Bristol Rovers verdict: Job done for Steve Evans as Brad Young continues to deliver

Here are the main talking points from Bristol Rovers’ 1-0 win against Fleetwood Town

11:35, 04 Apr 2026Updated 11:46, 04 Apr 2026

(Image: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)

Bristol Rovers are safe. A victory against Fleetwood Town probably wasn’t even required to put the bottom two out of reach, but the Gas got over the line anyway with a 1-0 win at The Mem – their fifth consecutive victory on home soil.

They had to work for it. Brad Young saved a penalty just before the interval and also pulled off an impressive save in the 72nd minute to deny Jordan Davies. Fleetwood accumulated an xG of 3.04, registering 14 shots without finding a way past the in-form Rovers shot-stopper.

The Gas were fortunate to take all three points, and on another day, could have lost the game. That’s the difference, though. Earlier in the season, would Rovers have won that game? I don’t think so.

This team, post-January, has a steeliness, an ability to win ugly games, and significant squad depth. The depth was on display in this one, with Steve Evans making a triple substitution early in the second half, including Joe Quigley, who scored the winner in the 66th minute.

Evans is the man who is at the centre of this turnaround. Now that safety is a certainty, the noise surrounding his future will continue to ramp up after Monday’s game against Harrogate Town, with Gasheads desperate for the head coach to extend his stay in BS7.

With that said, here are the main talking points from Rovers’ 1-0 win against Fleetwood.

OPINION

Will MurrayBrad Young and the importance of patience

Young had to wait for his chance to become Rovers’ number one, but since replacing Luke Southwood in mid-January, he has been outstanding.

If you’re going to be hyper-critical of the 23-year-old, you would say that he could have done better with Bromley’s goal in the defeat at the league leaders in March, but apart from that, the shot-stopper has been almost faultless.

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You’d be lying if you said going into the season that you expected Young to be this good, this early in a Rovers shirt. But he continues to deliver, and this felt like a crowning performance with a penalty save and some important stops in the second half to keep Fleetwood out.

Young has had to be patient. How important has patience been for him? Bristol Live asked Young about this post-match. “No, definitely, I’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes, obviously with Bitts (James Bittner – first-team goalkeeper coach) who I’ve got to give a mention to,” he said.

“It’s hard as a goalie coach to keep the number one ready and sharp, but also have a number two who’s wanting to play because that was me.

“I wanted to play games of football, so yeah, I was disappointed I wasn’t playing. But Bitts had done a lot of work with me on and off the pitch.

(Image: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)

“And I’m really pleased that I’m getting to show now them long hours that we’ve done together and them sessions we’ve done together. So I want to give a special mention to Bitts.”

Young has eight clean sheets in all competitions for Rovers now, and if Evans does stay for next season, it’s hard to see a world where the 23-year-old isn’t the club’s number one.

Why Alfie Kilgour was taken off in 54th minute

I mentioned the triple substitution above, which included Tommy Leigh coming on for Alfie Kilgour. The changes saw Rovers shift to a 4-2-3-1 after starting with a 3-4-2-1. Going forward, Leigh operated as the number 10, Yusuf Akhamrich played on the right, Shaq Forde on the left, and Quigley as the lone striker.

It also meant defensively that Kofi Balmer and Riley Harbottle were the two centre-halves in a back four, which came as a slight surprise at the time, given that the former had been booked for a reckless challenge in the first-half, which gave Fleetwood a penalty.

So, why was Alfie Kilgour the defender to be taken off? Bristol Live asked Evans about his withdrawal and the shift to a back four.

“The people conclude because Alfie made a horrific mistake when the ball bounced through the middle – that’s why we took him off,” he said.

“The substitutes were ready, so we were making those decisions. We just felt a back four, we felt that the game was going to be a bit more about mobility rather than Colin Hendry – what a compliment I’m giving Alfie Kilgour here.

“Colin Hendry, who was by his own admission lacked a yard, but was on my staff at one point, but Colin had the heart of a lion – that’s Alfie.

“But we recognised that the changes that Fleetwood were about to make as well because we saw them making the changes.

“That’s going to be about mobility, so the four we tried to keep on the pitch were the four defenders who could have some ability, and, in fact, Kane [Thompson-Sommers] offered us that when Sparkesy rolled his ankle. Kane went into left-back, and any issues from that side stopped, but that was the sole reason.”

Rotation expected at Harrogate

Evans has insisted that he wants to win as many games as possible between now and the end of the season, but given Rovers are now safe, he’ll also want to experiment with one or two things.

This was on display against Fleetwood, when the head coach started Mees Rijks for the first time at The Mem, and the Dutch striker was bright during his 54-minute cameo without having a significant impact on the game.

He is a player who needs time to adapt to English football, and most likely a full pre-season to get him up to speed. I don’t think we’ll see the best of Rijks until next season, but minutes and starts in the last five games of this campaign will only aid his development.

(Image: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)

In terms of other changes, we can expect rotation on Easter Monday, with only two days of rest following the Fleetwood win.

I still think Evans will select a strong lineup, but it certainly is an opportunity to give players who have been on the fringes in recent weeks a chance to impress from the start.

This includes Ryan De Havilland, Rijks, Kane Thompson-Sommers, and even the likes of Josh McEachran and Tom Lockyer, who have been absent from the squad for the majority of the last two months.

Maybe in the last couple of home games, we’ll also see some academy prospects get a run out. With safety now secured, it’s time to experiment with a few things.

Nearing crunch time in Evans talks with Hussain AlSaeed

It’s becoming increasingly evident over time. Evans, in an ideal world, wants to stay at Rovers, and Hussain AlSaeed wants to keep the 63-year-old next season. The “early-stage meeting” between the two has been well documented, and post-Harrogate, you’d expect there to be movement in terms of another meeting to discuss the plans going forward.

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Evans revealed yesterday that “the Chairman has made it very, very clear last weekend that he wants me to lead this football club going forward”. The head coach has also repeatedly stated his desire to stay at the club, given the support he has received, not only from AlSaeed, but also from the fans.

He’ll want assurances in the transfer market, but this ownership has repeatedly shown that they back their managers financially, even if the recruitment in previous seasons hasn’t been up to scratch.

The best appointment by AlSaeed, since he invested in the club in August 2023, has been Evans by a distant, and he more than anyone, will know the importance of finalising a deal to keep him for next season.

Bristol Rovers verdict: Job done for Steve Evans as Brad Young continues to deliver

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