Iñigo Calderón stated he was pleased for everyone at Bristol Rovers after the Gas beat Barnsley 3-1 in Sky Bet League One.
The Pirates were coming up against a Tykes outfit who had won their last four matches in the third tier and had to endure a confident spell from the visitors but scored either side of half-time through Gatlin O’Donkor and Isaac Hutchinson scored to give Rovers a 2-0 lead.
Josh Earl got one back for Barnsley, but Ruel Sotiriou scored a late third for the hosts to confirm the Gas’ second straight win in League One and Calderón’s first at The Memorial Stadium.
Calderón was delighted with his players and the passion that they displayed and praised the connection between the team and the fans.
I think we all deserve that...
“It feels really, really good,” he said. “I think we all deserve that. The game against Ipswich was not a good moment for us because I don’t think we were ready for that game, and it is true that it was a difficult defeat.
“I’m so pleased with the boys, for the staff, for the fans obviously because I think we found a way to win today and probably could have scored a couple more. For me, the boys did great today and the same as Cambridge. You have to find a way. To get out of the situation we are because we are still in a bad situation, you are going to win like that. I would like to win controlling the game and be more pretty, but you have to win like that, and I think that’s a credit to the boys because they found a way, especially against a team that was in a good run.
“You could see they had a run; they had the confidence, and as we started quite timid at the beginning because we’re in a transition period a bit more, and it is not easy against a team that is so good. So, it was really difficult for the boys, and that’s why I am so, so pleased for them.”
You could see the passion...
“You could see the passion,” said the head coach. “That’s why when you play at home, you have that extra lift. You have the centre-backs overlapping and crossing. So, that’s more passion than tactics, and I was really, really pleased. They have been working really hard in a difficult situation because football is so much different when you are down and when you are up in the table.
“Everything is more difficult. Everything is more tense. So, to have the relief today to get the three points is massive. A lot of things to work on because we conceded a lot of chances, and we will have to work, but in the end, we won because we wanted it a lot.”
Josh Griffiths was outstanding...
“I think Josh Griffiths was alright,” joked Calderón. “He was great, especially in the first half, he was unbelievable. You need that. It was a great group performance; it was a great Individual performance, and that helps. He was outstanding today, really outstanding, so it gives us that confidence from the back, so I think it was a great win.
We can build that confidence...
“The problem with the cup was that everyone was thinking about the 3-0,” he said. “But it was a Premier League club. As I said, I was not happy with the performance, but it was still a Premier League club.
“Now you see the last two league games as a win. That’s a different thing. We can build that confidence, and all the things we are working on will be a bit easier, but still, we are in a good situation.”
I think the connection is important...
“It’s so good because the first [home] one I could not enjoy that much against Leyton Orient,” said the Spaniard. “Today was great. I think the connection is important. Sometimes it’s not about playing certain ways to have the connection, and I think the players and the fans were together, and that’s great because when we play at home, we need that extra lift.”
