Friendly Fixtures 2022/23

01/07/22 – Melksham Town – Attendance unknown, Referee Sam Read

09/07/22 – Porto – Attendance & Referee unknown

12/07/22 – Bath City – Attendance 1,908 Referee Said Ouchene

12/07/22 – Chippenham Town – Attendance 343 Referee unknown

16/07/22 – Swansea City – Attendance & Referee unknown

19/07/22 – Stoke City – Attendance unknown, Referee Simon Hooper

On 1st July 2022 Melksham Town, of the Pitching In (Southern League to you and I!) Division One South were the first team to face Rovers following that remarkable last day of the 2021/22 campaign at the Memorial Stadium when promotion to League One was achieved with a 7-0 thrashing of Scunthorpe United.

On the day that manager Joe Barton signed a new three year contract, he took a squad to Melksham’s Oakfield Stadium and saw them run out comfortable 6-1 winners.

Even though some players were nursing knocks and not risked, the manager was still able to field a different side in each half, with some of the club’s younger players being given a chance to shine.

It took 22 minutes for the first goal to arrive and it was Aaron Collins who broke the deadlock when he finished off a move that had been started by Paul Coutts and carried on by Jerry Lawrence and Harvey Greenslade.

The lead was doubled almost immediately afterwards when Collins was bundled over in the area and Lawrence stepped up to fire the resulting spot kick past goalkeeper Connor Thompson.

Greenslade scored Rovers’ third goal before the break. Played in by Sam Finley, the youngster fired a rasping shot past Thompson in the Melksham goal.

After the break Antony Evans played in new signing James Gibbons, allowing him to register his first goal for the club.

Evans was also the provider for the fifth goal, playing in Ryan Jones who cut inside and hit a shot beyond Thompson.

Melksham pulled a goal back when a pass by 16 year old Will Larvin, a Rovers schoolboy, was intercepted and goalkeeper Jed Ward was beaten by a 40 yard shot.

That wasn’t quite the end of the scoring, though, as Rovers added a sixth goal through Harvey Saunders who lobbed the ball over Melksham’s goalkeeper after being played in by Sam Heal.

Bristol Rovers

First Half: Anssi Jaakkola; Luca Hoole, Jamie Egan, James Connolly, Trevor Clarke; Paul Coutts, Jerry Lawrence, Sam Finley; Harvey Greenslade, Aaron Collins, Lucas Vaughan.

Second Half: Jed Ward, James Gibbons, Will Larvin, Alfie Kilgour, Sam Heal, Antony Evans, Zain Westbrooke, Josh Grant, Harvey Saunders, Ryan Loft, Ryan Jones

Melksham Town Squad (lineup unknown): Connor Thompson, Will Christopher, Ryan Morgan, Aaron Parsons, Jaiden Pearce, Ollie Webb, Dave Thompson, Matt Hurley, Ralph Graham, Sam Hendy, Jay Malshanskyj, Albie Hopkins, Dan McBeam, Luke Ballinger, Sam Dowell.

Just two days after that Friday evening fixture Rovers flew out to Vilamoura, Portugal, for a week long summer training camp, a stay that would include a match against Porto on 9th July.

That game, won 3-0 by Premeira Liga Champions Porto was played behind closed doors which, unfortunately, means that there was no match report.

Speaking on his return to these shores, though, midfielder Sam Finley said; ‘It was a fantastic experience. They are a very good side. It’s just the sharpness they have and that’s the difference for the Champions League level.

‘They rarely gave the ball away and gave us few chances to nick the ball off of them but it was a good game to play in.’

On their return Barton selected two sides for game on 12th July, sending one team to Twerton Park to take on Bath City and another team to Hardenhuish Park to face Chippenham Town.

Almost 2,000 were at the game against our former landlords and Rovers were beaten 3-1 even though they opened the scoring, through Ryan Loft, after only 12 minutes.

The goal was created by Aaron Collins who got away down the left and crossed into the box where Harry Anderson had a shot on goal. Goalkeeper Joe Wright got a hand to the ball but only diverted it to Loft who smashed his close range effort into the net.

Bath equalised on the half hour mark when Alex Fletcher collected a low cross from Elliott Frear and steered the ball beyond James Belshaw.

Nine minutes later the home side were ahead with a goal created by former Gas defender Danny Greenslade. His ball into the area was met by Fletcher who lifted the ball over Belshaw for his, and Bath’s, second goal of the evening..

Six minutes into the second half Rovers conceded again when James Gibbons was penalised for a push on Cody Cooke in the box  and the Bath player took the resulting penalty himself and comfortably beat Belshaw.

Greenslade wasn’t the only former Rovers player in action for the Romans and midfielder Chris Lines received a generous round of applause from Gasheads when he was substituted eight minutes from time.

Bristol Rovers: James Belshaw, Luca Hoole, Alfie Kilgour, James Connolly, James Gibbons, Antony Evans, Josh Grant, Sam Finley, Harry Anderson, Aaron Collins, Ryan Loft

Substitutes (not used): Jed Ward, Jamarni Langlais, Will Larvin, Ross Mason, Theo Lynden, Jaheim Allen

Bath City: Jo Wright, Joe Raynes (Triallist B, 86), Danny Greenslade, Jordan Dyer, Kieran Parselle (Jack Batten, 50), Luke Spokes (Tom Smith, 64), Elliot Frear (Rex Mannings, 77), Cody Cooke, Chris Lines (Triallist A, 82), Dan Hayfield, Alex Fletcher (Kitan Jaiyeoba, 58).

It was a different story at Chippenham where Rovers were 4-1 winners thanks to doubles for new signing John Marquis and Harvey Saunders.

Marquis got off the mark in the first ten seconds when he was played in by Saunders and was left with a simple tap in to register his first Gas goal.

Chippenham equalised from the penalty spot when one of the home side’s triallists (Triallist C) was tripped following a corner. He got up and drilled his spot kick into the corner of the net beyond Anssi Jaakkola.

With 24 minutes on the clock Saunders again provided the assist for another Marquis goal. This time the striker was able to almost walk the ball into the net following another precise ball into the box.

Saunders got on the scoresheet himself five minutes later when he raced down the right before hitting a ferocious shot into the far corner of the net.

Marquis didn’t reappear for the second half, having suffered a dead leg and while that affected Rovers to a certain extent, it didn’t stop Saunders from adding a fourth goal ten minutes after the restart. When he was played in by Zain Westbrooke he did well to find the bottom corner of the net.

The only former Rovers player to appear for Chippenham was young midfielder Alefe Santos, unless the others were among the substitutes. Chippenham didn’t issue a teamsheet or a programme and there is no match report on their website.

Bristol Rovers: Anssi Jaakkola, Jamie Egan, Trevor Clarke, Sam Heal, Ryan Jones, Paul Coutts, Zain Westbrooke, Jerry Lawrence, Harvey Saunders, Harvey Greenslade, John Marquis (Lucas Vaughan, 46).

Substitutes: Charlie White, Olly Phillips, Josiah McKayle, Lewis Pinchard, Charlie Perkins

Not known if any substitutes used or, if they were, the timings.

Chippenham Town: Will Henry, Eddie Jones, Ethan Hill, Spencer Hamilton, Triallist A, Joe Hanks, Will King, Joe Parker, Alefe Santos, Triallist B Triallist C.

Not known if any substitutes used or, if they were, the timings.

Next up, on 16th July was another behind closed doors friendly against Swansea City, played at their Fairwood Training Ground.

In fact, it turned out to be two friendlies, not one, as the clubs decided to play two hour long games and the Swans ran out 3-2 winners overall, winning the first hour 2-1 and drawing the second 1-1.

Joel Piroe gave the home side the lead, from the penalty spot, on eight minutes after he had been fouled in the box. His spot kick beat James Belshaw and a couple of minutes later the keeper conceded again when Cameron Congreve hit a left foot shot into the bottom corner of the net.

With only 14 minutes on the clock another penalty was awarded, this time to Rovers, after Aaron Collins had been brought down by Harry Darling and the Rovers’ striker made no mistake from 12 yards.

Swansea took the lead in the second of the two hour long games as Lincoln Mcfayden’s cross was expertly finished by Liam Cullen.

Ryan Loft equalised for Rovers when he ran on to a ball over the top before beating goalkeeper Steven Benda.

Bristol Rovers: James Belshaw, James Connolly, Trevor Clarke, Luca Hoole, Sam Finley, Antony Evans, Jordan Rossiter, Zain Westbrooke, John Marquis, Harry Anderson, Aaron Collins, Ryan Loft, Ryan Jones, Harvey Saunders, Sam Heal, Annssi Jaakkola, Jed Ward, Jamie Egan, Harvey Greenslade, Jerry Lawrence, Triallist A.

Squad taken from teamsheet. Lineup, substitutions and name of Triallist not known.

Swansea City: Andy Fisher (Steven Benda, 61), Joel Latibeaydiere (Jordon Garrick, 76), Nathan Wood (Brandon Cooper, 91), Harry Darling (Nathanial Ogbeta, 91), Kyle Naughton (Ryan Manning, 76), Matt Grimes (Ollie Cooper, 91), Jay Fulton (Dan Williams, 91), Cameron Congreve (Jamie Paterson, 61) Joel Price (Olivier Ntcham, 76), Matty  Sorinola (Lincoln McFayden, 76), Michael Obafemi (Liam Cullen, 76).

Rovers final pre-season game was against Stoke City, at the Memorial Stadium on 19th July, when Stoke City were the visitors.

Joe Barton’s side ran out 2-0 winners against a cumbersome Stoke side who failed to include Connor Taylor in their squad following his successful loan spell in BS7 the previous season.

The first half lacked goals, but not entertainment with both sides close to opening their account. Rovers were denied a penalty after 23 minutes when it appeared that defender Morgan Fox had handled the ball, but referee Simon Hooper decided otherwise.

Aaron Collins fired just over the bar while James Belshaw saved well from Tyrese Campbell, but it remained all square at the break.

Rovers, though, took the game to their Championship opponents in the second period giving experienced defenders Aden Flint and Phil Jagielka the runaround.

It was Flint, the former Bristol City defender, who inadvertently gave Rovers the lead when he deflected a cross from James Gibbons into his own net with 58 minutes on the clock.

Twelve minutes from time Harry Anderson gained possession from a Stoke corner and raced forward on the counter attack before releasing the ball to Harvey Saunders who comfortably beat goalkeeper Joe Bursik to register his fourth pre season goal.

Bristol Rovers: James Belshaw, James Gibbons, Luca Hoole, James Connolly, Trevor Clarke, Jordan Rossiter, Antony Evans, Zain Westbrooke, Harry Anderson, Aaron Collins, John Marquis.

Substitutes: Jed Ward, Annssi Jaakkola, Jamie Egan, Harvey Greenslade, Jerry Lawrence, Ryan Loft, Harvey Saunders, Sam Finley, Ryan Jones.

Timings of substitutions unknown.

Stoke City: Joe Bursik, Morgan Fox, Aden Flint, Phil Jagielka, Sam Clucas, Tyrese Campbell, Liam McCarron, Gavin Kilkenny, Josh Laurent, D’Margio Wright-Phillips, Tom Sparrow.

Substitutes: Frankie Fielding, Lewis Baker, Jacob Brown, Josh Tymon, Ben Wilmot, Eddie Jones, Emre Tezqel, Jack Griffiths.

Timings of substitutions unknown.

With grateful thanks to Keith Brookman for this article