Match ends, Bristol Rovers 2, Burton Albion 0.
Bristol RoversBristol Rovers2BurtonBurton Albion0
Midfielder John-Joe O'Toole scored his 14th goal of the season as Bristol Rovers beat promotion-chasing Burton.
In an attritional first half, Brewers midfielder Robbie Weir saw his shot blocked in the box and Lee Brown's free-kick was cleared in a goalmouth scramble at the other end.
David Clarkson broke the deadlock when he headed in Michael Smith's cross.
And O'Toole doubled their lead when he pounced on a loose ball parried into his path by goalkeeper Rob Lainton.
Rovers thought they had added a third late on when Chris Beardsley headed home, but the on-loan forward was ruled offside.
The result gives John Ward's side back-to-back league wins for the first time since August, and moves them up to 16th in the table.
Burton missed out on moving into the automatic promotion places and remain sixth.
Bristol Rovers manager John Ward told BBC Radio Bristol:
"It's an excellent night's work. We've had a week to prepare for it but sometimes that can be unsettling.
"We needed to start fast and well, and we did that and maintained it.
"Our fitness and competitive nature provided a really strong game for us.
"It was nice to get a couple of goals and I'm not being greedy but maybe there could have been more."
Line-ups
Bristol Rovers
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Mildenhall
- 2SmithBooked at 53mins
- 14BrownBooked at 84mins
- 32O'TooleBooked at 35mins
- 6Parkes
- 29McChrystal
- 39MohamedSubstituted forClucasat 90+3'minutes
- 30Lockyer
- 7ClarksonSubstituted forGillespieat 86'minutes
- 19BeardsleyBooked at 69mins
- 16Gow
Substitutes
- 4Woodards
- 8Gillespie
- 17Harrison
- 18Harding
- 20Gough
- 24O Clarke
- 25Clucas
Burton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Lainton
- 2Edwards
- 3HusseyBooked at 45mins
- 19Ismail
- 25Cansdell-SherriffBooked at 75mins
- 6Sharps
- 23Palmer
- 8WeirBooked at 23minsSubstituted forBellat 64'minutes
- 29KeeSubstituted forKnowlesat 77'minutes
- 20McGurk
- 17PhillipsSubstituted forMacDonaldat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Bell
- 9Alexander
- 11MacDonald
- 16Lyness
- 18Knowles
- 21Holness
- 26Gray
- Referee:
- Keith Stroud
- Attendance:
- 5,957
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol RoversAway TeamBurton
- Possession
- Home54%
- Away46%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away0
- Corners
- Home6
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol Rovers 2, Burton Albion 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Matthew Palmer (Burton Albion) header from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Post update
Foul by Seanan Clucas (Bristol Rovers).
Post update
Alexander MacDonald (Burton Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol Rovers. Seanan Clucas replaces Kaid Mohamed.
Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers. Conceded by Chris Hussey.
Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers. Conceded by Philip Edwards.
Post update
Attempt missed. Philip Edwards (Burton Albion) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Post update
Corner, Burton Albion. Conceded by Lee Brown.
Post update
Stephen Gillespie (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Lee Bell (Burton Albion).
Post update
Attempt missed. John-Joe O'Toole (Bristol Rovers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol Rovers. Stephen Gillespie replaces David Clarkson.
Post update
Alan Gow (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Lee Bell (Burton Albion).
Post update
Corner, Bristol Rovers. Conceded by Shane Cansdell-Sherriff.
Booking
Lee Brown (Bristol Rovers) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Dominic Knowles (Burton Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol Rovers 2, Burton Albion 0. John-Joe O'Toole (Bristol Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
