Swindon boss Ian Holloway thankful to take a point from Bristol Rovers draw
Matty Virtue had the best opportunity of the game.
Swindon manager Ian Holloway admitted he would have “probably gone and killed a mollusc” for the point a 0-0 draw with Bristol Rovers yielded at the Memorial Stadium.
Holloway was upbeat even though the M4 derby ended in stalemate and drew satisfaction from the point as his team built on their surprise 3-1 midweek win over high-flying Barnet.
Holloway was left to rue Liverpool academy product Matty Virtue’s failure to convert the game’s best chance when just 90 seconds were on the clock.
“We made a blistering start and within two minutes we had the best move of the game, and we’ve hit the post instead of scored,” Holloway said.
“If that had gone in, I think we’d have won the game, but we need to take our chances when we’ve created them.
“But we looked good too and they’re not a bad team, things have been going for them, and they showed that.
“We stood up to whatever they threw at us, and it wasn’t an exhilarating game that I wanted to see, between two really good teams who could end up at the top of the table by the end of the season.
“We could have had two or three today, but we’re growing into it. I believe that’s four points out of the last six away from home, which is something that I would have killed for.
“Last Saturday, I would have probably gone and killed a mollusc, ripped those four points out of six off him, because I felt the lads needed it.”
Rovers boss Steve Evans claimed his team were the victims of an injustice as their four-match losing streak came to an end in blustery conditions.
The Scot insisted referee Seb Stockbridge got it wrong when he denied Gas striker Joe Quigley a dramatic winner deep in stoppage-time of their West Country clash.
Evans said: “Right on time, and I’ve looked at it back, because I didn’t know at the time, but I’ve looked at it back, there’s simply no fill when the ball ends up in the net.
“There’s been no foul and the referee is an experienced referee, but I’m thinking he’s looking at the clock.
“He’s 20 seconds over, but he’s allocated and he’s thinking no one’s going to score so everyone will be happy, but I’ll go and see him.
“And that’s a real shame because he’s caught that nice, and it’s a good header and Connor Ripley’s wrong-footed and he’s gone to the other side of the goal.
“Somebody falls to the floor and he gives a free kick and it’s just another one of five horrendous decisions over the last five games. I’ll no doubt get another apology.”