Iñigo Calderón stated Bristol Rovers’ win over Huddersfield Town was ‘massive’ after the Gas earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Terriers at The Memorial Stadium.
The Pirates got off to a difficult start when Promise Omochere was forced off with an injury after only eight minutes. However, the hosts did not let it affect them and netted the opener soon after when Ruel Sotiriou latched onto Clinton Mola’s flick to volley his effort past Lee Nicholls.
Rovers stayed strong defensively in the second half and kept their second successive clean sheet after a 0-0 draw away to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night, ending the contest with four academy graduates on the pitch.
Calderón reflected on the Gas’ first victory in five outings, praising Sotiriou and the defensive performance.
It was a massive win...
"It was a massive win," he said. "Massive win. I think you could feel that. The noise and the atmosphere was great. I think everybody knew it was important to get the three points today, especially the way we did it. It’s probably not the best football we have played, but in terms of passion, it was crazy today and the way the team performed. I am really, really proud of them."
Promise’s injury is not good...
"Promise’s injury is not good," said the head coach. "When he’s coming off so early in the game, I feel so bad for him because he’s a great kid, and he’s been working so, so hard to get back to the team. I’m so disappointed because he’s a great kid, and he’s done everything possible. That’s football. We can just do that for him and make him feel proud to be part of this group."
Ruel has been really good...
"It was in a moment that I couldn’t see that happening, to be fair," said the Spaniard. "It was not coming. I don’t think we started too good. That’s a fact. I don’t think we were great at that time. So, sometimes you find a way, and Ruel has been really good there, and not just because of the goal, the effort is outstanding. I’m so pleased for him because he’s working hard, and that helped the team, and that’s what we need."
In the second half, I think we were stronger...
"In the second half, I think we were stronger and looked stronger in terms of not conceding too many chances," said Calderón. "In the first half, I was not too happy. I think we were a bit negative in the way we were playing and defending, but I think in the second half, we were really good. I was nervous because you want to win but I couldn’t see that coming. So, that’s a credit to the boys for keeping the clean sheet."
After having the clean sheet today, it’s great for the boys...
"We have been working a lot on that [defending] because even in the last game, I said that we were better than the opposition but still conceded chances," he said. "We don’t have great numbers defensively. So, we have really been working on that. Yesterday, in the session where you cannot do too much, the focus was on trying to reduce the chances we concede, and after having the clean sheet today, it’s great for the boys."
Ollie Dewsbury put effort in...
"I said at the beginning that age is not a problem," said the head coach. "The ones that were in the squad today was because I think they were the ones that could help us more to get the three points. I think you could see that. Ollie Dewsbury put the effort in. It’s not fair for them because I don’t think they should be playing now because I don’t think they are ready, and we have to be really careful with them. I don’t think they are first-team players, and we have to be careful with that because we have to protect them a little bit.
"I am so happy with them because we had to recall them for the loan he was on. He came in and performed like that. I am so glad for him, but we have to be really careful with him because we cannot rush. They are not first-team players yet, but they are more than welcome."
We need the fans...
"We need the fans, and we need to recover because I think you could see a few players had cramps," he stated. "That’s the price you have to pay to perform the way that we did today. We have to recover. Obviously, they were buzzing in the dressing room, and we have to enjoy it tonight, but we have to be prepared for Tuesday because we don’t have time to enjoy it too much. It’s a massive one on Tuesday, and all these good feelings that we are feeling now will turn into bad ones if we don’t perform on Tuesday."
