Boss Matt Taylor was delighted to see Bristol Rovers click into gear as they brushed Cheltenham aside with a comfortable 3-1 win to end their seven-game wait for a goal.
Scott Sinclair opened the scoring in the first half and Brandon Aguilera and Elkan Baggott added two more after the break before Liam Sercombe’s stoppage-time consolation for the relegation-threatened hosts.
Rovers skipper Antony Evans also saw a first-half penalty saved, with Rovers in total control.
“Everyone will talk about the goals, but I thought we looked solid as a team,” Taylor said.
“We looked like a proper team and we should’ve been more than one ahead at half-time and that’s no disrespect to Cheltenham.
“We know we look good as a team on paper, but we’ve never had everyone available, all of the time.
“We controlled things and started the game well, but needed something to show for it and Scotty was cool and calm for the opener. His legs were a constant threat to their back line.”
Former Chelsea and Man City star Sinclair opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing neatly past Luke Southwood and inside the bottom left corner after being played in by Luke Thomas.
Evans was brought down in the box by Southwood 10 minutes before half-time, but the goalkeeper redeemed himself by diving to his left to keep out the spot-kick.
Cheltenham, managed by ex-Rovers boss Darrell Clarke, made two changes at half-time, but they were not able to find a way back into the game and it was 2-0 in the 56th minute.
Thomas found substitute Aguilera and he rolled a shot into the bottom right corner.
Former Cheltenham loanee Baggott headed the third from Harvey Vale’s corner in the 76th minute.
Sercombe was set up by fellow ex-Rovers player Matty Taylor in the 94th minute, but it was too little, too late for Cheltenham.
Clarke admitted his team are majorly struggling for confidence, with four games left to save their season, starting at one of the teams they can catch – Burton – on Tuesday night.
“I am searching for answers with the group and we have some walking wounded and players putting their bodies on the line,” he said.
“I get the frustration and disappointment from my supporters, who have been great. We just have to keep going.
“We have to make sure we don’t feel sorry for ourselves because unbelievably it’s still in our hands, with four games to go.
“We have to keep going and make sure we are ready to go Tuesday.
“While we still have a chance, we’ll go there and try to win the game.”
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