'We want to be better' - Rhys Carr reflects on Bristol Rovers' home victory over Barrow

Bristol Rovers secured their fourth-straight win in League Two by beating Barrow 2-1 at home in a game of two halves

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

17:55, 13 Sep 2025

Bristol Rovers assistant head coach Rhys Carr(Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Rhys Carr has praised Bristol Rovers’ intensity in the first half of their 2-1 win at home to Barrow on Saturday, while admitting that he came away from the game feeling “stressed” after what was a bit of a game of two halves.

Rovers dominated the first half as goals from Josh McEachran and Fabrizio Cavegn put the Gas 2-0 up at the break before they struggled to regain similar levels of control with Barrow looking to get back into the game.

The visitors eventually halved the deficit through Connor Mahoney and had the chances to equalise with Luke Southwood required to pull out an excellent save to deny the goalscorer a second. Rovers managed to hold on to secure a fourth-straight league win, something the club hasn’t managed since March 2022.

Reflecting pre-match, the Rovers assistant head coach admitted: “[I’m feeling] stressed. A little bit, if I’m honest. Number one we’re pleased to win a game of football. This division is a tough division. We’ve won four on the spin. We’re very happy with that, but there’s also bits that we want to unpick to be better at as well for sure.

“We felt we were holding on a little bit too much towards the end and there’s things that we want to see back before we unpick them because we always want to do better. We want to win comfortably and not in a stressful environment. So number one pleased, but make no bones about it, there are things that we want to be better at.

“The intensity was there,” he added on the first half. “We were on the front foot. I thought the lads at the top end of the pitch did what we asked them as well, particularly putting pressure on their back line and high regains. The distances were really, really good. So yeah, and obviously you get moments of quality with the ball as well. I’m sure you will come on to Josh’s goal, not cross, goal. So, yeah, there was moments of quality too.”

McEachran opened the scoring with what was his first goal for Rovers and his first since the 2018/19 season when scoring for Brentford in the Championship.

The 32-year-old seemed to deliver a cross which found its way into the back of the net, with the midfielder admitting post-match that he didn’t mean to score.

“I’ve known Josh a few months now,” Carr continued. “I’ve worked with him. He’s got quality in that left foot. So I’m sure he probably meant it, although others might say otherwise. But no, I think the gaffer has been quite big on we want to push the lads over this period now where we’ve got a clear week and not Saturday, Tuesday, and we are pushing them. We’re pushing them physically, we’re pushing them technically, tactically and I’m hoping and thinking that we’re starting to see a few of those connections build.

“We’re quite a new group. We’ve been we’ve been all put together over the last couple of months So yeah, we are pleased but there’s still things we want to improve on as well.”

As well as McEachran, it was a first league goal for striker Fabrizio Cavegn since his arrival from Swiss second division side FC Vaduz. The 23-year-old smashed home a header down from Promise Omochere with the duo linking up nicely, particularly throughout the first half.

“I thought that it’s good to see those guys linking up for sure,” the Gas assistant added. “Special mention to Fab in getting his first league goal, but also mention to Prom, his energy without the ball was really good, particularly in the first half. He’s completed 90 minutes consistently now, which is really good as well, and to see that final action, that’s the hardest bit of the game, right? A little bit of quality, weight of pass, stick the ball in the back of the net, those moments that matter. So yeah, pleased to see that link up.”

‘We want to be better’ – Rhys Carr reflects on Bristol Rovers’ home victory over Barrow

Tags: