John Marquis experienced an eventful evening at Chippenham Town on his first showing on English soil for Bristol Rovers. The striker scored twice, including the opener inside 10 seconds, and was then withdrawn at half-time with a dead leg as the Gas claimed a 4-1 victory.
Marquis tapped in an early double but went down injury just before the break and was substituted. The 30-year-old joined his squad mates on the bench but was seen limping down the tunnel at the conclusion of the game, later revealing his absence from the second half was just a precautionary measure.
Although Marquis was the obvious headline act, having arrived at Rovers earlier this month as their "marquee signing", it was a more familiar face who stole the show at Hardenhuish Park with Harvey Saunders absolutely electric. Setting up both of Marquis' goals, scoring twice himself and running the home defence ragged for much of the game.
Stationed to the left of a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 in possession, the 24-year-old delivered several reminders of what he can offer the Gas in a squad that following the summer exit of Sam Nicholson and loan returns of Luke Thomas and Elliot Anderson lacks attacking width.
As far as finishing initiations go, Marquis undoubtedly has experienced far more challenging ones over the course of his career as barely 10 seconds was on the clock before he tapped the Gas ahead.
Straight from kick-off, Saunders burst down the left, caught his full-back either napping or not anticipating his acceleration, and then advanced to the byline before squaring to Marquis who was barely three yards out, tapping into an empty net.
Saunders gave the hosts’ right-back a torrid start to the game as he once again burst past his man down the flank and looked to pick out Marquis but the time a defender got across to put it out for a corner.
That very much suggested a rout but Chippenham recovered with confidence and the uniquely named Trialist C was causing some problems; first he drove wide of the post with Anssi Jaakkola rooted, and then he won a penalty following a corner which wasn't cleared and amid a sea of bodies, he was tripped.
He did his hopes of earning a contract at Chippenham considerable help by then taking the spot-kick and finding the corner of the net, low to Jaakkola's right.
But Rovers then re-asserted their position on 24 minutes as Zain Westbrooke bisected the defence to pick out the onrushing Saunders who once again motored forward and found Marquis. The striker essentially then walking the ball into the net.
Five minutes later and it was three with Saunders tearing down his wing again, but this time electing to shoot rather than pass and driving the ball into the far corner.
Chippenham had further chances, keeping makeshift centre-back Paul Coutts on his toes alongside young defenders Sam Heal and Jamie Egan.
Trevor Clarke was lively at left-back, linking well with Saunders and always looking to get the Gas on the move. While young Ryan Jones and Jerry Lawrence put in a good shift in the middle of the park.
Marquis' exit at the break did affect the Gas' shape with Harvey Greenslade not the same sort of reference point in attack but Saunders put the result beyond doubt on 55 minutes when the young forward's invention picked him out with a clever slide pass inside the defence, and he slotted the ball into the corner.
There was a notable drop in intensity as Rovers then allowed the hosts more of the ball, retreating a little to their 18-yard box with a few scares as Jaakkola was forced to make a couple of strong saves but the damage had been done in the opening two-thirds of the game.
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