‘Huffed and puffed’: Joey Barton delivers this verdict on Bristol Rovers loss at Wycombe

Joey Barton believed the better footballing side lost out after Bristol Rovers fell to a 2-1 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers. The Gas suffered defeat for the first time in six games, despite going in front.

Josh Coburn opened the scoring for Rovers in the first-half, but David Wheeler equalised in the 22nd-minute. Three minutes into the second period, Lewis Wing put the Chairboys in front, and Rovers were unable to issue a response.

Barton’s side had more possession with 51% of the ball, and played 412 passes compared to Wycombe’s 259, but it was the 2021/22 League One play-off finalists that had the three points to their name at the full-time whistle.

“We’re disappointed,” Barton began. “We felt at half-time we’ve got to settle down and get the ball down and play a bit more.

“We had good match-ups, a number of their players on yellow cards. We spoke about starting the second-half correctly and within two or three minutes for some reason we’ve got players in positions he shouldn’t have been.

“Today we’ve huffed and puffed, anyone that turned up to the game today, if you’re a Wycombe fan, you’ve probably got a neck brace on again. You’ll be well versed in the neck muscles because it’s pump it football.

“If you’re our fans, you’re disappointed because the side that is more pleasing on the eye has lost the game.”

As for Wycombe’s second goal, there was a catalogue of errors that allowed Coburn’s former Boro teammate Wing to score the winner. On-loan Burnley centre-back Bobby Thomas was caught in possession over the half-way line, and then failed to make amends for his error.

“Bobby steps out with the ball with no plan and gives it away,” Barton said. He’s then advanced and Antony Evans is behind him, it’s launched in to the channel and Antony doesn’t deal with the header. Bobby doesn’t deal with the second phase and after that, the lads are scrambling trying to keep the ball out of the net.

“You need a bit of luck and somehow credit to him Wing has found an angle. I didn’t even see it go in, the defenders were on the line.

“He’s managed to squeeze it in from the outside of the post. It’s probably the only spot where it would have beaten our defenders. You need a little bit of luck as well.”