Bristol Rovers boss Clarke refuses to blame Sinclair for FA Cup draw at Barnet
Posted Monday, November 12, 2018 by PA
Darrell Clarke refused to blame the dismissal of Stuart Sinclair after Bristol Rovers were forced into an FA Cup first round replay following a 1-1 draw with Barnet.
Sinclair’s rash challenge meant Rovers played 83 minutes with 10 men, but despite falling behind the Pirates battled back to earn a replay.
Chris Lines’ penalty levelled it up for the League One side following a foul from Callum Reynolds, after Craig Robson put Barnet ahead with a towering header.
“Sinclair is not a malicious player,” Clarke said. “He’s hard and fair but he’s won the ball.
“I probably shouldn’t have got involved but I’m a passionate guy. I’ll take my medicine and move on.
“Let’s take the positives, the lads deserve plaudits for coming back into the game and they thoroughly deserve a replay.
“It’s a competition I’ve always said I want to do well in, it’s something I didn’t really achieve much in as a player and we’d love a good cup run.”
Barnet boss John Still has a reunion to look forward as he return to Memorial Stadium, where he was assistant manager for a year.
“It will be an exciting game down at Bristol,” he said. “It’s a good ground to play football and I think we’re capable of winning.
“When you only have a one goal lead, it always gives the other side an opportunity to get back in the game and that’s exactly what happened.
“For the penalty, I thought Callum Reynolds got enough of the ball for it to be a fair tackle but these things happen.”
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