Pragmatic is probably not a word that features consistently in Joey Barton’s coaching manual but the Bristol Rovers manager may have to bow to his less familiar instincts for the visit of Accrington Stanley to the Mem.
As last Saturday’s contest with Lincoln City showed, the Gas will only progress in this league if they can be that little more tighter and resolute at the back which might mean reining in some of their more attacking instincts.
In the manager’s defence, of course, he doesn’t have his full complement of players available to him but, also in his words, football is survival of "the most adaptable" and Rovers can ill-afford another afternoon at the back, as was experienced last weekend.
