THAT WAS AN ELL OF A FINISH
BRISTOL Rovers boss Darrell Clarke saluted his side’s character after they scored two late goals to come from behind and beat mangerless Oxford.
The U’s took the lead after just 90 seconds through Joe Rothwell but Kyle Bennet’s first goal for the Gas and Ellis Harrison’s volley meant the visitors took all three points and leapfrogged Oxford into 11th in the League One table.
“We did it the hard way,” Clarke said.
“The character of the squad was there to see and I thought, for 88 minutes, we were outstanding and it’s a thoroughly enjoyable win.
“We had a gameplan and we can play decent football if we’re on a decent pitch. The interplay between the front three was very good, our pressing was good, and it’s a really good win.”
Rothwell fired the home side ahead after two minutes, after Isaac Buckley-Ricketts latched on to a horribly scuffed kick from Rovers keeper Adam Smith to play him through.
It was an excellent start for the U’s, with both Ryan Ledson and Alex Mowatt almost capitalising on halfchances soon after as they looked to extend their lead.
As Rovers grew into the game and searched for an equaliser, Chris Lines nearly beat Simon Eastwood with a looping header but he managed to tip the midfielder’s effort over the bar.
Tom Broadbent headed over from the resulting corner and just moments later, Rothwell nearly doubled the hosts’ lead but his deflected shot squirmed behind.
The contest soon became scrappy as neither side could find the clinical final ball but just before half-time, Bennett almost equalised only for his tame effort to dribble wide.
Five minutes into the second half, Liam Sercombe came within inches of levelling things up against his former club but his header from a Bennett cross sailed wide.
The away side drew level with 67 minutes gone. After a short free-kick, Lee Brown’s cross fell to Bennett, whose shot deflected off Aaron Martin and nestled into the bottom corner.
The visitors deserved the equaliser and almost went ahead a minute later when Eastwood tipped another effort from Bennett around the post.
On 80 minutes, Rovers completed the comeback. Captain Ollie Clarke collected the ball and bundled his way to the edge of the box before chipping a cross to the unmarked Harrison, who volleyed home, sparking jubilant scenes in the away end.
Oxford caretaker boss Derek Fazackerley said: “We did get a good start and got our noses in front but ultimately, that performance wasn’t good enough for us to get anything out of the game.
“We defended for long periods of the game and inevitably, that gives the opposition chances to get the ball in the box, and they got two goals from it.”