McLeish Post Bristol Rovers Match Reaction

Sadly we have no glensider away reports at the moment (get well soon mate).

Manager reaction however, we can just about muster!

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Official site match report: Click Here

Alex McLeish talked to Paul Brown at the Memorial Stadium. Hope Paul has had a shave....(eh Paul?!)

On the official site McLeish calls the 3rd round win over Bristol Rovers 'professional`.

Exactly what I was saying in the match thread. The match was ugly, so was the pitch they were playing on, but when it was 0-0 it was only a matter of time and as per many lower league v Prem teams, it was never going to be pretty ALL you need is the win, we go that.

The FA Cup has our name on it this season, trust me... ahem... gulp!

'I thought we were very professional. It was well controlled by the players. That was the thing - the psychological thing - if they have any nerves it can happen, we have seen many giant-killing acts in the Cup before, but they handled that part of it well. We started fast which we wanted and I thought the players dealt with any flurries that Rovers created and the back five were extremely professional in that respect. They didn't really give Rovers a look-in."

He admits it did get a bit scary at the end though, Rovers pulled a goal back then got a penalty!

'That penalty goes in and with a minute to go nerves would have come to the fore. But the players handled that side really well. I am sure they would have seen time out but we will never know. It's hypothetical."

He also praised Marc Albrighton: 'I thought he helped us with the tempo of the game. Marc, with his energy, increases the tempo for us and has an influence on the other players when he's getting to the byline. It was good for him to get a goal.' Good enough for him now to start v Everton Mr McLeish? Hope so!

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.