Aaron Collins, in many ways, is emblematic of Bristol Rovers' season. He started poorly but has outlasted the turbulence to cement his status as a driving force in a late push for the League Two play-offs.
Against a backdrop of injury problems and underwhelming returns from his striking department, manager Joey Barton has stated multiple times this season the Gas have been making do without a recognised number nine.
That process has doubtless been frustrating, with the lack of a physical focal point due to Leon Clarke and Ryan Loft's injuries and Brett Pitman's struggles to fit within the system before he was loaned to Eastleigh. Makeshift setups have been used instead, relying on flair players like Collins, Antony Evans and Sam Nicholson to do the heavy lifting in attack.
