Bristol Rovers

Attendance: 1,176 (651)

Rovers and Welling played out a goalless draw at Park View Road having played each other twice in the space of seven days.

Darrell Clarke decided to freshen up his starting 11 handing full club debuts to Angelo Balanta, Bradley Goldberg and loan goalkeeper Fabian Spiess with Ollie Clarke also taking a spot in the starting 11 having recovered from injury.

Rovers started the game brightly and Bradley Goldberg had an opportunity inside the first two minutes. The Dagenham loanee managed to wriggle past Michael Chambers twisting and turning the whole way but could only shoot straight at Benji Buchel.

Tyrone Marsh went close for the home side in the early going from a 25-yard free kick. Marsh took the free kick direct and forced a good save out of loan keeper Fabian Spiess.

The first half was similar to the one last weekend at the Mem, and lacked many incidents of note but Rovers came out in the second half trying to make their mark on the game.

A superb pass from Angelo Balanta cut open the Welling defence and picked out Nathan Blissett. Blissett applied a calm backheel into the path of Bradley Goldberg who shot straight at Benji Buchel.

Moments later Rovers had an opportunity cleared off the line from a Lee Mansell corner.

The delivery from Mansell was inch perfect onto the head of Tom Lockyer who thundered a header goalwards only to see Ben Jefford clear the ball from the Wing’s goal line.

Rovers continued to apply pressure to a tiring Welling defence and Nathan Blissett managed to burst past Jamal Fyfield and pick out substitute Jake Gosling who rifled a shot at goal only to see it blocked by Michael Chambers.

Darrell Clarke tried to change the tide of the game bringing the clubs top goal scorer Matty Taylor off of the bench with just over 20 minutes remaining but it was Rovers other two substitutes who created Rovers first real chance.

Jake Gosling showed a fantastic turn of pace to evade his marking down the Rovers left and managed to pick out Alex Wall superbly but the Luton loanee could only head over the top of the goal.

Welling’s best chance of the game happened moments later as Jamal Fyfield couldn’t bundle the ball home at the far post from a Tyrone Marsh free kick.

As the game entered the final five minutes Rovers won a free kick on the edge of the area following a foul on Matty Taylor. Alex Wall stepped up a curled a beautiful effort goalwards but Buchel was equal to it and saved low down to his right.

Rovers continued to apply pressure but it didn’t seem to be their day in front of goal as Jake Gosling scuffed his effort wide in the dying seconds of the game.

Up next for Rovers is the first round of the FA Trophy as the men in blue and white host Bath City at the Memorial Stadium.

Welling: Buchel, Fyfield, Fagan, Penny (St. Aimie – 11), Marsh, Jefford, Bassele (Hudson – 60), Chambers, Corne, Williams, Healy (C) (Bush – 90).

Unused Substitutes: Henly, Taylor.

Rovers: Spiess, Lockyer, McChrystal (C), Parkes, Sinclair, Clarke, Mansell, Brown, Balanta (Gosling - 62), Goldberg (Wall – 62), Blissett (Taylor –69).

Unused Substitutes: Leadbitter, Trotman.