• 18 hours ago
Daniel Wales and Charles Hague-Jones review Ipswich defeating Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup.
Transcript
00:00Dan, looking at Bristol Rovers now, obviously, the FA Cup weekend reflected Portman Road
00:083-0 loss. I mean, the stats are quite damning. I know, obviously, the gulf between the two
00:13sides and Ipswich have been on this fantastic trajectory, especially as of late, they've
00:17sort of dug in and realised that they are firmly in a relegation battle in the top flight
00:22and they need to make sure that they are producing fantastic wins and stringing some games together.
00:27In all fairness, Ipswich have been doing that, especially in the Premier League.
00:30I mean, 3-0 at home for Ipswich, a real easy day for them. Bristol Rovers didn't really
00:36get a look in. I mean, 0.14, unexpected goals, three shots, one shot on target for the entire
00:4190. It wasn't a great day out for them. Obviously, 27,000 in attendance, which is
00:47one of the more positive stories from the FA Cup this weekend. There were a few terrible home
00:52attendances if you look around the leagues. But yeah, not a great day for Bristol Rovers
00:58as a team on the pitch. I'm sure the fans would have enjoyed it off the pitch, however.
01:01Yeah, I think it's mixed emotions for Bristol Rovers, to be honest, because I think they always
01:05knew it was going to be tough going to a Premier League side in Ipswich Town. I know that long
01:11ago they were rivals in League One, but all of a sudden that's changed and now they've got a lot
01:18of quality to Ipswich Town because they have to for the Premier League. So from that point of view,
01:22it's probably not too disappointing because there is a gulf between the sides, of course there is.
01:26But from the other side of it, they probably would have liked a better showing than the one
01:29they put up. I mean, the game was done by half-time. Three goals for Ipswich Town in the
01:36first half, Calvin Phillips in particular getting his first goal for the Tractor Boys. So it was a
01:40relatively comfortable afternoon for Ipswich and Keane McKenna's side. But for Inigo Calderon,
01:46I know he got his first win not so long ago for Bristol Rovers and to be fair, he probably wasn't
01:51expecting his second one here. But I think he would have liked more of a showing. As I say,
01:56it's quite disappointing for the travelling Bristol fans. They've travelled a long way for
02:00not a lot, to be honest, and that's the disappointment with Bristol Rovers this
02:04season. They're really not putting up in the performances that they really should. I know
02:08that they're not the richest team in League One compared to some of the clubs that they haven't
02:13got the resources or the squad depth or the quality, but even to show a bit of heart, a bit
02:18of gumption even as well, just to go and get yourself even on the score sheet or even just
02:23test the keeper a little bit because they clearly didn't really do that at all. Because let's be
02:26honest, Ipswich probably knew the game was won by half-time, so they probably would have taken
02:30their foot off the gas in the second half. So it would have been nice at least for Bristol Rovers
02:34to try and get themselves back into it to even a small degree. Not that they're ever going to
02:38really take it to extra time, but it's just disappointing for all of them. And so I think
02:44on that point of view, they just need to, from Bristol Rovers, and it is now all eyes to League
02:50One staying up and making sure that they collect themselves as a group and go again in what is a
02:56very tough League One this season.

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