Player Ratings: Bristol Rovers vs Bradford City (RESULTS)

Belshaw 7

Hoole 7.5
Taylor 8
Connolly 8
T. Clarke 7

Coutts 9 MotM

H. Anderson 8
E. Anderson 9
Finley 8.5
Nicholson 7

Collins 6.5

Subs: Thomas 7
L. Clarke 6
Whelan

Ref 5

Bradford 4

Belshaw 7.5 as usual, steady.

Hoole 8 liked his getting forward, some moves worked better than others.
Taylor 9 great to get a poacher goal and had work cut out all match and rose to it like a man.
Connolly 8.5 excellent assisted CT in marshalling out most threat.
T. Clarke 8 nice to see him start in a back 4.

Coutts 8.5 immense. Brilliant support for Finley and worked well as lubricant between the attacking moves.

H. Anderson 8 great running and finding space, on another day we would've scored.
E. Anderson 8.5 sometimes too clever, but a true wizard where they had no answer but to continually foul. Excellent assist for CT.
Finley 9.5 m o m almost perfect performance. A genuine wonder how some of those threaded through balls cut their defence open so easily. Great footballing vision. Thunderous strike. Best game for gas, and I would warrant, ever. Mesmerising.
Nicholson 6 worked hard. Not his game. Rightly subbed.

Collins 7 worked hard, cynically fouled all match, even when put clean through. Important running up front that at times looks to help defence as well as offense play. He's very useful when we don't have the ball as he has important role.

Subs: Thomas 8 tried hard it just didn't work this time unfortunately. I liked his contributions though.
L. Clarke 7 better than last week(eh, LG? 😉)
Whelan n o l e.

Ref 0 .... that's pretty much how many decisions he got correct - including our winning goal that was never a foul....but by that time I had given up, sometimes clowns are funny.....this one wasn't, he was worse.
Bradford 4 poor. I have to say it, because it's probably the first time Bristol Rovers have has any formal adversity against MH, the great and much respected player and subsequent coach, but what a way to set your team up, MH, you sir are a disgrace..... nothing against Bradford whom we've enjoyed some great encounters before and have had cordial support, and in some ways I admire what they've done, a club rich in history some of it tragic, but holy moly.....foul after foul after manhandling holding checking, whistle sometimes goes kick the ball away incessantly. Back to fouling, just little ones .... A shame. Their goal was well conceived, and one the rare break they looked ok on the flanks.
There was only one team trying to play football, and it was just hampers by constant infringes that the officials missed most of....

...well done us though. Some of our stuff is easy on the eye although the end product is sometimes wanting. Scintillating stiff though. Priority is keeping everyone fit, especially the two centre backs, keeps and of course the bulk of the mid.....but a tough earned win today - as we knew it would be - and on we go. We're playing and more than competing against the bigger teams in this league, we're dominant in every part of the pitch.

Well done all, a very good win today and 4 points from pre season thought to be up there's. A good haul. As ever, UptheGas...

N o l e he didn't come on at all

Belshaw 7

Hoole 8
Taylor 8
Connelly 8
Clarke T 7

Coutts 9

Anderson H 8
Anderson E 8
Finley 9
Nicholson 6

Collins 6

Subs:
Thomas 6
Clarke L 6

Ref: 6
Bradford 5

Belshaw 6.5 - nothing to do

Hoole 8 - defended well and good going forward
Taylor 7.5 - welcome goal
Connolly 8 - so composed and great passing ability
T. Clarke 6.5 - did well seeing he has had so little game time

Coutts 9 - a masterclass in how to play his midfield role

H. Anderson 7.5 - not his best game but his effort in winning balls which he shouldn't is inspiring
E. Anderson 8 - final product lacking at times but great display
Finley 8.5 - superb all action display and great goal. should of scored a couple more in the first half.
Nicholson 6 - there is always the expectation when he has the ball but poor final passes and shooting today. Cannot fault the effort but in League Two with his ability he should be a fifteen goal a season winger

Collins 6.5 - needed a goal but great work rate and always a threat

Subs: Thomas 6 - not a bad cameo but should of done better when put clear late on.
L. Clarke 6.5 - his experience helped at the end

Ref 5 - liked that he let the game flow but sometimes you need to book players more to stop them continuing with the cynical and dangerous fouls
Bradford 5 - their defence closed us down well at times but did not provide any real threat going forward

Belshaw 8 gets marks for being a sweeper as well as a keeper
Hoole 8 high standard work rate throughout the game in all three thirds of the pitch
Clarke T. 7 lacking match practice but enables Harry A to ply his trade further up the pitch and does support his winger.
Connolly 8 solid
Taylor 8.5 solid and a goal scorer too
Coutts 9 outstanding
Finley 9.5 astounding
Anderson H 9 what an engine
Anderson E 9 relentless and composed
Nicholson 8 couple of guys in the row behind me really have it in for Nicho but the pressing game requires all the front men to pull their weight and although he scuffed a few and couldn’t convert a one on one with their keeper he’s clever enough to get into those positions and never let his head drop.
Collins 8 like Nicholson he worked tirelessly to stifle Bradford in their own half without having his best day with the chances that came his way and proved adaptable shifting positions when Leon was introduced.

Thomas 7 looked dangerous but fell over when presented with a run on goal
Clarke L. 7 showed an experienced head holding the ball up and finding good positions like others before him he found their keeper Bass formidable when a one on one presented itself.

Ref 5 good and bad in equal measure. Like most refs in tier four he was consistently inconsistent.
Bradford 5 reminded me of us last season…attempting to hold their own but outclassed in most departments and running out of steam well before the end of the game.

Just keeping everyone on their toes. Interesting to see some posters give him a rating.



In reality, he was stripped and about to come on with quite a bit of the game left. Doing this on my phone after the game, I couldn't remember if he had come on or not.