‘Dominant’ - Joey Barton’s reaction to Bristol Rovers’ emphatic victory over Cheltenham

The 40-year-old is eager to kick on after a run of four consecutive victories.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Joey Barton insists Bristol Rovers ‘still have gears to go into’ following their emphatic 4-1 away victory over Cheltenham Town on Saturday.

Aaron Collins struck twice in the first half, along with goals from Antony Evans and Bobby Thomas, to give Barton’s side a convincing lead at the break. Liam Sercombe struck back in the second half, but it was a comfortable victory for the Gas in Gloucestershire.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rovers have now won their last four in all competitions and move into the top half of the League One table after a difficult start to the campaign. As a result of their victory, they are now 11th in the league standings with attention turning to the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.

Barton was delighted with the performance of his side on the day: “I think they’ve won four on the spin here before today, and to put them away with such ease is really pleasing,” he said.

“We were so dominant in the first period, but I still think we’ve got gears to go. I certainly think we can play lots better than that, but again there were lots of good performances and lots of steps in the right direction from our team.”

Rovers were the bookmakers outsiders before the match and coming out for the second half with a four-goal advantage gave the hosts nothing to lose in the second half.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 40-year-old manager was impressed with how his side managed the game, particularly after conceding. All the hard work had been done in the first half but their only setback in the second period was Sercombe’s penalty, which they responded positively to.

“We knew that there was going to be a challenge. We felt like we had just navigated it but then the penalty was given, and then at that point we had to show real maturation as a young group.

“We’ve still got some senior boys in terms of Couttsy (Paul Coutts), Belly (James Belshaw) and Sam Finley, but again the younger players, I felt, took the steam out the crowd.”

The Gas have now moved six points clear of the relegation zone, but have some tough fixtures up and coming, including clashes with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth Argyle and Derby County. Barton said that for his side to stay clear of a relegation battle, they must continue to develop and show resilience and mental strength on the pitch.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I thought the way we broke the rhythm of the game up showed the type of maturity that you need if you’re going to be successful in League One,” he continued.

“We’ve got to keep learning, but today was a good step in the right direction.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.