Yusuf Akhamrich steals the show as Bristol Rovers ease past Newport in derby delight
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Yusuf Akhamrich announced himself to the Memorial Stadium with a performance to savour as Bristol Rovers claimed a crucial 3-0 Severnside derby victory over Newport County to move four points clear of the relegation zone.
With just one point separating the sides at kick-off and both looking nervously over their shoulders in the League Two table, it was the Tottenham Hotspur loanee who set the tone early on. After Newport threatened inside the opening minutes, Akhamrich collected the ball on the right and unleashed a stunning strike from range into the top-left corner, leaving Exiles keeper Jordan Wright rooted to the spot.
The Gas dominated large spells of the first half, with Ryan De Havilland twice going close before the Spurs loanee struck again, racing through and calmly slotting home to double the advantage. Rovers could have added more before the break, with Jack Sparkes denied twice as Newport rode their luck.
The second half followed a similar pattern, the Morroccon continuing to torment the Exiles defence with his direct running and confidence on the ball. Steve Evans tightened things up late on, but Rovers were not finished, with Fabrizio Cavegn rounding off an emphatic afternoon to seal a much-needed three points and lift the mood around BS7, collecting points at home for the first time since September.
While the result itself was vital, the afternoon belonged to Yusuf Akhamrich, whose two goals and constant threat underlined why Bristol Rovers fought hard to secure his loan from Tottenham.
Handed his first home start by the Gas boss, the 20-year-old Tottenham loanee produced a performance full of confidence, quality and moments usually reserved for a higher level. His opening goal, a fierce left-footed strike from distance into the top corner set the tone, while his second showed composure beyond his years as he finished clinically after bursting through the Exiles back line.
Evans revealed post-match that his admiration for the winger stretches back more than a year: “I tried to take him to Rotherham 12 months ago and I spoke to the people at Tottenham and they said he's not ready. He's not ready for that level of football. He's not ready for that exposure. We're still working on him. And you know what? They're brilliant at Tottenham and how they mature the youngsters. I was frustrated last January and didn't get him and lost my job.”
That frustration did not deter Evans, who continued to monitor the Spurs loanee closely as his development progressed: “Then we've seen Yusuf three or four times. I've travelled four times. Paul's [Raynor] come with me twice to watch him. People wouldn't have seen us, but we were here at the Mem at that Tottenham Hotspur game, he was for me, one of two outstanding Tottenham players.”
When the opportunity finally came to make a move, the Pirates boss said competition for Akhamrich’s signature was fierce: “So when we approached Tottenham, they said, OK, are you ready? Now he has to say what club he wants because the phone has not stopped ringing. What I would say, his family are incredibly supportive of myself and us as a football club. And his agent, I've done some business with in the past in terms of having his players. He knows how we treat them. So he said, the first choice is you and you can meet Yusuf. If he was my son. I'd be so proud of him.”
Having made a move to The Pirates earlier this month, today’s display only reinforced Evans’ belief that the Spurs loanee is capable of playing at a much higher level, even if there is still work to be done: “I came to the Memorial to watch Tottenham here in that exciting game. And he scored, and he was brilliant. So he was one of the ones very high up on the list to bring. He's not the finished article, he needs to get fitter. He's incredibly fit but fit for a team in League Two is simply not the same level of fitness to what you get at U21’s football.”
A chance in the Premier League
The Gas boss felt the winger’s first-half performance was more than enough to justify the excitement around him: “But his first half was, I think, demonstrative enough that this kid has a chance of playing, in the future, in the Premier League. I mean, his second goal, when he pulls it out the air from 70 yards, it's just something that you see in the Premier League. You see the best players in the world do it, I'm not saying he's going to be the best player in the world. What I'm saying is, we have to get the other parts of his game right because he has to be doing that a lot longer than 50 minutes. He needs to keep working hard and he needs to keep taking the core principles of his family, who are just the salt of the earth people.”
Beyond Akhamrich’s individual brilliance, the Pirates manager believes the result and performance can lift spirits around the club ahead of a demanding run of fixtures: “We're finding out now, you know, players are saying, do I go to Bristol Rovers? They could be in the National League next year. And that's no criticism. I've won the National League. There's no criticism. It's a tough division. What could this do for everyone's confidence to finally get that home win? It should do a lot but we know we've got a tough game here on Tuesday evening against Walsall but what it should do is it should raise the spirits.”
With the discussion focused on a successful story from the January transfer window, the Rovers boss also provided an update on ongoing business, admitting that one prospective deal had already fallen through: “We lost one player because his international manager said with respect for us, if he played in League Two, he wouldn't consider taking him to the World Cup. That's disappointing. You know, I don't care where you play. If you're playing regular and you're doing the business, then the international manager should always be ticking that box but we'll keep that in house who it was.”
Further January additions
Despite that setback, Evans remains hopeful of further additions before the window closes: “Yeah, ideally we'd bring three in, maybe even sneak a fourth in. I heard all the criticisms of this ownership behind the football club when I walked in but I took the option to come in. They've been incredibly supportive. I just wish the Gasheads could sit in some of those meetings when I'm in with a family that own this football club. They've been more than brilliantly supportive and they want to do more for us.”
Evans also confirmed that a potential six-figure deal remains on the table, albeit unresolved for now: “Yeah, it's still alive. It's in abeyance. Obviously, that club are considering that offer but when you make that offer on a Thursday lunchtime, it's probably the Sunday before that club wakes up and says, right, what's on the table for us? I know with this particular club, they're chasing a player. If they land him, I'm sure they'll accept our offer. If they don't land him, it'll be in abeyance.”
The win and Akhamrich’s brilliance will give Gasheads plenty to cheer about. With momentum building and January business still to come, Rovers have a fantastic opportunity to be heading into the second half of the season on a real high.