When Swindon announced that tickets for the August game would not be valid for the rearranged date, a lot of home and away fans were miffed. When Rovers fans who had been in the open away end, and consequently got soaked, were told that that end would be shut for tonight's game meaning they would have to buy the most expensive tickets in the ground at £25 a piece, they were even more miffed.
In the build up to the game, a large contingent of Rovers fans were planning a boycott. I was in two minds. Whilst I agreed that people who had paid for the original game were being treated poorly, due to family commitments I'm not able to get to away games on Saturdays. This meant the prospect of a Tuesday night trip to Swindon is more attractive to me than most.
I bought the tickets a few days in advance but then doubted myself further when even Rovers manager Darrel Clarke, who had already had harsh words for Swindon's owners, came out and said if he was a Rovers fan he wouldn't go. When Clarke speaks, people listen at Rovers, successive promotions means he walks on water in many fans eyes. There is no doubt that he commands respect from players and supporters alike. This was evident at the last home game from my position just behind the dugouts: Rovers were 1-0 down v Walsall when towards the end of the first half, a bloke near me was moaning a bit. Much to his surprise Clarke turned round and barked: "Get behind them for f@#k sake!". Most managers would shy away from such exchanges. But fair play to him, it shows his passion and that he's got the players backs. At the end of the game, perhaps realising he'd gone a bit far, he sought the bloke out and they apologised to each other and exchanged warm words and an embrace. During the game though, his comment had the desired effect, all of us around the dug outs bucked our ideas up and an abundance of positivity flowed from the terrace. Even miss placed passes and missed tackles were met with "Hard luck"s and "keep going"s. What a man.
With the managers view on the boycott made clear, I ruminated some more but my own selfishness and the fact I'd already agreed to drive a mate meant I was going.
It had been 10 years since I was last at the County ground. Back then I'd watched the corresponding fixture, Rovers had taken an early lead through Richard Walker before Swindon, then managed by Dennis Wise came back to win 2-1. I like the County Ground, it's nestled far away enough from too many roundabouts at the edge of a big cricket ground complete with a picturesque pavilion.
The only West Country ground to have hosted permier league football (93/94), it's an all seater stadium, with two big single tiered stands on it's sides, with the much smaller 'Town end' behind one goal, where the vocal Swindon fans congregate. Opposite is the uncovered away end, an unremarkable terrace which had seats plonked in 20 years or go or so.
As we neared the ground, I tuned in to the local radio and heard the charming Swindon Chairman, Lee Power being quizzed on his decision on the ticket arrangements. When invited by the interviewer to consider if he regretted his decision in light of all the criticism, he repeatedly said he would do the same again "one million percent". He also had a pop at Darrel Clarke for getting involved and when it was put to him that Rovers fans were having to pay twice and buy the most expensive tickets, he patiently explained that he wasn't here to look after Bristol Rovers fans. In short, he sounded like a bloke who could start a fight in an empty pukka pie packet.
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| An empty looking away end concourse 20 mins before kick off |
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| Closed for the night. Where Rovers fans got drenched last time out |
Swindon were quick out the blocks with lots of possession and looked threatening going forward. It wasn't a big surprise when they took the lead through Lloyd Jones's header from a corner on 6 minutes.
Shocked by the early goal, Rovers seemed to wake up, Gaffney was holding the ball well upfront and it wasn't long before Lines hit the top of the cross bar from a free kick. Rovers had ten corners in the first half but Swindon defended them well and it remained 1-0 at the break.
A half time trip to the gents; it seemed that an angry Rovers fan had gone down the trusty protest route of filling the urinals and sinks with paper hand towels resulting in wet feet all round.
Play resumed and Rovers again probed for the equaliser, the best chance came when Ollie Clarke found himself in space just out side the area, he hit a hard low shot which beat the keeper but came back off the inside of the post. Gaffney was first to the rebound but could only find the side netting from a tight angle.
On the hour mark, Darrel Clarke made a treble substitution in an effort to keep knocking on the Swindon door. It was the home team themselves though that had a clear cut chance to double their lead, only for Rovers keeper, Roos, to make a great save from close range. With less than ten minutes to go it was still 1-0. On 84 minutes, Rovers won a penalty. The wily Jermain Easter on as sub had already had a decent shout for a handball in the box turned down. He now got himself in between the ball and a defender and went down on contact giving the ref little choice but to award the spot kick. Matty Taylor duly obliged for his 8th of the season teeing off scenes in the away end. Less than a minute later and the away fans were ecstatic. A Swindon defender hesitated on the ball and was dispossessed by the tireless Ollie Clarke, pressing mid way in the Swindon half. He played in Easter who's cross towards Harrison at the far post was turned in by the unfortunate Branco for an own goal.
Rovers saw out the final few minutes whilst the sparse 6000 crowd traipsed out of the stadium to the taunt from the minority of "2-1, and all you paid twice".
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