Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor questioned referee Gavin Ward as his Pirates lost at home for only the second time in Sky Bet League One this season.

Blackpool came out of the blocks quickest to score twice in the first 20 minutes at the Memorial Stadium en route to a 2-1 victory.

Kyle Joseph twice crossed low, initially for CJ Hamilton to shoot into the top corner of the Rovers net in the fifth minute before midfielder Karamoko Dembele then converted from another Joseph cross 14 minutes later.

Rovers responded through Chris Martin’s deft flick, following a long throw, and Taylor argued that his side should have had a free-kick at least – if not a penalty – when Aaron Collins was brought down with just a minute of the game left to play.

“It’s definitely a foul,” said Taylor. “You’ll probably freeze frame it to see if it was in the box or not but it was definitely a foul.

“Just like the handball in the wall in the first half was definitely that.

“The biggest one for me is their second goal. I need to get clarity from the officials for that in relation to what I need to instruct Connor Taylor to do in that situation.

“Jordan Rhodes is in an offside position and Taylor is stretching and back-pedalling. He heads it into a dangerous area and their player picks it up.

“One pass and it’s in the back of the net. Does he leave it? For me it’s still offside.”

Taylor added that he didn’t think referee Ward had controlled the game, with eight yellow cards handed out in the match, explaining that he would be unlikely to be asked by the media about the referee if the official had produced a good performance.

The former Exeter boss did hint after the game that striker Martin is set to extend his contract through to the end of the season.

Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley dismissed talk that his team might have conceded a late penalty when Collins was caught by two Seasiders defenders as he burst into the penalty area in stoppage time.

“It’s outside the box,” he said. “He falls in the box but it’s outside the box.

“It could have been given but we could have been given one against Nottingham Forest the other night.

“These things happen. I’ve got a list to go through of penalties that we should have had this season. But yes, maybe it was a free-kick.

“We’ve had to do it in a different way today. Certain aspects of our game away have been questioned this season. I think that answers some of them today.

“It wasn’t a pretty game of football but I thought we battled and competed and we had to against a really good team at home.”

Norwich manager David Wagner can look forward to a reunion with close friend Jurgen Klopp following a 3-1 win over Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium that secured a fourth-round tie at Liverpool.

Matt Taylor’s League One side threatened an upset when Luke McCormick fired them ahead after 20 minutes but Norwich rallied in the second half with goals from Gabriel Sara, Adam Idah and Kenny McLean seeing them into round four.

Rovers began the third-round replay brightly and former Norwich striker Chris Martin saw an early effort drift just wide before Luke Thomas’ header was comfortably saved by George Long.

Norwich, without the injured Josh Sargent, struggled to get going as an attacking force and that allowed the Gas to continue to press with only a superb Long save denying Antony Evans.

It proved to be only temporary respite for Norwich as from the subsequent corner McCormick put the Gas in command with a carefully-placed low drive from just inside the penalty area.

Things went from bad to worse for Wagner’s lacklustre side when defender Danny Batth limped off injured.

Norwich were sparked into life by the energetic Sara, who finally gave the travelling supporters something to shout about with a long-range effort that Matt Cox did well to push over.

But back came Rovers and Thomas should have doubled the lead just before half-time as the Norwich defence fell apart but he wasted an inviting opening and side-footed wide of Long’s goal from just outside the area.

Rovers continued to enjoy the upper hand after the break and only a fine, low save by Long kept out Thomas’ powerfully-struck shot and only desperate defending kept the hosts at bay as they pressed for a potentially decisive second goal.

Norwich got their attacking act together and were level on 53 minutes thanks to the impressive Sara, who bundled the ball home from close range after Sam McCallum’s effort struck the post with the Rovers defence at sixes and sevens.

Rovers were soon back on the front but were punished for their ambition when they were caught out on a swift counter-attack by the marauding Canaries.

The hosts were left outnumbered as Norwich poured forward and were punished when Connor Taylor brought down McLean in the box following a collision.

Referee Andy Davies pointed to the spot and while Brentford loanee Cox got a hand to Idah’s penalty it was not enough to stop the ball from spinning over the line to give Norwich a 59th-minute lead.

Rovers kept going but Martin was brilliantly denied an equaliser by Long as the League One side’s dreams of a first visit to Anfield since 1992 faded.

McLean sealed victory in the 87th minute with a long-range effort to ease Norwich nerves.

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins praised his side’s first-half performance after they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 at Oakwell

Devante Cole and Corey O’Keefe scored either side of Chris Martin’s equaliser to wrap up the three points.

Collins said: “It was a tough game. It was a game that I knew was going to be very tough.

“The fine balance is always emphasising to the team how tough it’s going to be without getting them scared and making sure we know it’s about us.

“I just felt this was a big one because Bristol (Rovers) will still have an eye on the play-offs. They’re good enough to do that and they’ve been on a good run of form.

“The players trained fantastically. I thought in the first half they were really excellent in most parts of the game apart from the final pass or final cross.

“Once we did get that right, we scored and probably should’ve done it a little bit more often and taken advantage of the first-half performance.”

On his side’s reaction to losing their lead, Collins said: “There’s always an opponent to consider, they brought on two big target strikers. We don’t have that dominant presence, although the lads at the back stood up to it really well.

“We’re going to have a lot more games like that between now and the end of the season. The good thing for me is there’s a lot of room for us still to improve, but a lot to be pleased with.”

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor pointed out the weaknesses that led to his side’s downfall.

He said: “We had a lot of chances; I didn’t think we were good enough first half.

“I think we lacked a little bit of our strength, intensity and brightness when the ball was in and around us.

“The second-half performance was much improved in terms of our understanding of what the game needed first and foremost.

“We haven’t kept a clean sheet since I’ve been here, that’s a pretty damning statement of myself and this group of players because we do create chances, we always look like we’ve got a threat about us.

“We’ve got to find a way of staying more controlled in games.”

On how his team conceded the first goal, Taylor said: “Every goal you concede you’ll go into real detail, but the really clear theme is that we’ve conceded too many goals that we feel are soft goals.

“At the moment, there’s a bit of softness and that’s not always a physical statement, it’s our mindset towards it, our understanding of what’s needed at certain times.

“It’s frustrating because throughout the course of the game we’ve created the cleaner chances, but it’s irrelevant.”

Barnsley returned to winning ways after defeating Bristol Rovers 2-1 at Oakwell.

Devante Cole and Corey O’Keefe scored either side of Chris Martin’s equaliser to wrap up the three points for Barnsley, who had drawn their last two league games.

The Tykes had a flurry of chances in the 32nd minute as Rovers could not clear. Adam Phillips came closest, but Matthew Cox was able to tip around the post.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute through Cole. He was picked out in the box by John McAtee, heading onto a post and tapping the rebound into an empty net.

Matt Taylor’s side had the chance to equalise in the opening minute of first-half stoppage time. Former Barnsley forward Luke Thomas turned inside the box and looked to curl one into the bottom left corner, but Roberts saved.

Rovers did equalise in the 68th minute when Antony Evans crossed from the right, finding Martin who directed his header into the far corner.

Neill Collins’ side regained the lead in the 73rd minute. Phillips played a composed pass to O’Keefe who slotted home from inside the box.

League One Bristol Rovers were more than a match for Championship outfit Norwich as they came away from Carrow Road with a well-deserved 1-1 draw.

The hosts took an early lead through Ashley Barnes but, roared on by 1,300 travelling fans, Rovers were quickly back on level terms thanks to a smart finish from Grant Ward.

The FA Cup third-round tie was an even game after that, with both sides having their chances, but that proved to be the end of scoring and Norwich were booed off at the end as the visitors claimed a replay at the Memorial Ground later this month.

Rovers made a positive start but found themselves behind after just 12 minutes as the hosts made their first genuine attack count.

A lapse from defender Tristan Crama allowed Onel Hernandez to get to the byline on the right and the City wide man crossed for Barnes to sidefoot into an unguarded net from close range.

Despite the setback, Rovers continued to take the game to their higher-ranked opponents and were deservedly back on terms within five minutes.

Keeper George Long did well to block an effort from Harvey Vale and young defender Kellen Fisher should have dealt with the loose ball but his weak clearance fell at the feet of Ward, who coolly picked out the top corner from around 12 yards.

The visitors might have got their noses in front three minutes before the break when Long was forced into an excellent reaction stop to deny Jevani Brown before Luke Thomas fired the rebound against an upright.

Both sides went close early in the second period, with Vale’s goalbound effort being blocked by Fisher before substitute Adam Idah just failed to get on the end of an inviting cross from Hernandez.

Norwich went close again when Idah fired inches wide after being picked out in the box by Liam Gibbs.

The hosts were looking the more likely winners as an entertaining tie entered its final quarter, with Barnes firing a presentable chance well over in the closing stages, but Rovers held out for a deserved replay.

Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor saluted veteran striker Chris Martin after he took out his “frustration” on Charlton with both goals in a 2-1 win at The Memorial Stadium.

Martin came off the bench to put the Gas ahead after 68 minutes and then had the final say four minutes into stoppage time after Manchester City loanee Slobodan Tedic had drawn Charlton level late on.

Taylor sang the 35-year-old’s praises after he revealed the Scotland international has been unhappy at having to play second-fiddle to fellow striker John Marquis in recent weeks.

He said: “Chris has probably been disappointed over the last few games not to have been starting.

“John Marquis has been leading the line well and scoring goals but tonight as the game was panning out we needed a different profile at the top end of the pitch.

“Once we got the ball into those dangerous areas he was bright and he was sharp and his first was a really good finish.

“But he has done that throughout the course of his career and I want him to keep buying into what we are trying to do in terms of work-rate and endeavour.”

Martin’s short-term Rovers contract expires in mid-January and his brace could not have come at a better time for the player and the club who ended 2023 with rare back-to-back wins.

Taylor added: “Hopefully this is another moment where a forward player can go on a bit of a run.

“Confidence is a big factor but his game is a model of consistency and he allows us to go more direct and he will get on the end of things.

“Both of his goals were classy and while they won’t go down as top goals in his overall career, they are classy finishes.

“I know he’s been frustrated over the last few games but every member of my senior group will always be frustrated if they don’t get the game time they think they deserve.

“But there’s an easy way to remedy that and that’s to perform as he did.”

For Addicks boss Michael Appleton, whose side have not won since November, the result was tough to take.

He said: “The end bit was hard to defend as a manager but what wasn’t hard to defend was the overall performance.

“We started the game really well and should have been two or three up and then we weathered the storm when we were under pressure.

“We were great in the second half and before they scored we had two or three really good opportunities

“We have done well and controlled the game and when we conceded it knocked the stuffing out of the lads.

“They showed really good character to get back into it but the second goal ruined all the good work the lads put in.

“I have to pick them up and make sure they are in the right frame of mind for New Year’s Day when we play Oxford who are a decent side.

“I have been here before and I recognise when groups need my help instead of being lambasted which is not going to help anyone.”

Matt Taylor pointed to his players’ efforts as Bristol Rovers became the first home team to beat Portsmouth in League One this season.

Paddy Lane equalised for Pompey in the 76th minute after Antony Evans had curled in an exquisite free-kick 10 minutes earlier for the hosts, but Rovers’ Luke Thomas struck four minutes into added time for a winner.

Taylor believes that Portsmouth will ultimately be promoted this year but, after overseeing a win at Bolton 10 days ago and now winning his first league game at the Memorial Stadium, the former centre-back says his team must go for it if they want to get into the promotion play-off picture themselves.

“It was emotional at the end,” said Taylor who picked up a yellow card for his exuberant touchline celebrations following winger Thomas’ late goal.

“I thought the lads got what they deserved and I was so pleased with the effort they put in and the fact that they got more to show for it than they might have got at the end – certainly their [Portsmouth’s] goal seemed to come out of nothing, maybe a mistake in the middle of the park from ourselves and suddenly it’s 1-1.”

A fiery encounter saw 11 yellow cards handed out to both teams and Taylor said that central defender Sean Raggett could have seen red for one bad tackle on Rovers’ Aaron Collins.

“It was a passionate game and exactly what you want to see on Boxing Day,” he added.

“I thought they got after [winger] Thomas – it was almost like they took off one left back who got booked and put another on to do the same – I’m so glad for him that he kept on going and was in the right place at the right time to win us the game.”

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho said his team must be more clinical after his substitutes Christian Saydee and Kusini Yengi missed good opportunities to grab late goals themselves.

“The shape change gave us momentum and got our attacking players doing the right things and we got back in the game deservedly and looked the team more likely to win,” he said.

“I thought a winner was coming [for Portsmouth]. We had a couple of goalmouth scrambles and good chances and got ourselves into a good position but Christian dragged his shot just wide. We have to got to do better in those areas.

“These games are tough. Sometimes these games are tight for 60-70 minutes and you don’t create a significant amount and players get tired…the state of the game changes and those are the times we have to be a lot better.”

Bristol Rovers paid the price for their naivety according to manager Matt Taylor after they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Sky Bet League One play-off contenders Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

John Marquis had equalised for Rovers after Ollie Norburn’s stunning opener. But second-half goals from Jake Beesley and Jordan Rhodes were enough to see Blackpool to three comfortable points.

Taylor felt it was only too obvious where the difference in the sides lay.

He said: “We were pleased to be level at half-time, but their second goal was a goal out of nothing. We showed a bit of inexperience and naivety. We didn’t quite do the basics.

“It’s happened far too often this season. We need to cut basic errors out if you want to be challenging in the top half of this league table. The basics is to defend your goal.

“It’s about a reaction to try and get back in the game, sometimes staying level for a bit longer is needed. The second goal was a real killer.

“We got into some dangerous positions, but didn’t work their keeper enough. They went a bit deeper as the game went on, but we weren’t able to force the issue enough.

“Apart from Luke Thomas, who was industrious all afternoon and a threat, we didn’t quite have it in us to beat an opposition player.”

Blackpool now sit four points adrift of the play-off places, with Norburn giving them the lead after 21 minutes with a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner.

Rovers responded when Marquis tapped home from close range, but Blackpool continued to press, Karamoko Dembele hitting the crossbar from a free-kick.

He then set up Beesley to restore the Blackpool lead a minute into the second half, with Rhodes notching his 15th of the season eight minutes from time to make the game safe, much to the satisfaction of Neil Critchley.

The Blackpool boss said: “I thought it was a positive performance. We started the game well and I thought we looked a good team.

“It was disappointing to be 1-1 at half-time.

“It was a fantastic first goal and how the goal came about was really pleasing. Ollie has shown that he can do it in training, so when he did line it up, we knew there was a chance. As soon as it left his foot it was like an arrow – a great strike.

“Up until the first goal, we were the team on the front foot playing in their half. We were disappointed to let an equaliser in, but the timing of the second and third goals were crucial. Bristol Rovers came into the game in the second half.

“It’s a good three points and a good start to the Christmas period. But we have to go to Burton now and get something.”

New boss Matt Taylor says he is still learning about his players after Bristol Rovers endured some tricky second-half moments in a 4-2 FA Cup second-round victory at Crewe.

Taylor secured his first win in his third game since taking charge of the Pirates at the beginning of the month, but what looked like an easy canter to a third-round trip to Norwich faded in a jittery closing period at Gresty Road when the home side halved a four-goal deficit.

John Marquis, James Wilson and Anthony Evans all scored in the first half and Ryan Cooney’s own goal made it 4-0 before Elliott Nevitt and Aaron Rowe got the the League Two side back into the contest.

Taylor said: “It is not about me, but about the team winning games of football.

“I am learning about this group of players and the first 70 minutes was really positive.

“Crewe have had good home form, so to be 3-0 up at half-time was excellent. We have now got to work as hard as we did for the first 70 minutes of that game.

“I’ve watched a lot of footage and that is the best I’ve seen from us. We won the ball high up the pitch when we were able to get pressure on the opposition and we have got players of a certain talent that can put the ball in the back of the net.

“But while we were excellent in parts, we were not in other parts and a few things went against us which I was not happy with. We could have been 5-0 up and probably should have been with a penalty decision and the game would have been dead and buried.

“But they broke away and put the ball into the back of the net and we had a little bit of a stagger in the second half. There’s a little bit of learning we have to take from that, but considering Crewe got two goals back with a bit of time left I am pleased it didn’t materialise into something else.”

Crewe manager Lee Bell was frustrated with how his side started the game.

“We have too good a group of players to allow things like that to happen,” he said.

“There’s a lot to learn from as the goals we conceded were unacceptable and if we continue that trend then we are not going to be successful.

“Bristol sat deep and we got in behind a number of times in the first half, but the decisions we took were the wrong ones.

“We have got to get better and get better, but we have got players who are coming back to fitness and hopefully we’ll have a full squad to pick from in the next week or two.

“Our crowd have been brilliant and we wanted to make it as exciting as we could for them – I thought we could have pinched one more as well – and hopefully they won’t see too many performances like that or see us let goals like that in again.”

New manager Matt Taylor savoured his first win since taking charge of Bristol Rovers as his side held off Crewe’s second-half fightback to win their FA Cup second-round replay 4-2.

John Marquis, James Wilson and Anthony Evans all scored to give the League One side a 3-0 half-time lead.

Ryan Cooney’s own goal made it four before Elliott Nevitt and Aaron Rowe struck to get the League Two side back into the contest, but they could not pull off the comeback.

Marquis handed the visitors an 18th-minute lead with a superb solo strike. He intercepted a loose pass, weaved into the box, slipped past two defenders and fired into the far corner.

Rovers made the most of some poor set-piece defending by Crewe to double their lead in the 24th minute. Evans’ corner was allowed to slip through to Wilson and the centre-backhooked a low finish into the corner.

Marquis headed a good chance straight into the arms of goalkeeper Harvey Davies but Rovers soon extended their lead when former Crewe loanee Evans cut in from the right flank and drove an effort high into the far corner.

Crewe’s hopes of getting back into the tie faded soon after the interval when substitute Cooney guided Evans’ cross into his own net at the far post for Rovers’ fourth.

The Railwaymen responded spiritedly. Substitute Nevitt cut in and curled a neat finish into the far corner in the 65th minute.

And the deficit was reduced further when Rowe bundled the ball in at the far post after Joe White’s shot fell into the winger’s path.

But Rovers negotiated the remaining 17 minutes, albeit with some jitters, to book a third-round trip to Norwich.

Leyton Orient head coach Richie Wellens believed that his side warranted the three points after their 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.

Rovers took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time through Grant Ward, and Wellens was not happy with how his side defended the set-piece.

Orient did dominate possession and territory however, if unable to fashion chances, finishing the match with only two shots on target.

Their last-gasp equaliser was an own goal by Rovers defender Tristan Crama.

“The set-up is poor on our part. We shouldn’t be letting good players have a strike from the edge of the box but then we weren’t really in any danger,” said Wellens.

“I remember watching the second half and I don’t remember looking right, it was always in their half. Our football was smooth, that system really suited us but we just need to make more clever and unselfish runs to pick up space.

“Then apart from when we went to 1-1 and Browny (Jordan Brown) headed back and Marquis ran onto it we weren’t really in any danger.

“The performance was such that we deserved the three points.”

Andy Mangan, interim Bristol Rovers manager, explained that his side are being affected by the ongoing managerial situation following the sacking of Joey Barton.

Mangan said that he recognises that the players are not playing freely currently, after they took the lead through Ward but were unable to keep a second clean sheet in four league games.

“I’m gutted for the lads. We’ve dropped deeper and deeper and they keep getting balls in there and one has dropped for them. The goal should stand. The officials haven’t done anything wrong there,” he explained.

“The lads were nervy at that point (late in the game). They’re desperate to do well for the staff. But balls keep coming into the box and you have to see it out. In these winter months you’re going to see games like that.

“I can’t be any prouder of the players – they’re desperate for the staff to stay and they can’t give any more.

“I thought Leyton Orient were decent tonight. We’re not firing on all cylinders at the moment, which is completely understandable. They’re not playing free at the moment, with the situation going on at the moment.

“Everyone knows what’s happening at the club: are the staff going to stay or are they going to go? It’s a difficult situation.

“All I can say is that it’s been a wonderful experience and I’ve got nothing but thanks for the owners. All I can do is be thankful for the opportunity (to manage the club since Barton left).”

Paul Warne was glad Tyrese Fornah ignored him and set up Derby’s winning goal in a 2-1 League One victory over Bristol Rovers.

The midfielder delivered the pass that Nathaniel Mendez-Laing put away in the last minute to take Derby into the top six.

It ended Rovers’ six-game unbeaten run in all competitions but for long periods the visitors looked like frustrating Derby.

In a scrappy first half, the away side came closest to scoring when a Grant Ward shot was touched onto the post by Joe Wildsmith.

Mendez-Laing produced a moment of quality Derby needed in the 66th minute when he went past Josh Grant on the right and whipped in a low cross which Jack Hunt could only turn into his own net.

Derby missed chances to score a second and Rovers looked to have earned a point in the 87th minute when former Rams striker Chris Martin headed in an Antony Evans free-kick.

But Fornah had other ideas and three minutes later, picked out Mendez-Laing who fired a low shot from the centre of the box past Matthew Cox.

Warne said: “He’s (Fornah) been on international duty. It was good to have him back and he looked as if he had a bit of a spring in his step.

“He came on today and was a real force. The first goal, if you watch it back you’ll see him running into the box like an absolute whippet and if Jack Hunt hadn’t connected, he probably would have scored.

“For the second goal – in fairness to him – I’m glad he didn’t listen to me because I wanted him to give it to Nat (Mendez-Laing) straight away and he didn’t.

“I’m thinking ‘what’s he doing’ and then he gives it back to Nat and I’m thinking ‘that’s what he’s doing, I get it’! He was excellent and played a big part in our win.

“We changed the shape at half-time. Created enough chances to win but if you’ve only got one goal, you’re always susceptible to an equaliser so then to get a late winner is great.”

Rovers interim manager Andy Mangan said: “It’s tough. First half, I thought everything went to plan, we frustrated them, hit them on the counter and had chances.

“I’m gutted for the lads because I think they deserved more, I thought everything we planned came to fruition. Mistakes happen in games but we’ve got to cut that out.

“But I thought we had some really good moments and I think that’s probably up there with the best performance since I’ve been in charge.

“Unfortunately, we’ve made a couple of mistakes but there were loads of moments we can take great confidence from.”

Bristol Rovers caretaker manager Andy Mangan was full of praise for his 10-man side’s desire after earning a hard-fought 1-0 win at Carlisle.

Sam Lavelle’s own goal before half-time proved to be the difference as Rovers, who extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches, rose to 10th place in the League One table and United dropped to 22nd.

The Pirates went a man down in the 73rd minute as Tristan Crama pulled back Terry Ablade to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity, but they held on for victory.

“I’m delighted for them to be honest,” said Mangan, who has overseen three wins and a draw since taking interim charge following the sacking of Joey Barton.

“Their endeavour, their hard work, their desire to see that through after the sending-off is amazing. The lads deserve all the credit that they can get.”

The winning goal came in the 38th minute, when the returning Jack Hunt’s cross took a wicked deflection off opposition defender Lavelle and looped into the net.

Mangan said a change of shape played a key part in securing all three points.

“I just felt we could hurt them in wide areas,” he added.

“I think in the first 20 minutes you saw some really decent chances for us on the counter, when we hit them on the break.

“Jack Hunt was getting crosses in wide. Harvey Vale was then landing on them because they play a four. So the change of shape actually helped us.

“I thought we were a little bit more dangerous on the counter-attack and also, because they’re a little bit direct, what we could do was catch their long balls and then pick up a few more balls in the middle of the park with the three in the middle. It went to plan, thankfully, in the end.”

Carlisle boss Paul Simpson described the decisive goal as a “horrible” one to give away, but was keen to avoid blaming the result entirely on bad luck.

“It’s those fine margins that we keep falling on the wrong side of,” he said.

“There’s other things that we need to concern ourselves with, rather than just that.

“It’d be wrong to just look at that and say we were unlucky because you have to make your own luck.

“We’ve had 23 crosses into the box, we’ve had 10 corners, we’ve had six free-kicks, we’ve had five long throw-ins. We haven’t got on the end of enough of them. We haven’t troubled their goalkeeper.

“And, the big thing for me, we have to get to a mental state where we’ve got a desire to go and score goals and to get on the end of things.

“They’ve had some decent bits of football – I’ll give them that – and they’ve got some good footballers in there, but they haven’t troubled us a hell of a lot in terms of our goal.”

Ten-man Bristol Rovers earned a hard-fought 1-0 win at Carlisle to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches.

Sam Lavelle’s own goal before half-time proved to be the difference as managerless Rovers rose to 10th place in the League One table and Carlisle dropped to 22nd.

The Cumbrians looked threatening in the first half, with Jack Armer almost getting a toe on the end of Luke Plange’s low cross and Jordan Gibson dragging a shot wide.

But it was the Pirates who took the lead in the 38th minute, when the returning Jack Hunt’s cross took a wicked deflection off opposition defender Lavelle and looped into the net.

Carlisle pushed for an equaliser after the break, with Dylan McGeouch’s effort saved by Matthew Cox and substitute Sean Maguire’s flick-on from Owen Moxon’s low corner going over the crossbar.

Cox had to be alert again in the 65th minute, making a superb save down to his right to turn Plange’s header around the post.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men 17 minutes from time as Tristan Crama pulled back Terry Ablade to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Further good saves from Cox denied the subsequent free-kick from Moxon and a shot from Plange, and the visitors held on for victory.

Reading manager Ruben Selles urged his team to be more ruthless in front of goal after a scrappy 1-1 home draw with Bristol Rovers in League One.

Bottom-of-the-table Reading went ahead five minutes before the interval when striker Sam Smith rifled in his first goal of the season.

But Rovers levelled in the 57th minute when former Reading loanee Chris Martin lofted a fine shot over home keeper David Button.

Reading are now winless in eight league matches.

“Football is all about moments and we had a moment to make it 2-0 [Harvey Knibbs’ chance shortly before half-time],” Selles said.

“Then, in the second half, they scored their goal. But we had many situations to score our second one and we didn’t do it.

“When we did make that pressure with that action from Sam, it was good that he got his goal.

“But we can be better in this area, with our finishing. We had a lot of ball in the opposition half but in those situations, we need to get in more shots and more shots on target.

“We made a lot of turnarounds, when we won the ball, but we made some mistakes after that.

“If we want to be competitive, we have to take advantage of these good positions.

“It is not about individual players missing these chances, it is about all of us. We have been in these situations before. It is as a team that we need to take these chances.

”We have been making a rotation in our League One squad. And I have been trying to be consistent with 80 per cent of the team.

“When we make our selections, we always try to have some options.”

Rovers caretaker manager Andy Mangan is now unbeaten in three league and FA Cup matches in charge since replacing the sacked Joey Barton last month.

“The feeling in the dressing room, it’s really frustrated,” Mangan said. “I feel like the result has cost us three points.

“We’ve created several chances, going right through to the very end.

“We felt like we played well throughout and we had the better chances over the 90 minutes. We all know that.

“We cost ourselves on the first goal. And it’s always hard when you’re 1-0 down.

“But we showed a lot of guts in the team to come back. We were really positive at half-time.

“We came out firing in the second half. The first 20 minutes, we managed to get that goal.

“And although we might have dropped off a bit after that, I still thought we should have won the game in the end.”