When Bristol Rovers have needed a moment of inspiration this season, Antony Evans has often been the man to provide it and he came up big once for the Gas once again on Tuesday night. His incredible long-range goal banished feelings of frustration and anxiety from the Mem as Joey Barton's side edged past a dogged 10-man Barrow.
It had seemed all avenues of attack had been pursued when the game entered its 81st minute, with the Bluebirds thwarting Rovers' efforts to break the deadlock despite being a man down after Niall Canavan's red card, but Evans demolished Barrow's stubborn defences with a goal of the highest class.
Sky Sports News headlined its bulletins with a clip of the strike in the early hours of Wednesday morning, demonstrating its quality and its importance in the League Two play-off picture as Barton's blues edged to within two points of the top seven that they have chased so ferociously since the turn of the year. With players like Evans in his ranks, the manager will believe there are no limits to what the Gas can achieve in the final 13 games of the season.
He did it again
When the season is done and the time for reflection arrives, this campaign will be remembered for many things but one of the overriding themes has been Rovers' ability to conjure moments of individual magic. Evans has produced more than his fair share of those, and he added to his Oscar-worthy highlight reel with another special goal on Tuesday.
Just as he did at Leyton Orient a week previously, Evans came up with a goal equal in both beauty and importance. At Brisbane Road, he snuffed out a spell in the ascendancy for Orient and on Tuesday he hammered down the door to the Barrow goal when the Gas could not locate the keys.
Evans' rated it his best, and although the competition is tough, it's hard to argue. This was a remarkable strike. Joey Barton rated it Champions League quality, with inspired Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman given no chance as the ball tore into the roof of the net.
But Evans produced a moment that was not only aesthetically stunning as the Mem erupted in joy, relief and astonishment in equal measure, but also one that is hugely significant in the context of Rovers' season. Their form is superb since the new year, but the fixtures get tougher from here and, in the circumstances with Barrow a man down, this was creeping into must-win territory if Rovers were to maintain their momentum.
Frustration was seeping into the soaked terraces as Barrow spoiled and staved off Rovers' attacks, but Evans banished those feelings with one swift lash of his right boot. The 23-year-old transformed what was becoming a missed opportunity into a brilliant night for the Gas. Newport County, Port Vale and Northampton Town dropped points and Rovers made them pay; profiting from slip-ups from their rivals will be vital in the remaining 13 games and Barton's side did exactly that on Tuesday thanks to their talisman.
The rotation policy pays off, just...
Three changes were made to the XI that battled with Exeter on Saturday as Barton took a calculated risk and trusted the depth of his squad. First-team regulars Sam Finley, Paul Coutts and Aaron Collins were all dropped to the bench as the manager freshened things up, bearing in mind the taxing run of games that Rovers in the midst of.
Finley had been suffering from a virus last week and in Barton's mind it affected the midfielder's performance, taking him off on 45 minutes at the weekend, and he was protected further by taking a seat in the dugout on Tuesday. Coutts and Collins, meanwhile, have been mainstays of Rovers' excellent run since the turn of the year, being leaned on heavily to get Rovers through the difficult moments on the way.
Collins had started 13 straight games before Tuesday, but Coutts, in particular, has been managed through recent weeks, substituted around the hour mark of three of the past four games, but Barton went a step further on Tuesday by taking the pair out of the starting XI.
With Barrow, on paper, one of the weaker sides left on Rovers' fixture list and the demanding schedule necessitating rotation, particularly in midfield and attack, Barton deemed this the opportune time to lean on the depth he has assembled in his ranks, and ultimately it paid off with Rovers claiming the three points.
Glenn Whelan was a fitting replacement for Coutts, and his patience on the ball gave Rovers control and the occasional good scoring chance. Nick Anderton was steady in defence, allowing Harry Anderson to move forward, and although Leon Clarke had a frustrating night on a personal level – a goalscorer of his pedigree sets high standards – he did draw the foul that saw Niall Canavan sent off.
The changes did not make Rovers significantly weaker and they had created enough opportunities to seize control of the game long before the opening goal while remaining secure at the other end.
Collins was the only member of the rested trio to feature, playing 30 minutes, so Barton will reflect on a night managed relatively well in the end. Gutsy opponents were defeated while the squad was managed, giving the manager a healthy range of selection options for Saturday's clash with Newport County.
The manager risked criticism for leaving out the club captain and his top scorer, but his calculated risk has paid off.
Barrow broken at last
Rovers’ bank holiday journey to Cumbria encapsulated the woes of the early part of the season. They were committed but disjointed, failing to put away the 10-man Bluebirds despite an hour with a numerical advantage.
Tuesday appeared to be following a similar script, although there were some fundamental differences that will be discussed in a moment. Barrow, just as they did at Holker Street, barricaded the box and soaked up the pressure in the second half. Breaking through was proving difficult for the Gas and the visitors’ effective spoiling and time-wasting was keeping Rovers at bay once again.
But credit the Gas, they learned some lessons from that day in August. The away fixture never lacked will from Rovers, but cohesion, structure and the signs of a plan being enacted were not there. On Tuesday, however, there was a method to the approach play. They patiently transitioned from side to side to stretch the defence, creating crossing opportunities and lanes in the backline to thread the ball through. When they got into those positions, they were a combination of wasteful and unfortunate as Farman made a series of superb saves.
And although Evans’ 25-yard drive at goal may seem like the product of him being fed up of the surgical approach, perhaps the reason he had the time and space to get the ball out of his feet and shoot was the groundwork laid by the Gas in tiring Barrow’s dogged defence. The visitors had smothered any shooting chances around the edge of the box, but Evans made the most of a rare clear sight of goal.
Rovers’ bolstered security was also evident on Tuesday, with the 10 men posing no threat until their desperate attacks after they had fallen behind. In the first meeting of the sides, Barrow may have been a man down but they created better chances and were worthy of their point, but Barton will be satisfied with the control his players exerted in the return fixture, with Glenn Whelan at the forefront of that effort by ensuring a degree of sensibility remained in Rovers’ play.
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