Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor tipped debutant Bryant Bilongo to become a local hero after his late goal sealed a dramatic 1-0 win over Northampton at the Memorial Stadium.
Bilongo, 22, headed in Luke Thomas’ corner in the second minute of stoppage time as he capped his first EFL appearance in style following a move this summer from Middlesbrough.
Taylor said: “He didn’t play great in the first half by any means but he’s got something about him which is attractive.
“I know our fans will really warm to him in so many different ways.
“That’s because he’s a good size, he heads the ball, he’s good with the ball at his feet so he runs past players.
“He plays with a smile on his face but most importantly he really cares.
“He’ll remember today for the rest of his life and I’m really glad his family were here to watch a really momentous occasion with a fantastic finale.”
Bilongo’s late intervention secured the Gas a first opening-day victory since 2011 when they won 3-2 at Wimbledon.
“It was great to get that monkey off our back and it feels like it’s a case of lucky 13 for us,” Taylor added.
“It just shows how difficult it is to win points in League One because it’s a tough league.
“Northampton are a really good, experienced side and I know they will be tough opponents for everyone else this season.
“There were nerves and anxiety going into the game but I think we got better as the match progressed.”
Before Bilongo’s strike, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta was in danger of overshadowing a tight contest.
Home fans took to taking photographs of the dozens of giant inflatables that serenely made their way across the West Country as the two sides struggled to break the deadlock.
That said it all about a game of few chances that saw Cobblers goalkeeper Lee Burge produce a string of fine saves before Bilongo struck.
Northampton boss Jon Brady insisted defeat was unjust.
He said: “It was a narrow contest with not much in it but it was a corner that was blatantly not a corner.
“Sam’s [Hoskins] worked brilliantly hard to push the ball into the player and the player has hooked it out for a goal kick.
“Yes we’ve got to defend it better but the boys were adamant and argued it definitely wasn’t a corner.
“When you look back the linesman is literally a yard away from it and I just asked him that and there was no answer.”
Brady added: “We came out and had a really strong start and the boys overall were excellent.
“We were really well organised. We took the game to them and didn’t sit back but went at them and had a couple of good chances to score.”
