Early goals in either half were enough for Bristol Rovers to make it back-to-back pre-season wins on Saturday.
The Gas edged a 2-1 victory over League Two Exeter City at the Mem, with Jayden Mitchell-Lawson opening the scoring on three minutes.
Cameron Hargreaves doubled the lead almost instantly after half time, before Tom Parkes pulled one back for the visitors.
It was Rovers' second outing ahead of the new season following last Saturday's 4-0 win at Bristol Manor Farm, and several players impressed in the hard-fought win.
Anssi Jaakkola
He wasn’t called on to make any truly spectacular saves, but he was classy between the sticks and dealt with several threatening crosses well.
His best save was to deny Ryan Bowman with a point-blank header in the first half.
The Finnish international organised his defence well and showed his worth to Rovers extends beyond being a top-class shot-stopper.
Josh Grant
The former Chelsea man looked at home in the Rovers midfield, picking some nice passes and being unhurried in possession.
He showed strength at times, and also great awareness. A superb half-turn on the edge of the box unlocked the Exeter defence, only for his through ball to be just too heavy for Jayden Mitchell-Lawson.
There were signs in this performance that he can be more than just a holding midfielder for the Gas.
Cameron Hargreaves
Was a bit sloppy in the early stages but grew into the game and showed his trademark endeavour.
Pounced on a loose ball to score a lovely goal on his left foot moments into the second half, which certainly would have caught his manager’s eye.
Ed Upson
The veteran midfielder was brought on as one of nine changes on the hour, and he showed his value to the Rovers manager with a tidy display.
Didn’t overcomplicate things, but he was a composed presence in midfield and calmed the game down. One brilliant turn away from an onrushing Exeter attacker displayed his excellent awareness.
Sam Nicholson
There was a sense the Scottish winger was frustrated throughout his 45 minutes on the pitch, but he showed flashes of his exciting ability.
The visiting defenders couldn’t deal with his quick turns and changes of pace, and he really should have marked his performance with a goal, but he couldn’t convert a one-on-one chance in the final 15 minutes.
