Eventful games have been par for the course for Rovers this season. They are perhaps the 'entertainers' of League One with 62 goals in their 18 league games this season – an average of 3.4 per game.
But Saturday's 2-2 draw against Fleetwood Town was more eventful than most. There were more sub-plots than a Netflix drama as Joey Barton's Gas faced off against his former club for the first time since he took charge in BS7, and there were four players in Rovers' matchday squad that counted Fleetwood as a former employer.
Throw in Scott Brown as the Cod Army boss and the relentless wind-up merchant Shaun Rooney and it was inevitably a niggly game. There was plenty to watch on and off the pitch and here are some of the moments you may have missed...
Rossiter's frosty reception
The travelling Fleetwood fans were not warm towards their former players, particularly Jordan Rossiter, who moved to Rovers from the Fylde Coast in the summer for a fee understood to be £150,000.
During his time at Highbury Stadium, he wore the captain's armband as they preserved their League One status, but he did not get a warm reception on Saturday.
As PA announcer Lance Cook read aloud the starting XI for the Gas, when he reached Rossiter's name boos rang out from the away end, and he was not the only person on the receiving end, with a chant of "Joey, what's the score?" emanating from the South Stand after Rooney made it 1-0.
But Rossiter showed his former club what they were missing in the middle of the park. The former Liverpool product was his trademark tenacious self, particularly in a second half when Rovers swarmed all over a shell-shocked midfield and back three.
In the end, Fleetwood pulled a result out of the fire with a 99th-minute equaliser, but they doubtless would have had a better chance of defending their lead if Rossiter was still on their books.
There was another pantomime villain on the other side in the shape of Rooney. He first irked Gasheads by twice kicking the ball into the Thatchers Terrace long after it had already gone out of play.
So when he celebrated in front of the same supporters in the northeast corner of the ground, gesturing his hands to "calm down" before blowing kisses – which referee Robert Madden ignored when he could have told his fellow Scotsman to cut it out – it was inevitable that some stick would be sent back in his direction.
"Rooney, Rooney, what's the score?" was chanted after Rovers, took the lead, but in typical fashion it just had to be the former St Johnstone defender who got the last laugh, nodding home the equaliser with the final meaningful action of the game
Ward on the road to recovery
This is a big season for Jed Ward, but he has had a frustrating time of late. The teenage goalkeeper is in need of regular minutes to take his game to the next level and get him closer to being first-team ready.
He had been playing on a season-long loan with National League South club Hungerford Town, a good level for the 19-year-old to learn the game.
But Ward, one of the most highly-rated prospects at the club, has been sidelined since the start of October with a broken hand he suffered in training with the Gas.
However, he is on the road to recovery and Gasheads would have been pleased to see him back at the Mem on Saturday. Before Rovers' warm-up began, he was on the pitch with Anssi Jaakkola – back-up goalkeeper and acting goalkeeping coach – to be put through his paces between the sticks.
Jaakkola was peppering him with shots and crosses from various angles as the youngster closes in on his return to action.
With the way the fixture schedule is from here on out, Ward is unlikely to feature for Rovers at all this season unless there is an injury crisis, but he should be back in action for Hungerford soon and that is good news for his development.
Harsh words provoke a reaction
Aaron Collins was left with mixed feelings on Saturday. He added another goal and assist to his tally to take his number of goal involvements for the season to 17 in 18 league games.
But he knew he'd left a hat-trick on the table against Fleetwood, spurning several good chances – including a couple of one-on-ones –that would have likely ensured a victory. Typically, he scored arguably the most difficult chance of the lot, rising above tall central defender Josh Earl to head beyond Jay Lynch to make it 2-1. The sense of relief for the Welshman was palpable, given the chances he had missed.
Shortly beforehand, he was in the firing line from his manager. Barton was seen on the edge of his technical area raging at Collins. It is unclear what the message was exactly, whether it was as simple as improving his finishing, or if it was a demand to improve other parts of his game.
But it certainly stoked a reaction from Collins, who went on to score one of his most impressive Rovers goals; it was a throwback to an old-fashioned striker feasting off a high, hanging cross.
Tip of the cap
For supporters and reporters alike stationed in the East Stand, the first half was a tricky watch – not because of the football on show but because of the low autumn sun that pierced across a cloudless sky.
The goalkeepers were affected, too, but James Belshaw did not have a cap to hand before kick-off. And when the coin toss was completed and Rovers were attacking towards the South Stand, Belshaw was the keeper whose eye line would be more affected by the sun.
Fortunately, a member of Rovers' staff was on hand and a hat was located and taken to Belshaw shortly after the game kicked off.
But after a few minutes, it was – briefly – taken off again. Belshaw's ability to sweep up dangerous through balls outside his area is one of the 32-year-old's biggest strengths and he was needed to intercept a ball over the top early in the contest.
He showed the presence of mind to take his hat off with one hand and he made a firm clearing header before putting it back on.
Light show
The Mem was at its booming best in the second half as the Gasheads applied the pressure from the terraces and Fleetwood started to wilt.
An uncomfortable, oppressive atmosphere had been generated by the home players and supporters in tandem and it robbed the visitors of their composure.
But for a brief moment in the second half, the Mem resembled a Coldplay concert – known for their use of illuminated wristbands in the crowd – more than a League One battle.
With six minutes to play, the Gas were winning 2-1 and looked well set to see out the victory. The light was beginning to face and suddenly dozens of supporters turned on the torches on their phones. It was unusual in the circumstances, but it looked pretty cool.
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