For the second time in three League One games, victory was snatched from Bristol Rovers' grasp deep into stoppage time as Bolton Wanderers rescued a 1-1 draw at the University of Bolton Stadium on Friday.
Just like against Fleetwood Town last month, Joey Barton's side appeared to be managing their way to victory, but they were denied at the death what would have been a memorable win at a stadium that hosted Premier League football for a decade, with Dion Charles curling home a 94th-minute equaliser.
It was a painful end to a night that started so brilliantly for the Gas, with Josh Coburn sliding home his fifth goal of the season after just 70 seconds to consign Sunday's dismal defeat to non-league Boreham Wood in the FA Cup to ancient history in football terms.
In the first half, Barton's side were confident, catching Bolton out in transition and looking capable of extending their lead. But they became increasingly reliant on a callow yet courageous defence as the finish line came into sight until the pressure finally told deep into stoppage time.
Despite not holding on for the win, Rovers rose to 13th in the table and they have been beaten just once in their past 10 league games. Improvements have been made in every aspect throughout that run, but both the balance of play and a sickening conclusion were indicative of where Barton's team find themselves at this moment in time.
The FA Cup aberration aside, they give everyone a very good game. The defence is maturing, the midfield has attacking and defensive quality and the frontline is potent, but as a collective, they are yet to find a ruthlessness that would enable them to kill off the elite teams in the third tier when they are in a position to win.
Given the rapid progress since the start of October, that could well be manifested rather quickly, particularly if an injection of quality comes in the January transfer window.
The past two games against Bolton and Peterborough United – both chasing promotion – have been a test of Rovers' potential. The results are clear: They can absolutely mix it with any team in this league, the remaining 26 games are filled with opportunity and the trajectory is undoubtedly heading upward, but it remains to be seen whether they can contend for a crack at the play-off places.
Flying start and a frustrating finish
Heading to Bolton off the back of a humbling in the FA Cup, Barton and his players could not have wished for a better start. An early goal crafted with a superb move involving Aaron Collins, Antony Evans and Coburn had them in front after less than two minutes.
Collins turned well in midfield and he picked out the motoring Evans on the right flank, with the midfielder producing a pinpoint low cross to put the chance on a plate for Coburn to finish off in the six-yard box.
Everything was playing into Rovers' hands, with the home fans immediately frustrated and the negative atmosphere in the first half – with both the referee and the players in white feeling the heat from the stands – must have been tricky to play in and if felt like chances would come in the second half for the Gas to prey on Bolton's frustration and desperation to wrap up a memorable win.
Instead, the composure that was displayed in the first half, with Rovers playing through the press as well as hurting Bolton in transition, was lost. Bolton were able to sustain attacks and pressure mounted on the Rovers box, but the defence deserves credit for standing so firm.
In fact, Bolton's best chances came from the rare lapses in concentration and execution from the Gas in their defensive third, with James Connolly gifting Charles perhaps the best chance in the closing stages with an errant touch, but James Belshaw was there to save.
The kitchen sink had been ripped from the wall and was being hurled into the Rovers box in the closing stages and at that moment the Gas could have shown more poise and opportunism. Naturally, they were intent on holding onto what they had, but chances to counter and put the game to bed were not capitalised on.
Throughout the second half as a whole, in truth, Rovers did not show enough quality in possession to keep Bolton honest. They still could have won but it would have been the product of a heroic defensive display, with Lewis Gibson and Bobby Thomas outstanding, ensuring that pressure did not always equate to chances for the hosts.
But when Charles found the top corner with a precise finish from the second phase of a late corner after the Gas could only half clear, a point felt like a fair result. Both teams, it seems, have solid foundations but plenty to work on.
Rovers still pass the test
Going into the game against Peterborough a fortnight ago, Barton was not daunted by a pair of fixtures against promotion-chasing sides. Instead, he saw an opportunity to see where his team is at, a mid-term assessment.
It was almost six, but four points from those two games is an impressive return. Against Peterborough, Rovers were the better team in every department and the 1-0 scoreline was a bit kind to Posh. In Greater Manchester, they showed glimpses of their quality and plenty of backbone.
The table doesn't lie and Rovers are 13th for a reason. The standings are not a snapshot of the team you are in the moment, but a story of the journey you have been on and Rovers are an entirely different proposition than they were in August and September when they were riddled with injuries.
With a healthier squad and cohesion established, on their day they are capable of beating any team at this level. Performances within games remain patchy, though, with Rovers equally capable of going off the boil for spells as they are of finding a relentless rhythm.
Finding consistency will be key, but these games have indicated that Rovers are capable of more this season. The play-offs may be a step too far in year one back in the third tier, but they will be in the conversation in the new year if they can maintain their form.
The boy is a beast
An early goal was not a sign of things to come for Coburn on Friday. Instead, he took his only chance of the game and for the remaining 88 minutes plus stoppage time, he was a workhorse more than he was an attacking threat.
That was not through any fault of his, but the flow of the game increasingly went in Bolton's favour and the service into the 19-year-old started to dry up. Still, he was impactful, repeatedly proving too strong for much more experienced defenders as ran the channels hard all night for his team.
The Middlesbrough loanee has a game beyond his years. His goalscoring instincts are obvious, given all five of his goals for the Gas have come inside the area and four of them have been in the proximity of the six-yard box.
There is also a raw power that comes with his size, but he is so refined in the way he uses it, rolling defenders in the channels to get hold of possession and drag his team up the field.
Middlesbrough have indicated to Rovers that Coburn will not be recalled in January. The window will play a defining role in what Rovers can achieve this season and if they replicate the masterstrokes of January this year, who knows what they could achieve.
But keeping Coburn for the season will be as valuable as any signing Rovers could make. The boy is a beast, bringing not only goals but an all-around game that brings the best out of the players around him. At just 19 years old, he is some talent.
Evans shows his quality
Barton called out his entire squad in his press conference in the wake of the Boreham Wood defeat, but Antony Evans was one of the few who was namechecked by the manager in that discussion. Barton lamented Evans' decision-making in the lead-up to one of the goals in that game and there was a firm warning sent by the manager that he would not tolerate performances of that ilk again.
Barton revealed pitchside at Bolton that he sat down with Evans in the week and reminded him of his quality, but demanded he raised his levels both in training and on matchdays. The manager said the playmaker responded with an excellent body of work in training this week, and he flew out of the blocks on Friday night.
His athleticism was eye-catching as he sprinted beyond men in white shirts trying to chase him with just a minute on the clock, and he followed it up with the kind of cross that earned him hero status at the Mem last season, making it a simple task for Coburn to slide in and score.
His use of the ball was much improved, showing more precision and also more patience. He has great quality in his right boot and his brain is full of ideas when he is on the ball, but this season he has been guilty of forcing it at times. A more simplified approach was rewarded on Friday and he showed a closer resemblance to the Antony Evans Gasheads know and love.
One part of his game that has dramatically improved throughout his time at Rovers is his work off the ball. He has the quality of a playmaker but he also has a whole heap of scouse grit; he loves a challenge and he has become something of a two-way player for Rovers with the way he gets stuck in defensively.
But Barton and Gasheads alike want to see him more often where he does his best work – around the box – and he made his mark on Friday.
Block two in the books
Barton makes no secret that he likes to break the league season down into more manageable chunks of 10 games, and the first block left Gasheads fearful of a hard season ahead, winning just twice.
But the team's fortunes have been transformed in the second cohort, suffering just one defeat – the 4-1 loss at Derby County – in that time, and partnerships have developed all over the pitch. The defence is tightening up, Jordan Rossiter looks like good value for money in midfield and Barton has assembled an attack with plenty of goals in it.
Clearly, there is still room for improvement. With four wins and five draws, Barton would have loved to have converted a couple more stalemates into victories to truly establish Rovers as a contender for the top six.
But given where Rovers have come from this season, and the fact they are a newly-promoted side with several players who were untested at the level coming into the season, the progress has been rapid.
Now the festive period awaits and it feels like a moment that will play a big part in shaping Rovers' season. The games will come thick and fast and there will be the chance to ascend the table quickly with a run of positive results. Equally, a poor run can be costly in a condensed period of fixtures.
The concept of the "success profile" was one drummed into Barton by his mentor Steve Black. The principle is you win often, draw occasionally and lose rarely. With just two defeats in 14 games in all competitions, Rovers seem to have sorted the latter part out.
Now the challenge is to be more efficient, turning draws into wins while maintaining the steel that has made them hard to beat. More good performances need to be converted into good results and that is the task for the third 10-game block.
But coming within a couple of minutes of beating the fifth-placed team in the league away from home without playing particularly well speaks volumes for their potential.
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