Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke relieved to deliver long-awaited victory

Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke hailed his “warriors” as he celebrated victory for the first time since returning to the Memorial Stadium thanks to a tense 1-0 win over Cambridge.

Ellis Harrison recorded his first goal since he came back to Rovers over the summer following his release by MK Dons.

And it was enough to earn his team a first win since March, while Cambridge ended the game with 10 men thanks to Mamadou Jobe’s late dismissal.

“I feel like I played 100 minutes, to be honest with you but today was all about winning a game for the fans,” said Clarke who took the helm at Rovers over the summer following almost seven years away.

“We dug in brilliantly and it wasn’t a comfortable watch for me, second half, or for our fans but they got us over the line today.

“And my lads put in a tremendous amount of effort and we defended our box really well.

“Our centre-halves Kacper Lopata and Alfie Kilgour were warriors and they needed to be, especially in the second half when they were chucking everything at us.

“While I want the fans to enjoy the win, victories last about two seconds for a manager.

“I’m not kidding myself about how much work we’ve got to do with the group but that’ll hopefully come over the next five, six weeks.”

Harrison scored in the 34th minute and the hosts held on in a nerve-jangling finale, in which ex-Rovers striker Ryan Loft headed over Cambridge’s best chance.

The visitors’ frustration boiled over deep into stoppage time and Jobe was sent off for a second yellow after fouling Promise Omochere.

Cambridge manager Neil Harris lamented an “eye-opening lack of composure” in the first half following by a “lack of end product for the first time this season”.

But the former Millwall boss insisted Jobe’s dismissal was unjust as he had a rant at the officials.

“I think the referee was the only person in the stadium who actually thought it was a foul,” Harris said.

“I’ve been really fortunate to see it back from two angles. If there is a foul, it’s a foul on Mamadou because their player jumps in.

“I don’t think it’s a foul. I’m a bit old school footballer, as you know, but I don’t think it’s a foul from their player, but it’s certainly not a foul from our player.

“I’d say even more criminal than that was first half, Sullay Kaikai steps away from their player on the back of a shirt pull and the referee blows a whistle and books their player. If he plays a second longer, we’re three-versus-two.

“So on the back of the Swindon one we are getting an apology from the PGMOL.

“Am I going to get another one for two incidents? The referees are roughly at this level because they’re not good enough to do the next one.”