The Grand National and the Premier League title duel between Manchester City and Liverpool were among the highlights of a thrilling weekend, but it was Augusta National that was the centre of the sporting universe. It is a golfing Mecca famous for many things but perhaps most notably its 11th, 12th and 13th holes, also known as Amen Corner.
Within a few hundred yards, rounds, tournaments and even careers are decided as challengers are enticed by rewards laced with plenty of risks. Bristol Rovers are not in a dissimilar situation with five games to play in their season, the next three coming against eighth, third and first in a chaotically congested League Two promotion picture.
One adverse result may not define Rovers' promotion bid like the par-three 12th did for Cameron Smith's charge on Sunday, but the surge Joey Barton has conjured from his squad in the second half of the season has been building towards this climax, or the "championship rounds" as he has coined it multiple times.
Survive Amen Corner – or Salford City, Port Vale and champions-in-waiting Forest Green Rovers – and the sixth-placed Gas are on course, be it for a last-gasp burst into the top three or a secure place in the play-offs.
Barton has built his team for this moment in the season, establishing a gameplan that allows his youthful defenders to be instinctive and aggressive, with a midfield blend of nous and dynamism providing security and control and there are several sources of goals in attack to boot, making them, arguably, League Two's best side since the turn of the year.
Sixth in the table, they are well equipped for the task, if not perfect. Barton certainly wants an increase in the quality of chances Rovers produce from their superiority in possession and control of territory, but the Gas doubtless will be boosted by big crowds home and away. Salford and Forest Green are likely to be sell-outs at the Mem and the number taken to Port Vale could exceed 2,000. Few teams have that luxury in the fourth tier.
Anyone involved in the promotion race is only talking about one thing in the press at the moment: "The next game," but for those on the outside it is impossible not to view these games as a collective due to their proximity – separated by just eight days – and high stakes. Results here not only play their part in shaping Rovers' season but also – to varying extents – their rivals'.
Victory on Good Friday against Salford City could deal significant damage to a side that could threaten their place in the play-offs. A win over Port Vale could bring the automatic places back to within touching distance. A win over Forest Green could pave the way to a very special end to the season.
That is the best-case scenario, but Barton has also put in plenty of work to ensure Rovers' floor is much higher. The Gas have not conceded two goals in a game since early February, keeping eight clean sheets in the 14 games since. That solidified defence means the Gas are always competitive, even when they are not at or near their best, and that quality could be invaluable in the final five games.
There may be a school of thought that the next three games are, to a certain extent, about limiting any possible damage and living to fight another day with 16th-placed Rochdale and rock-bottom Scunthorpe United their final two opponents, but Rovers are not conditioned to be conservative, nor can any League Two team be viewed as an easier opponent. The Gas have an aggressive yet calculated, high-intensity method that can suffocate opponents and they have players who think aggressively, too.
Rovers, therefore, can be expected to attack the Easter weekend and the games beyond, rather than be fearful. Amen to that.
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