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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Sam Frost

Bristol Rovers player ratings vs Lincoln City: Miserable afternoon ends in heavy defeat

James Belshaw - 5

Six goals conceded and barely had a chance of keeping any of them out. Just not your day as a goalkeeper when you are done by a pair of wicked deflections, a penalty and some abject defending in front of you. Saved well from Tom Hopper to prevent a seventh.

Luca Hoole - 3

Did not deal with the cross that allowed Ben House to put Lincoln ahead and had a really testing afternoon with the speedy Jack Diamond roaming down his side all afternoon. He has not been helped in recent weeks by the revolving door beside him when it comes to selection due to Rovers' run of injuries and suspensions.

Glenn Whelan - 3

Asked to do a job at centre-back by his manager and he endured a really difficult start when he was adjudged to have fouled Ben House for the penalty that made it 2-0. Whelen thought he was hard done by and it will be interesting to see the footage. As the game wore on, Rovers' defensive structure collapsed and although Whelan made a couple of interventions to prevent further damage, this afternoon went from bad to worse for the Gas. Not a specialist in the position, of course, but a really difficult afternoon.

Lewis Gordon - 3

Lax touches typified his first half and struggled defensively in the second. May be credited with an own goal, with House's cross taking a big deflection off the Gas defender before beating Belshaw and finding the back of the net. He did get the assist for Rovers' third, finding Loft on the edge of the box after a positive run forward. Similarly to Hoole, it must be taken into account that there has been little consistency in selection around him due to injuries meaning he has not had an easy ride of settling into the team.

Harry Anderson - 4

Attacked well in the first half, connecting well with McCormick, but in playing high and wide that left plenty of space for Jack Diamond to work with and the Imps winger struck a hat-trick.

Sam Finley (c) - 5

Had a bright first half, creating good opportunities for his teammates, but he grew increasingly frustrated as Rovers slipped towards a heavy defeat.

Antony Evans - 4

Was very unlucky to be denied a fine goal by the woodwork for the second game in succession with his free-kick beating the wall and Carl Rushworth but not the post. To his credit, he never stopped trying to create right to the end, but nothing came off.

Luke McCormick - 4

Started brightly with a shot that whizzed just past the post and he had a hand in creating a good chance for Loft. But he went down softly in search of a foul after doing the hard work to curtail Tashan Oakley-Boothe's surge forward. The referee allowed play on and Matty Virtue made it 4-1.

Trevor Clarke - 6

Offered good width on the left and delivered one or two crosses that led to chances. He could have done more with his opportunities to create. But he was a bright spark.

Ryan Loft - 6

Could have had three or four on another day. Could have done better from Collins' first-half cross and he was sensationally denied with a block on the line by Regan Poole soon after. Did get on the scoresheet in the second half with an accurate finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Aaron Collins - 7

Scored two near identical goals by rounding goalkeeper Carl Rushworth and finishing neatly into an empty net. Could have had a hat-trick but he was denied by a good save from the keeper. A source for optimism on an otherwise miserable afternoon.

Substitutes

Harvey Saunders (for McCormick on 62') - 5

Brought on as Barton rolled the dice with Rovers 6-2 down. No chances came his way.

John Marquis (for Anderson on 62') - 5

A few scraps came his way but nothing of real significance.

Paul Coutts (for Clarke on 62') - 6

Made an impact with his passing, claiming the assist for Collins' second, though the quality of his play faded as his cameo came to an end. Did bring more security in midfield after Lincoln had a lot of success on the counter before he came on.

Sylvester Jasper (for Loft on 77') - 5

His dribbling got him into good positions, but his delivery was poor.

Not used: Anssi Jaakkola, Alfie Kilgour, Zain Westbrooke.

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