Football ‘Proud’ Clarke salutes ten-man Rovers’ FA Cup battlers
BRISTOL Rovers manager Darrell Clarke said he was proud of the way his side reacted to going down to ten men after just seven minutes during the 1-1 draw at Barnet.
Rovers will have to win in a replay at the Memorial Stadium to reach the FA Cup second round after National League side Barnet took a 16th-minute lead through Craig Robson before Chris Lines levelled from the penalty spot midway through the second half.
There were several big incidents in the game, with Stuart Sinclair’s red card for a two-footed tackle, striker Tom Nichols booked for diving, when the Rovers bench and particularly Clarke felt they should have had a penalty, and three stunning strikes hitting the woodwork without going in.
Speaking about the penalty incident, Clarke said there was certainly no intent in Sinclair’s tackle on Wesley Fonguck.
He said: “I have managed Stuart Sinclair for six or seven years and he is not malicious. He is hard, he is firm, he has gone in, but he has won the ball and direction of their player has probably got him sent off, if I am honest with you.
“The lad (Sinclair) is down, but I didn’t see him make contract with the lad, to be honest, but we take our medicine and move on.”
Taking his medicine was the key message from the manager, having personally picked up his first yellow card for admonishing the officials for their decision-making, particularly in the first half following the penalty appeals when Nichols went down in the box.
“It is my first yellow card,” Clarke said. “Listen, it is an emotional game. I shouldn’t get involved, but the adrenaline was pumping and I thought a lot of decisions were going against us.
“I am a passionate guy, I will take my yellow card, take my medicine and get on with it.”
Despite playing almost the entire game man with ten men, Rovers deserve to be in the hat for tonight’s second-round draw after dominated the closing stages of the contest at The Hive – and that left Clarke feeling positive about the match.
He said: “I am proud of my team’s performance, particularly second half. Being down to ten men for a long period of the game it is always hard.
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I have managed Stuart Sinclair for six or seven years and he is not malicious
“Second half we have hit the crossbar twice and the inside of the post, and their only real chance was from an individual error from one of our players.
“Overall I am pleased we are still in the hat for the draw for the second round.
“Let’s take the positives. The lads thoroughly deserved a replay, but it is not going to be a foregone conclusion. It is going to be a tough game at the Mem and I am sure our fans will be right up for it, especially after what happened today.”