Bristol Rovers' ascent of the League Two table reached its highest peak yet on Saturday. Fourth place is in their possession after navigating through a gruelling battle at promotion rivals Northampton Town.
They led for each of the 90 minutes after Harry Anderson put the Gas ahead in the 38th second at Sixfields. From that moment, the Gas delivered a clinic in game management. There were a couple of strokes of luck with the woodwork rescuing Rovers twice, but their poise under pressure from a team that has been in the promotion picture all season was so impressive.
The squad enjoyed a trip to the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday, including a big winner in the final race of the day. No surprise there, Joey Barton has built a team that is thriving when the stakes are high. This was a six-pointer at the top end of the table and Rovers fired a warning to their rivals, signalling that their surge is not ending any time soon.
Rovers have powered into this position with eight games to play, but there is no sign of their momentum slowing – it's growing.
Masterful game management
"(Insert amount of time here) ago, we'd have lost that," has been a common phrase in the camp and on the terraces of late, as Rovers showcase the vast development in their game. They were treading water in the bottom half of the table just three months ago, but they are a completely different beast now.
Leaving an empty Sixfields in last season's relegation six-pointer 11 months ago, one of the overriding takeaways was Rovers' immaturity but credit must go to Barton for the character and nous of the group he has assembled. The Gas could have desperately used a lesson in game management from the likes of Paul Coutts and Sam Finley when they were battling relegation in League One.
But better late than never. The pair, plus goalkeeper James Belshaw, were masterful in taking the sting out of the closing stages on Saturday. There was an air of desperation in the stadium; a moody home crowd fuelling a determined effort from their side, but the calmest heads in the place belonged to Rovers.
The experience in their side proved vital in bleeding the clock and repeatedly knocking Northampton out of their stride to ensure they had no momentum in the second half. It was clear that those lessons are being passed down throughout the squad, too, with James Connolly taking a smart booking for the team and Harry Anderson winning countless cheap free-kicks in the closing stages to keep Northampton in their own half.
It has been galling to see Rovers get played like this by smarter teams in the recent past, but this squad are showing themselves as game management masters. How crucial that could be in the final eight games of the season.
Breaking ground
Barton took a slight exception to Bristol Live's observation in his pre-match press conference on Thursday that Rovers were yet to defeat a promotion contender away from home this season, insisting that point had never crossed his mind, nor was it meaningful in the run-in.
Whether or not it was a salient point at the time is irrelevant now, with Rovers rectifying that record just a couple of days later. This team continues to smash through the obstacles placed in front of them and there is no reason to doubt they will continue.
Defensive woes and away hoodoos have long been banished, but on Saturday the Gas confirmed they can take points off their rivals on the road. With trips to Port Vale and Tranmere Rovers still to come, that is a great indicator for those of a Rovers persuasion.
Prevailing in those high-stakes games could be the defining factor in the sprint finish.
Defensive dominance
This column frequently bemoaned Rovers' defensive woes in the first half of the season, but as a unit they have been transformed in 2022. Nine goals conceded in 15 games is their record since the turn of the year, an astonishing upgrade on the 33 shipped in the opening 23 matches.
The Gas were making life so hard for themselves earlier in the season, needing to score two goals to win a game, but these days one is typically enough.
Eight clean sheets have been kept in the past 11 games, providing the bedrock for an incredible upturn in form that has the automatic promotion places in sight.
Barton and his coaching staff have seen reward for their hard work at The Quarters, and the addition of James Connolly in the January transfer window has been pivotal in meshing the defensive group. He has proved to be the perfect partner for Saturday's man of the match Connor Taylor, who won a mighty 83 per cent of his aerial duels – by far the best percentage of any player on the pitch.
The pair have completely debunked the myth that experience is essential for a League Two defence. Taylor and Connolly are playing with a maturity beyond their years, brilliantly supported by Luca Hoole, Nick Anderton and the players in front of them pitching in.
The back four has been excellent since settling in over the past two months, but Rovers' defensive development is equally down to the collective effort across the park. They defend brilliantly from the front, led by Aaron Collins and Harry Anderson, and they have the likes of Antony Evans and Sam Finley who love a crunching tackle just as much as a defence-splitting pass.
Rovers have acquired all of the qualities of a team that are horrible to play against, with a miserly defence underpinning it all.
The chosen XI
Barton declined to make a substitute on Saturday, placing ultimate trust in the starting XI which has been cemented in recent weeks. The manager selected the same eleven players for the fourth game in succession, and not even the players sitting on the bench have cause to complain.
Maximum points have been taken in that time and it is hard to see the plan from the manager changing any time soon.
When/if the likes of Sam Nicholson, Josh Grant and Jon Nolan return to fitness, Barton has an enviable array of options at his disposal but the manager will not be changing his winning formula unless he has to.
And excluding the double-header over the Easter weekend, Rovers have plenty of time to recover between their fixtures, meaning this could be the lineup we see for the rest of the season.
That Barton decided against making a substitution is further evidence of the fitness in his squad he has proudly talked up lately. This was a gruelling battle on a dry, sticky pitch, but there were no signs of flagging from any player in blue and white. There can be no doubting that they have the engines to reach the finish line.
Scenes of jubilation
Rovers have won 11 games since New Year's Day, but none have been celebrated like this. Players and supporters alike knew what a huge moment this was as Rovers went level on points with the top three. Barton punched the air like Jurgen Klopp and the Gasheads responded in kind.
The manager has painted a grand vision for Rovers' future throughout his time at the club and this was a snapshot of it in action; a bouncing away end dreaming of what is to come.
The players were savouring this moment, too. Aaron Collins lept onto the back of Antony Evans and Luca Hoole headed straight for the travelling fans to take it all in.
Sam Finley was quick to calm things down in discussion with reporters at full time, insisting Rovers will not get carried away, but the enjoyment of this epic journey from obscurity in the bottom half of the table to, perhaps, promotion favourites is plain to see.
Confidence is at the maximum level. These players are at the peak of their powers and their climb of the table is beginning to look increasingly inexorable with each hurdle left in their wake.
The job is far from done, but here's hoping there are more scenes like this to savour in the coming weeks.
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