With Joey Barton in charge and Bristol Rovers surging into promotion contention, the Gas have been one of the most talked-about teams in League Two as the end of the season nears.
The Gas have climbed from the lower reaches of the table to burst into the top seven in the past three months, suffering just three defeats since the turn of the year. Many opposition managers have been very complimentary as a result, but others have aired their frustrations and complaints in the wake of taking on the Pirates in recent times.
Here is a roundup of what rival managers have had to say after facing the Gas in 2022...
Paul Simpson - Carlisle United
Simpson accepted Carlisle's work was not always pleasing on the eye, but he believed they had to master the "ugly" side of the game to overcome a Gas side that had won four games straight when they arrived in Cumbria.
“Their work rate was incredible and the way they did the ugly side of the game with the defending, the blocks and the heading everything that came in,” Simpson told the News & Star. “We had the keeper making saves when he was needed, and that’s how you earn results.
“I’ve just said to the players, football isn’t always pretty, you can’t always play the silky stuff, you have to earn the right, and we did that against a really good Bristol Rovers side."
Jon Brady - Northampton Town
The Cobblers manager fumed at the performance of referee Oliver Langford after Barton's blues headed home with a 1-0 win and three points. Brady took also took aim at Sam Finley, for what he deemed were cynical challenges, and Joey Barton, for his post-match comments.
"It was like the Wild West out there," he told the Northampton Chronicle. The game wasn't managed properly by the referee, it was an absolutely shocking display of refereeing. He let them (Rovers) manage the game with the time, and then Aaron McGowan's ankle is in a ridiculous state. The tackle that was made on him, how that is not a red card I don't know either."
Barton likened Northampton to a "rugby team" after the game, and Brady responded: "He is unbelievable isn't he? He is the gift that keeps on giving."
Wayne Brown - Colchester United
Brown was gutted leaving the Mem after a spirited performance from Colchester counted for nothing thanks to a moment of brilliance from Elliot Anderson. The interim Colchester boss was expecting a tough night against the in-form Gas and was heartened by his players' efforts.
"We're really frustrated and disappointed," he told the Gazette. "I've asked the lads to go out there and be disciplined in what they did, be well structured, be hard to break down and I thought we were.
"This is a tough place to come to and they're flying high at the moment. They're scoring a lot of goals of late and I think they got three in their last outing and we've restricted them to four shots on target, two of which were outside the box.
"I'm really pleased with the lads, with the information that was given them over the last couple of days and the turnaround from Scunthorpe away, obviously a long journey and two on the bounce. I felt for them because they've gone out there and they've done everything that we've asked."
John Yems - Crawley Town
Yems never holds back in his post-match press conferences and after a 2-1 defeat to the Gas, he bemoaned the influence of the officials and his players' profligacy against a good Rovers side.
"I think we deserved a draw out of it," Yems told Sussex World. We had 21 shots, they had 12, two of theirs went in and only one of ours did. It was one of those games.
"Their first goal was blatant offside They said he wasn’t interfering with play. The FA have to come and assess these people. I am sitting up there as a fan today and you look at it and you think ‘where are they coming from?'.
"I thought it was a good game, they are a good side. He's (Barton) got them playing well. Did we deserve to lose? No."
James Rowberry - Newport County
Rowberry's Exiles had to battle hard for victory over the Gas, with James Waite's excellent goal separating the sides at the start of March. He spoke of pride after overcoming Rovers at Rodney Parade.
He told the South Wales Argus: “I said to the lads that it was unbelievable but then I thought 'No it’s not, it’s believable' because of the work that they have put in the way that they have conducted themselves. It’s incredible and I am so proud of them
"We are undefeated and have played Mansfield, Tranmere, Forest Green and Bristol Rovers plus an Oldham side on a run. We have had a really challenging period and have come through it well."
Mark Cooper - Barrow
Cooper is one of several managers to lose his job not long after facing the Gas in 2022, but on March 1 he believed his team was hard done by. The Gas eventually edged past the 10-man Bluebirds thanks to Antony Evans' screamer, but Cooper was angered by Niall Canavan's first-half red card.
He said: "The sending-off was for the touch of an arm on a shoulder, which shouldn’t have been enough to bring a big striker down," Cooper said. "In any case, their player did not have control of the ball, so it was not a clear scoring chance."
“My lads were magnificent and deserved something from the game. We defended our box brilliantly and they are very angry in the dressing room. I told them we don’t want to end the season talking about bad luck. But I feel for them.
“Even after Rovers scored, we bombarded their goal. It is very frustrating to be going home with nothing.”
Matt Taylor - Exeter City
Promotion contenders collided when the Grecians visited the Mem, and Exeter manager Taylor certainly relished the challenge. He reflected on a hard-fought 1-1 draw between two impressive teams.
"We were resilient when we needed to be, and the chances we created were quality chances," he told the club's website.
"They are good side that put us under pressure and threatened out goal, but we probably had the better chances as the game went on.
"It was two good teams going at it today and I'm pleased with the point."
Kenny Jackett - Leyton Orient
A wretched run of form culminated in Kenny Jackett losing his job in the minutes after a 2-0 defeat to the Gas at Brisbane Road last month.
In his final interview, he said: "We had chances in both halves. We had chances in the first half to take the lead and then we created further chances in the second half and we needed one of them to go in to get ourselves back in the game. We were getting into good positions without getting the goal we needed.
“I also thought we had a couple of good shouts for a penalties turned down, one in each half. Despite all our efforts, things didn’t go our way.
“We had a poor period in the first half when we conceded the two goals. In the second half, we had a good spell and had a good go and we needed a goal then to get ourselves back into it. We were just unable to finish off those chances. We needed to capitalise on those opportunities.”
Paul Tisdale - Stevenage
There were several interesting subplots when the Gas travelled to The Lamex Stadium in February, facing former manager Tisdale.
Barton's side were dominant in Hertfordshire, romping to a 4-0 win that heaped pressure on Tisdale, who was sacked a few weeks later. He accepted his side were completely outplayed that day.
“I’m not sure where to start,” Tisdale replied when asked what went wrong for his side. “It really was a poor day for us and it’s the first time I’ve had that experience since I’ve been manager here and the first game we’ve not been in with a chance of a result.
“I know that the performance was nowhere near good enough. We had no connection or rhythm in the side, and then it comes to down to individual battles.
“There were one or two performances in there but other than that we were below par everywhere. However well the opposition plays, we weren’t anywhere near good enough.”
Matt Gray - Sutton United
Sutton boss Gray saw his side well beaten by the Gas at the Mem in February, but he believes his team were hampered by factors out of their control, pointing to injuries, illnesses and a controversial refereeing decision.
"I think it was always going to be a difficult night for us with a couple of COVID cases and the injuries," he said. "To come here on a Tuesday night with the most depleted squad we've had all season, we always knew it was going to be tough.
"Going a goal down after three minutes certainly made it an uphill battle. I was reasonably pleased to get in at half time just a goal down.
"I never moan about officials, but I'm not happy. Once we start the second half, David (Ajiboye) is running on the edge of the box and he (the referee) admits there is contact, he comes and says there is contact, and he doesn't give a free-kick on the edge of the box. Who knows why, and three seconds later, we get caught and we're 2-0 down."
Nigel Clough - Mansfield Town
Stags boss Clough admitted he was happy to leave BS7 with a point after a tough battle in February's 0-0 draw at the Mem. Mansfield were the form team at the time, but Barton's side put them under pressure in the second half, however, a goal proved elusive for both sides.
“I thought that was the best part of our game today, the defending,” he told the club's website. "Despite the pressure they’ve put us under, I don’t think Nathan Bishop has had a shot (to save).
"In the end, very pleased (with a point). Frustrated with the first-half because we dominated the game and didn’t do enough to go and get a goal in that time.
“The game never lasts that way or stays the same after half-time. They’ve (Rovers) come out (for the second half) and all of a sudden put us under pressure far more than the first 45 minutes and it was a different game."
Matt Taylor - Walsall
Matt Taylor lost his job in charge of Walsall not long after the defeat at the Mem in late January, which made it five defeats on the bounce for the saddlers. The 40-year-old pointed the blame at his players after they were beaten late on by the 10 men of the Gas.
“Not good enough,” he told the club's website. "No risk against 10 men, in terms of us with the ball. We didn’t make good enough decisions, I felt when you’re in that period and you’re against 10 men you’ve got to move the ball quick – we didn’t do that.
“We didn’t deserve to win the game which was disappointing with 10 men. To lose the game in that fashion, I didn’t think we’d lose it, however the result was unacceptable.”
Keith Hill - Scunthorpe United
Rovers picked up their second win of the year at Glanford Park, going 3-0 up before surviving a late scare to win 3-2 against Hill's strugglers.
Rather than praise the Gas, the Scunny boss believes the defeat stemmed from their own defensive frailties.
He told the club's website: "I was disappointed with the way we defended individually and collectively, and I certainly wasn't expecting that. We played quite an attacking line-up and I thought in the first half we challenged the opponents, pressed and tried to pass the ball through them or over them, but our defending left a lot to be desired. It wasn't a good night for our defenders.
"We didn't accept the challenge of our opponents. There's got to be a physical element to the way we defend and the basic defending, as well as the duels, is tracking runners.
"The opposition caused us problems they shouldn't gave really caused us all night but that was down to ourselves rather than the opponents. We have to be better or we won't have anything to build on. We had an energy but didn't take the defensive responsibility."
Ben Garner - Swindon Town
Former Gas boss Garner pulled no punches after the 1-1 draw at The County Ground in January. He accused Rovers of persistent fouling and criticised referee Tom Nield – who showed six yellow cards to Rovers players – for his handling of the game.
"I thought there were a few bad tackles in the game," Garner told the Swindon Advertiser. I wouldn’t like to comment properly without seeing anything back, but that number of yellow cards in the game is a lot, and I think there was a lot of consistent fouling.
“Jonny Williams was targeted. He was fouled time and time again, and I would like to see officials being stronger with that. First of all, in regards to the welfare of the players, and secondly to let the game flow and be entertaining for the supporters.
“They came to be aggressive, they came to try and disrupt. We have to look at ourselves and see how we can be better at that. I’m not saying teams can’t press us or get after us, of course they can, but it’s just the repeated fouls and disruption of the game. That’s what I’d like to see taken out.”
Graeme Lee - Hartlepool United
The Pools boss was an unhappy man leaving the Mem in January after the Gas scored two late goals to claim the three points. Aaron Collins fired home before Antony Evans whipped a wicked free-kick into the top corner in stoppage time to open Rovers' account for 2022.
Lee, though, thought his side dominated the game and deserved to be heading back to the North East with a result in the bag.
"It’s difficult. I’m gutted. In my own head I’m telling myself ‘performance, performance, performance’ and that’s one thing we have to take away,” he told the Hartlepool Mail.
"For 85 minutes, I thought we were outstanding. We have to be more clinical in front of goal. We created chance after chance, we dominated the game and we’ve got to take our chances."
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