Player Ratings: Bristol Rovers vs Newport County (RESULTS)

Belshaw 6

Anderson 4
Kilgour 5
Taylor 5
Anderton 4

Thomas 6
Whelan 6
Evans 7
Nicholson 5

Collins 4
Pitman 6

Subs: Westbrooke 5
Finley 5
Coutts 5

Ref 2
Newport 6.5

Belshaw 6


Anderson 4
Kilgour 4
Taylor 5
Anderton 3


Thomas 5
Whelan 4
Evans 5
Nicholson 3


Collins 3
Pitman 3


Subs: Westbrooke 2
Finley 3
Coutts 2


Ref 5
Newport 7

Belshaw 7 m o m it could have been 3 before they scored. Sorry for the mistake, but it's been coming for weeks as we insist on trying to play like Chelsea when we're 4th division fodder. It'll happen again.

Anderson 4.5 poor today.
Kilgour 5 git himself in scoring opportunity but right of a defensive 3 isn't his best position.
Taylor 5.5 best of the defence but collectively the 3 were poor.
Anderton 4 too much compromised for first goal and distribution poor.

Thomas 6.5 tried to make it work, set SN up with a treat of a ball.
Whelan 4 slow, gave ball away but maybe cleared off line before they scored?
Evans 5 not his match but he kept trying.
Nicholson 4 poor. Missed guilt edged chance and was generally lacking and behind play.

Collins 4 not his game and rightly subbed.
Pitman 6.5 sublime finish! Why not play more to his strengths?

Subs: Westbrooke 2 waste of space.
Finley 2 almost got robbed as he was ball watching.
Coutts 1 meant to be a captain? Awful. I remember a ball to absolutely no one that went out for a goal kick...(?)

Ref 4 some poor decisions. Maybe their 3rd offside?
Newport 5 fair play they deserve their victory. They done everything we should have done - hassled when not in position, concise passing, got behind defence, exposed weaknesses, finished, more energy and stamina....I just take exception to their gamesmanship tactics and play acting on fouls.

I don't think they'll set this division alight, but we made them look so good by defending too deep, statuesque in attack, lethargic in midfield and ball watching in defence instead of marking.
Well done for their win.



JAB again got it wrong. Too little too late, I mean you need a goal or two so you bring on Coutts and Westbrook. You might as well have chucked on any of the cider heads in the Thatcher's Bar. A complete joke! We in essence finished with 8 or 9 players, because pitman ain't gonna run around and the service was poor to the front 2

JAB got it wrong with a persistent back 3 including players playing out of natural positions.

JAB got it wrong with a$$ing about with the ball playing out the back. We got caught which was coming, as we've been lucky v Bradford and Colchester and we'll be caught again..... surprise surprise ladies and gentlemen: we ain't no Man City and aren't good enough to play like that.

JAB continuing to make basic mistakes, we got what we deserve and I'm not sure we are improving or better?

My own opinion of the game. will do the results tomorrow.

Belshaw 6.5 At fault in lead up to second goal, but a couple of important saves made up for it 

Anderson 6 Out of position, but I thought he coped well
Kilgour 5 Mostly solid, an awful throw in straight to Abraham at the end
Taylor 4 Didn't get tight enough to Telford on a few occasions and caught out for third goal
Anderton 4 Not his worst game, but all round very limited

Thomas 4.5 Showed glimpses but not enough strength on the ball
Whelan 6.5 Battled manfully to put out fires in the midfield but not given the help needed. Important clearance off the line
Evans 5.5 Overconfident a few times in the first half, good set piece delivery
Nicholson 5 Similar to Thomas, didn't quite work for him

Collins 4 Anonymous, though not sure what his exact role was. Was he supposed to be a target man or to link more with midfield
Pitman 6.5 Well taken goal, but not sure how he fits in with the system

Subs: Westbrooke 3 Anonymous
Finley 5.5 Fought hard but lacked sharpness
Coutts 4.5 Played very deep but didn't do much

Ref 4 Poor and missed lots (for both teams and not the reason we lost)
Newport 6 Good tactics meant that they were more than the sum of their parts