Coughlan delighted with Bristol Rovers’ resilience after comeback win

Posted Sunday, September 22, 2019 by PA

Bristol Rovers boss Graham Coughlan praised the character shown by his side as they came from behind to win 3-1 away at AFC Wimbledon.

The Dons looked on course for victory when Marcus Forss put the home side ahead, but goals from Abu Ogogo, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Tony Craig gave Rovers a first win at the Dons since April 2017.

Coughlan said: “I thought the character of the team was different class to come from behind again and win 3-1, similar to how we did against Oxford.

“It’s pleasing, it’s nice to come away with 15 points from our first 10 games.

“We are looking for more, we were looking for more, and I think we should have had more if the truth be known.

“We’re not in a bad place, we’re making progress, and things are healthy, looking up and really positive at the football club at this moment in time.”

Forss’ third goal in four league games put the Dons ahead on 20 minutes.

But Ogogu levelled for the visitors on 29 minutes with a smart finish and his first goal since March 2018

Forss was sent off for a second yellow card for a foul on Clarke-Harris after earlier being booked for celebrating excessively after scoring,

Clarke-Harris fired Rovers into the lead after 75 minutes with his seventh goal of the campaign before stand-in skipper Craig wrapped things up with a close-range header in the 87th minute.

AFC Wimbledon remain in the bottom three having failed to win any of their first 10 matches.

Dons boss Wally Downes said: “It’s my job to lead them through this adversity. They’re professional footballers, they’ll be disappointed now but we come in again Monday and we go again with 10 games gone, it’s not even a quarter of the season gone.

“We’re ready to go again, we’ll be battling away, we’ll fight till the end like last season.

“It took us to the 93rd minute to stay up so we’re not worried about having any sort of fight or any battle to stay up we won’t be found wanting if one’s required.”

Speaking about the second Rovers goal, Downes added: “It was a miscalculation. It was a difficult one because the ball’s fired into the ground, the keeper is set and it’s gone up and over his head and he’s saying he doesn’t know if it went over the line or not but there was a bit of contact on him as well.

“Nathan (Trott) will be disappointed he didn’t take it cleanly but he didn’t seem to think it should have been given anyway.”