinelli and slot into an empty net.
Battle
Harrison also put in a hard-grafting display as he ploughed a lone furrow up front, giving Fulham’s defenders a battle and earning the ire of the home fans for his allaction style. Yet it was a display that left Stewart purring. “It was a great goal and he put in a real mature performance,” said the Rovers No.2. “He was a handful for their defenders and didn’t give them a minute in terms of free headers. “If he didn’t make the first contact on a header, he didn’t let them win it easily. That’s what your job is as a striker and I thought he did really well, so good on him.” Newport-born Harrison came through the ranks at Rovers and has played his part in their two promotions in the last three years, taking them from the National League to League One. It’s been a rapid climb for the former Wales U-21 forward, but Stewart doesn’t want him to think he’s cracked it. “He was with me when I was under-18s manager as well so I’ve known Ellis for six or seven years,” said the 44-year-old.
“He’s such a charming lad and as a person I love him but there’s still more for him to do to be a player.”
But it would be wrong to suggest that the Pirates’ Carabao Cup success against Championship opposition was a one-man show.
Stewart joked afterwards that he was heading off to China for the third round draw, but it was his players that produced a Great Wall to shut out frustrated Fulham.
It was a team effort to thwart a Whites side that had plenty of the ball but couldn’t find a way through a resolute Rovers, superbly marshalled by skipper Tom Lockyer, 22, and Stoke loanee Ryan Sweeney, 20, in the heart of defence.
Gifted
“We haven’t played to defend but because they are so good at keeping the ball you have to defend,” explained Stewart.
“They have technically gifted players, all athletes. Our guys are technically gifted as well, but it was tougher for us to get the ball off them.
“It’s about defensive responsibility from everyone within the team and we showed that. We got a lot of blocks in – people put their bodies on the line.
“We won the game off the back of that. You have to work things out as a player and ours understood their roles within the team, which is even more pleasing.
“It was a good goal and a great defensive performance.”
Rovers face a tough test in the third round – they’ve been drawn away to Championship high-flyers Wolves.