The Gas were dominant throughout the first half

19:23, 04 Oct 2025Updated 19:29, 04 Oct 2025

New Bristol Rovers head coach Darrell Clarke looks on(Image: James Baylis – AMA/Getty Images)

Darrell Clarke has expressed his disappointment at Bristol Rover’s failure to hold onto their first half lead after their 2-1 defeat to Walsall on Saturday.

The Gas were dominant throughout the first half at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium against the League Two league leaders. Fabrizio Cavegn’s sixth strike of the season put Clarke’s men ahead, the Swiss striker swivelling before impressively slotting the ball into the bottom left corner inside the box.

With the commencement of the second period, the Saddlers began to grow into the game. A spell of pressure culminated with Aaron Pressley thumping a header home to draw the hosts level. Nine minutes later, the striker doubled his tally for the afternoon, putting his side ahead by slipping the ball past Luke Southwood with a low shot from close range.

READ MORE: Bristol Rovers player ratings vs Walsall: Cavegn scores again as Gas lose unbeaten runREAD MORE: Walsall 2-1 Bristol Rovers recap: Gas unbeaten run ends despite Cavegn strike

Opting to go long, Rovers tried to create an opportunity to equal the scoreboard with a whopping 10 minutes of additional play tagged on at the end of the 90. However, the Pirates failed to make anything stick and suffered their first defeat in almost two months.

Manager Clarke expressed his dismay at his team’s change in behaviours in the second half.

“Not good enough,” the 47-year-old bluntly put it.

“I’m pretty honest with my players; for me, nowhere near good enough. We didn’t ride the little bit of a storm, if it was that, bad goals we’ve conceded and never got control in the second half. The difference between the two halves was unbelievable, if I’m honest with you and I warned them at half time that we wanted a 90 minute performance and we came out flat in the second half.

“[Walsall] are going to get a bit of momentum, they are one nil down at home. They are a side that are good at what they do. But, I expect more from my players in that second half, to control, to make sure that we’re working on the build, that we work, that we look to get a foothold in the game. And it never came.”

Clarke’s men undoubtedly dominated proceedings in the first half with 71 per cent possession and six shots on goal to the Saddlers’ singular effort. However, the tables turned drastically after the break with the Pirates not managing a single attempt, Mat Sadler’s side this time getting five shots off at Southwood.

When asked what Rovers were missing in the second half, Clarke responded: “Complete control, getting hold of the ball. As soon as we start kicking it long, they eat it up. The three centre backs ate it up. And then for some reason we bring players on to change things up and we’re still kicking it long. I don’t understand it and it isn’t acceptable.

“I’m pretty honest and pretty straight to my players. We’ve got to be brainier, we’ve got to be wiser than that. We’ve got enough experience out there to know that, to know that that plan’s not working and to get on the ball but we didn’t do that today.”

Flipping the coin, there were plenty of positives to take from the first period of play in the Black Country. Summer signing Cavegn was a live wire, hitting the side netting just seconds after kick-off. His goal was the reward of an impressive first-half performance before being starved of opportunities in the second.

Furthermore, Bryant Bilongo’s return to the starting XI was more than promising, with Ellis Harrison, Kacper Lopata and others also standing out before the break.

Had performances continued past the midway point, opinions would be vastly different.

“When we look at it back, yeah,” Clarke stated when asked about the positives to take home from the West Midlands.

“But, for me, when we lose a game, I struggle with positives straight after a game when we lose a game in that magnitude. That second half, like I said, Jekyll and Hyde first half to second half. Second half, we have to be better, we have to manage those moments better and it needs addressing.

“There’s no magic wand, no magic fix. We were on a decent unbeaten run until today. It’s a disappointment today. I’m angry. The players know how I feel about it and we’ll respond. I’ve got no doubt that the group will respond. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we will but we’ve got to learn and we’ve got to be better moving forward.”

The string of tough league fixtures continues with a home encounter against MK Dons on the horizon next weekend, but not before a Vertu Trophy clash against Cheltenham Town on Tuesday night.

READ MORE: Every word Darrell Clarke said on Walsall challenge, Bristol Rovers’ consistency, and Mat Sadler

Clarke will also be without a couple of names for the next few games, most notably Southwood who has again been called up for Northern Ireland.

“Yeah, will do, making changes,” admitted Rovers’ English boss.

“Got another big game on Saturday, MK Dons. I’d like to thank the fans for the support today, absolutely outstanding. Disappointing journey home for them but I thank them for their support and we’ll go again Tuesday.”