Aaron Collins may have reached double figures for the season after just 18 league games but the Bristol Rovers sharp-shooter is a frustrated man.
Collins hit 10 for the season on Saturday against Fleetwood Town, and added another assist to reach seven in that statistical category, giving him a goal contribution every 93 minutes for the Gas this term. For reference, he finished with one every 177 minutes in League Two, and is just one behind his total figure for 2021/22 (16 goals and two assists), and it had taken him 35 league appearances to get to 10 goals last term.
The Welshman’s progress is there for all to see but the 25-year-old has two nagging concerns about his game: firstly, his efficiency at executing one-on-one situations - having spurned two against Fleetwood - and secondly, the apparent reputation he may have attracted with EFL officials.
Collins was adamant he was denied a “blatant” penalty on Saturday when he was caught in the 75th minute as he nicked the ball away from defender Josh Earl, yet referee Bobby Madden booked him for simulation, in what was his third such caution of the campaign. It certainly looked a harsh decision and Collins believes he’s been several more spot-kicks this season, questioning whether he’s now being categorised as a diver.
“This season, I’d say I should have had four or five penalties,” Collins said. “I don’t know if it’s a reputation of mine, but it’s frustrating because the slightest contact is going to put me off and referees have got to know that it’s a penalty because otherwise I’m going on and I’m either crossing or scoring.
“You get different referees and sometimes it’s, ‘no, no, no’ and they don’t want to talk to you but I want to know the reason why because, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t go down if I didn’t feel any contact because what’s the point?
“It’s frustrating because we should get a penalty and I don’t know if they’re looking at me as a diver but there’s been plenty of times this season where they haven’t given it to me.
“It’s frustrating because I either go on and score or create a good chance, but I end up getting booked and they get a free-kick in their box.”
It’s a mark of the standards now expected by Collins of himself that despite his goal and assist he was left wound up by, not only the match officials, but the times he wasn’t able to find the back of the net.
Just before he laid on an equaliser for Josh Coburn, his strike partner had set him up with a fine spin on halfway before a pass into the path of the Welshman. Collins only needed one touch to get away from the last defender before taking a shot with his left foot that just skidded past the far post.
The second chance was much tougher as he brought Sam Finley’s lofted pass under control before attempting to lob Lynch but it found the roof of the net, in what would have been a wonderful finish.
In Collins’ mind, he should have finished the game with a hat-trick which would have almost certainly ensured the three points. That cold hard truth, and the weight of responsibility on Collins’ shoulders - all of his own making, of course - was discussed by Andy Mangan in his post-match press conference with the coach having a very detailed understanding of that aspect of the striker’s game.
Mangan, who has known Collins since a loan spell at Tranmere Rovers when he was 19, works daily with him on his one-on-one finishing at The Quarters. And while, of course, neither man can replicate the atmosphere and pressures of a matchday environment, it’s about technique more than anything, and repetition is key. Almost like a golf swing; the more he tries and succeeds with a certain process, the more efficient he will get.
One he knows he has almost perfected is when he has a central run on goal and can drag the ball either side, past the keeper, and tap into an empty net; almost operating on pure instinct. The ones he needs to refine are when he has time to steady himself.
“It winds me up massively, I score probably the hardest chance out of the three of them,” Collins added. “The one-on-ones, it’s frustrating, I’m working on them every day in training ground with Mangs and it’s the only thing that’s going to make me improve on them and then hopefully I can just keep slotting them in and add to the tally.
“When you’re on the training ground it’s a bit different but when I’m through, one-on-one, I don’t even think about the crowd. I’m not saying nothing goes through my head but I’m trying to compose myself, ready to slot it, and it’s frustrating me big time because I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing, and that’s obviously putting it in the back of the net.
“I feel like I’m better at that (taking it around the keeper), and me and Mangs have spoken about that, if I have the chance to take it around the keeper then I’m going to take that opportunity because I’m a lot better than that but I’m working my socks off in training to finish one-on-ones and repeat it, and repeat it and then hopefully in a game they should come naturally.”
The one goal he did score, of course, was a special finish as Collins delivered a huge leap to climb above Earl - who is listed as being 14cm taller than the Gas No10 - to divert Finley’s cross into the far corner.
It was straight out of a coaching manual, in terms of timing and using athleticism, but in a purely emotional sense enhanced his love affair with the Thatchers' End and the corner where that terrace meets the West Stand. Scoring in front of that area of the Memorial Stadium leads to an almost indescribable rush; an adrenaline hit all the players are living for.
“That’s the first headed goal I’ve scored for the club; probably the first headed goal I’ve scored in a while - I just judged the flight of the ball well and got my early leap and nodded it back in front of the keeper,” Collins said.
“There’s no better feeling. I just enjoy scoring in front of them. Even when Josh scored and the fans picked up, I just looked at everyone - this is what we need, this is why we do it. It gives us the push and the fans were quality.”
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