‘It’s heartening to see so much positivity’

Well I don’t know about you but if you told me a week ago that we’d win two of the three games played in that time, I’d have settled for that any day. Two of the sides we’ve played were Championship quality; Cardiff, despite their below-par, tepid performance last week, had enough quality on the field to beat us, and Bolton had various ex-Premier League players, including Jay Spearing, who ran the show from midfield and capped his performance off with a superb curling free-kick. Spearing was playing European football just four years ago, remember. 

Thursday night was a victory for Darrell Clarke’s tactics over all else. After possibly playing a little too open at Scunthorpe, the move back to 4-4-2 really paid off. We reduced Cardiff to a few chances in front of the Sky cameras, pressed them hard, worked our socks off, and waited patiently for our chance. And boy, what a chance – Chris Lines will be showing the grandkids that one.

Oxford was the one game last week I was certain we’d win and the boys didn’t let anyone down. The U’s weren’t much cop in two games against us last season and without their two most creative players, who have opted for sunnier climes (namely Elland Road and, er, Ashton Gate), they were reduced to ugly, one-dimensional long ball stuff that just won’t work against a side as well-organised as Rovers currently are. The only disappointment was that it took quite as long as it did to regain the lead, as we weren’t as clinical as we should’ve been in front of goal.

Bolton’s visit was, for me, not representative of what we’re going to see every week in this division – they were a second tier side in all but name. To use a tired cliché, we showed them too much respect for 20 minutes or so, and by then the damage was done. As much as Cardiff was a success for the manager’s tactics, Wednesday night was not – at least not until he made changes at half time. If the second half had gone on for another 10 minutes I think we’d have got a well-deserved point.

In two hard league games against quality opposition (either side of Oxford who I think will struggle) we’ve shown that we can compete at this level – once the gaps between games get a bit longer (no more Thursday-Sunday-Wednesday runs please) and with a signing or two, we’ll be OK. There aren’t 10 or 15 sides in this league that can impose themselves on us like Bolton did.

The true litmus test of where we stand in this league comes shortly after this frantic run – Walsall come to BS7 in a few weeks and they’re as League 1 as it gets – not the slick passing and pressing of Bolton nor the route one fodder of Oxford.

One thing I’ve learned so far is that experience at this level is valuable – we don’t have much of it but the likes of Lines, Jermaine Easter (who has had two good games on the trot) and the returning Liam Lawrence will be key against streetwise, savvy teams.

I’ll not spend long on the next two games, Southend and Chelsea away. This is because we I genuinely don’t have a clue what will happen at Southend – they’ve looked pretty woeful so far but then they went and thrashed the bookies’ favourites (or at least they were in the bookies I went to) Sheffield United in midweek.

As for Chelsea, well it almost doesn’t matter, does it? We’ve sold all our tickets in a few hours, it’s a great night out for the supporters, and we’ve nothing to lose.

Finally, a little mention for you, the Gasheads. There has been many a time when we’ve been 2 goals in arrears early on in a game at the Mem, and when it happened vs Bolton, I didn’t hear one moan, one expletive-laden scream blaming an individual, just encouragement and support. Now, you’ve paid your money and you’ve every right to scream if you want to, but it was heartening to see the positivity around the old place.

Not to mention the numbers –  9,100 fans on a damp Wednesday night is outstanding. Long may it continue!