On Friday afternoon 24th March 2023, Rovers travelled to play Aston Villa in a behind closed doors friendly at the Premier League’s Bodymoor Heath Training Ground.

They won the contest 3-1 thanks to goals from Josh Coburn, Ryan Loft and John Marquis with Omari Kellyman scoring the consolation goal for Unai Emery’s side.

While Ezri Konsa rattled the Rovers crossbar with a seventh minute header, it was Joe Barton’s side that took the lead when Coburn slid the ball past goalkeeper James Wright with 16 minutes on the clock.

Three minutes into the second half James Belshaw made a crucial save from Ollie Watkins, parrying the striker’s fierce close range effort away.

The second goal arrived in the 57th minute following a corner; when the ball reached Loft he took one touch and then rifled a shot into the top corner of the net.

Having replaced Coburn on the hour mark, Marquis added his name to the scoresheet just four minutes later when he took a pass from Luke McCormick and fired a left foot shot beyond Wright and into the bottom corner of the net.

With five minutes of the game remaining Villa’s 17 year old substitute Kellyman claimed a goal, though his shot took a deflection off of Connolly and drifted beyond Belshaw’s despairing dive.

Bristol Rovers: James Belshaw, James Gibbons, James Connolly, Lewis Gordon, Calum Macdonald, Sam Finley (Jerry Lawrence, 81), Antony Evans, Luke McCormick (Glenn Whelan, 70), Scott Sinclair (Grant Ward, 46), Ryan Loft, James Coburn (John Marquis, 60).

Aston Villa: James Wright, Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne, Ashley Young, Leander Dendoncker, Calum Chambers, Alex Mporeno, Arjan Raikhy, Ollie Watkins.

Substitute used: Omari Kellyman (probably replaced Diego Carlos on 67 minutes) the only substitute named in match reports.

Referee: Andre Marriner