Isaac Hutchinson calls for unity from all fronts as Bristol Rovers look to kickstart new season

Isaac Hutchinson scored 10 man Bristol Rovers’ equalising goal against Chesterfield on Saturday before they fell to a 3-1 defeat

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

10:37, 18 Aug 2025

Isaac Hutchinson pictured in action for Bristol Rovers(Image: Kieran McManus/EFL)

Isaac Hutchinson has called for unity from everyone associated with Bristol Rovers as they look to kickstart their season following four defeats from their first four games.

The attacking midfielder scored the equalising goal off the bench in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Chesterfield as Rovers had to deal with playing most of the game with 10 men after a controversial decision to send right wing-back Joel Senior off.

Despite an improved performance from the Gas, it has still been an underwhelming start to the new season in League Two following the club’s relegation last term. However, Hutchinson believes that looking back on that disappointment only adds to any negativity surrounding the club and it is important to look ahead, not behind.

“I’d think we’d all do well to erase last season full stop,” the 25-year-old said post-match. “The way I see it, it’s four games. Last season’s done, there’s no need to keep bringing it up because it’s just not worth it. What good’s it doing? It’s four games. We’ve not won but it’s not the end of the world. It is a new season.

“To carry it on from last season just adds a bit of a fuel to the fire for people who are negative to go, ‘see, we haven’t won in this amount, we haven’t done this and that’ but really, it’s a fresh start with a fresh group and, like I say, we’ve not started great, but it’s four games.

“I think there always is [effort] and I think to question it is out of order because there’s always effort there from the boys, not a single one of them is doing anything other than giving a 100 per cent.

“So now is not the time to be divided and to be throwing blame at anyone, player to player, fans to player. You just need to get on with it as a team, as a club. Everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction, which we’re obviously not at the moment.”

“It was always going to be tough with regards to turning around a situation that obviously is a tough situation,” he added to Bristol Live.

“It’s going to take time to turn around, which is why it’s so important that we’re all being positive with it. Any negativity from last season will only hinder us this season. So if we all just focus on looking forward to the next game and doing the best we can as a club, everyone included, fans, players, staff, you guys, everyone chipping in, that’s the only way things will get better.”

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Rovers had started the game solidly at the SMH Group Stadium as both sides had good opportunities to open the scoring, first for the hosts as defender Tom Naylor forced a save from Luke Southwood from a corner, then for the Gas as Promise Omochere fired a great chance wide.

Darrell Clarke’s side was then dealt two sucker punches within the space of less than two minutes, in the form of being reduced to 10 men and then felling behind.

Senior was deemed to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity, leading to a free-kick being awarded which Chesterfield used to their advantage as Naylor scored from a recycled cross.

Hutchinson was brought on in the 61st minute at the SMH Group Stadium and seven minutes later bundled home into the back of the net after Chesterfield goalkeeper Zach Hemming got a palm to an effort from Alfie Kilgour.

After conceding, the Spireites’ man advantage started to become increasingly obvious as Southwood was relied upon to make a string of saves before two late goals from Kyle McFadzean and Armando Dobra secured the victory for Chesterfield.

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Reflecting on the decision to send Senior off and the game itself, Hutchinson said: “I mean, it’s not a red card and we’ve all watched it back and you can clearly see that. So, I don’t know what the club will do about appealing it and stuff like that, but it’s just a decision that’s killed us and the refs, to be honest.

“We had a meeting with them at the start of the season and they’re explaining all these things to us, but I don’t feel like they’ve done any of them. It’s a tough game to play at the moment because some things are blatant fouls, they get let go and some things aren’t fouls at all and they get given. So you don’t know what you can and can’t do. It just kills you and that’s killed us today.

“I think, obviously a tough game against a good team, and obviously when we got down to 10 men, staying in it was the main objective, because when it’s one goal there’s always a chance to nick something. And yeah, I think when things aren’t going your way, they’re not going your way.

“We get back to 1-1 and we want to obviously stay solid first and foremost, but I even think we’ve got a chance of nicking it because we always do. But like I say, I think lack of confidence, just a tough situation in general. Things go against you like that and we just need to be really strong as a group to battle through it really.”

Rovers now have the benefit of back-to-back home matches this week as they look to get their season up and running, starting with Oldham Athletic tomorrow evening before hosting Cambridge United on Saturday afternoon.

Isaac Hutchinson calls for unity from all fronts as Bristol Rovers look to kickstart new season

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