Ollie Dewsbury made his second-longest league appearance for Bristol Rovers’ first team in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Colchester United
10:08, 23 Sep 2025Updated 12:01, 23 Sep 2025
Academy graduate Ollie Dewsbury has been frequently involved in and around Bristol Rovers’ first team so far this season(Image: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Darrell Clarke has insisted that he isn’t “fearful” of regularly using teenage striker Ollie Dewsbury in Bristol Rovers‘ first team after the 17-year-old earned his second-longest league appearance for the Gas in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Colchester United.
Dewsbury was brought on in place of goalscorer Fabrizio Cavegn in the 55th minute, with experienced striker Ellis Harrison already on the pitch having replaced the injured Promise Omochere just before half-time.
The teenager had scored twice in a 2-1 behind-closed-doors friendly win against fellow League Two side Cheltenham Town earlier in the week. He also netted for Wales Under-19s in a 2-2 draw earlier this month.
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Asked if the striker’s involvement was a reward for his recent goals, Clarke told Bristol Live: “Yeah definitely. He’s a lad that we have real high hopes for. The more minutes he gets, the more he grows and the more that he can improve as a player. I have no reservations about putting him on.
“Fabrizio 55, 60 minutes. We get Ollie on, get more experience, more know-how. It’s something I’m not fearful of. We have high hopes for him at the football club. He becomes one of my options in the striker’s options. No pleasing for Ollie.”
The closest Dewsbury came to a sight of goal against Colchester was when the teenager got his head to a cross from Ellis Harrison but was unfortunate to see the effort bounce back off the thigh of a Us defender.
Having made his first team debut as a 15-year-old in a 7-2 FA Cup first round victory over Whitby Town in November 2023, the academy graduate has now played in 13 senior games for Rovers.
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Two of those appearances were starts, one of which in a 4-1 League One defeat away at Blackpool on the final day of last season. The other came last month in the 4-4 EFL Trophy draw against Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s.
The 17-year-old signed his first professional contract this summer and was frequently involved during pre-season, scoring in a freindly against Stockport County.
Under Clarke so far this season, the young forward has come on against Harrogate Town, Fleetwood Town and Colchester and was also on the bench for games against Oldham Athletic, Cambridge United and Barrow. He also got 29 minutes in the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Cambridge in August.
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OPINION
Daniel Hargraves