soccer

Rovers 'not out of the woods' yet - Evans

Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans says the squad know they are not "out of the woods yet" despite an important victory over Grimsby on Saturday.

The 3-1 win ended a three-game losing run and leaves the Gas 20th in League Two, two points above rivals Crawley in 21st and four clear of the relegation places.

Evans told BBC Bristol: "We're not out of the woods yet with this win. Nothing apart from three points has been achieved with this victory."

Evans, 63, was appointed in December after a run of 10 straight defeats under Darrell Clarke had seen Rovers slip into the relegation places.

The Scot has led his side to 13 points from his first 13 matches and has another 13 games left to stop the club dropping out of the Football League for only the second time in their history.

"There's going to be nervousness amongst the fans," Evans added. "I can see it in the city when I'm going supermarket shopping and getting fuel.

"I'm seeing Gasheads and they're saying 'come on Steve'. It's getting bigger and bigger in terms of how important it is.

"There's even nervousness in my household! My wife, my daughters, my grandsons, they live and breathe it like we do."

Transfer deadline day striker signing Joe Quigley made it two goals in his opening four matches since arriving with their second goal on Saturday.

Twenty-five-year-old forward Promise Omochere also shone in just his third appearance since returning from almost four months out injured.

Evans is very excited to have the 2024 signing from Fleetwood available to him at last.

"He's been through heartache, the big man," Evans said. "He came to me about a month ago and said, 'You don't like me, you don't pick me'. I said, 'You're not fit'."

After advising him to work on his fitness, Evans said they would introduce him when he was ready.

He said: "He's a brilliant kid. He's got a big part to play. In two or three weeks when we've got him up to speed, he'll be like a new signing."

Read full story at Yahoo Sport →