Bristol Rovers’ poor start to the new season continued with a 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to fellow League Two side Cambridge United

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

22:36, 12 Aug 2025

Bristol Rovers head coach Darrell Clarke(Image: Geraint Nicholas/PPAUK)

Darrell Clarke has called Bristol Rovers’ 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to fellow League Two side Cambridge United on Tuesday night “a painful watch” after the Gas extended their losing start to the new season to three matches.

Rovers started poorly and eventually conceded the opening goal to Louis Appere as frustrations from behind the goal in the Thatcher’s End spilled out onto the pitch.

A slight improvement in the second half from the Gas was unrewarded before former Pirates forward Ryan Loft condemned his old side to defeat – a 12th in their last 13 games dating back to the end of last season.

Clarke gathered his players onto the pitch post-match and gave them a team talk in front of an angry Thatcher’s End and, when asked for his reflections post-match, said: “A painful watch. There’s no hiding from that fact.

“A million miles away from where we need to be. Where we need be at. I think there’s lots of circumstances in and around that as well, as to why. But listen, I can’t say no more. It’s a painful night.

“It’s painful watching that, to be honest with you, at times. But [it’s] where we’re at at the minute, I’m afraid. So, more work. More mentality. You still see players a little bit scarred, still see the players trying to find the feet a little bit, get the rhythm and, but like I said to the players here after the game, on the pitch, you’ve got to stomach this up because those performances won’t be accepted by myself or the supporters, so you’ve got to dig deep and understand that next time you come out, it’ll be miles better.”

Clarke guided Rovers to two promotions in his first spell in charge and returned during the summer following the club’s relegation to League Two.

However, a disastrous conclusion to last season which saw the Gas pick up just one point in their final 10 games has seen patience wear thin just three games into the new campaign.

Starting a campaign slowly isn’t anything new for Rovers, but supporters are already starting to voice their discontent after a poor start to the new season, on the back of a woeful campaign last year.

“The fortunate thing for me in my career is I’ve never really taken over clubs that have been flying,” Clarke continued. “Bristol Rovers last time, Port Vale didn’t win in the first seven games, won nine out of the last 11 then got promoted the next year. Cheltenham hadn’t scored a goal in 11 games.

“What I’m trying to get with that is that I understand the process we’re going into at the minute. Not to say I’m happy about it, by the way. Obviously I’m not happy about it. We want to be getting on a better start, but I also understand that what needs to be done to be able to make sure that the pain is as short as possible, because it is painful at the minute, I get it.

“A lot of the fans are going to hate me saying it but we have to be a little bit patient. I have to be patient to where we need to get to and, until I can change the mentality around the club and one or two player changes and whatnot, it’ll be a few more painful times like this, but then we’ll grow stronger.”