Football / Bristol Rovers Women
Meg Jarvis magic helps Rovers to first National League win at Mem
When Bristol Rovers Women walked onto the Memorial Stadium pitch on Sunday afternoon, they were joined by the players from Paulton Rovers under-12s whose manager just so happens to be Gas Girls centre forward Meg Jarvis.
Jarvis’ young charges cheered her every touch and were kept busy as she scored twice in Rovers’ dominant 4-0 victory against Bridgwater United.
“They are a lovely group of girls and did really well,” Jarvis told Bristol24/7 after the match, with Paulton’s under-12 girls only being in existence for a year and Jarvis being with them from the beginning, with the team celebrating their first ever league win on Saturday.
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Paulton Rovers under-12s with their manager and Bristol Rovers centre forward, Meg Jarvis – photo: Bristol Rovers
“It’s massive for them,” Jarvis said. “They were so excited but they like having someone to look up to so it’s really nice to get them involved and they had a great day.”
Jarvis volleyed her first goal into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box following a cross fired into the box by Poppy Warren after a short corner.
Jarvis then hit the bar in the second half before being set up for her second goal after some quick-feet from Daisy Ackerman.
Meg Jarvis and Daisy Ackerman tormented the Bridgwater defence on Sunday – photo: Rob Browne
It’s now four goals in three matches for Jarvis, who signed for Rovers in the summer after stints at Swindon Town, Bristol City and Bridgwater.
“If I can keep that going, that will be great,” she said. “Today was really good. We wanted to come here and get a win at home for our fans.”
“It was a little bit nerve-racking but once the ball hits the back of the net, then you can’t complain really!”
Jarvis now hopes that Rovers will be able to keep the momentum in the National League following this first home win: “We’re hoping now it will just flow. We’re in the right mindset and doing the right things in training and out of training, so hopefully it’s the start of the process and we’ll go from there.”
Rovers goalscorer Charlotte Buxton on the ball, watched closely by Gas Girls assistant coach Chris Douglas – photo: Rob Browne
After Jarvis’ opener, Nia Rees made it two with a looping shot from just inside the box and soon before the second half came to a close, Charlotte Buxton fired a thunderbolt past Alex Madden in the Bridgwater goal to make it 3-0 at the break.
In the Rovers goal, George Hunt had largely been inactive in the first half but just before the first 45 minutes was up, she came off better with Bridgwater’s Faith Bedford in a one-on-one, celebrating afterwards as if she had scored a goal.
And Hunt continued her fine form in the second half pulling off a string of fine saves to ensure her team’s first clean sheet of the season to go alongside their second win.
Gas Girls captain Rianne Bourne-Hallett had a headed goal disallowed – photo: Rob Browne
Main photo: Rob Browne
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