The groans were audible as Bristol Rovers and Accrington Stanley scrapped away ineffectively on Saturday afternoon. They became pained as the Gas slumped to their fifth defeat of a seven-game winless run in League One.
Confidence and cohesion alike are in short supply for Joey Barton's players and their slide continued with a 1-0 defeat at the Mem. There was very little in a contest between two sides hit by injuries and searching for form, but Rovers conceded a goal in keeping with a start to the season that has lacked the laser-like focus they benefitted from last season.
On the press bench, eyes were fixed on laptops when Sean McConville was found in space in the area with Rovers caught catching their breath after averting the danger of a counter-attack. The eyes raised to see McConville dig out a cross for Harry Pritchard, completely unmarked and heading home from six yards. The Gas had been caught napping.
Now they are caught in a spiral, unable to get all facets of their game functioning in unison. A week ago – in the chaotic 6-3 defeat to Lincoln City – the attack still menaced while the defence was punished. This time, Rovers were relatively secure but they were devoid of composure, connectivity and productivity in the final third.
Barton's Gas remain in 21st place in League One with eight points from 10 games and he has plenty of issues to solve.
Outsmarted
Rovers were well aware of Accrington's threat from set-play routines, with Barton singling it out in his pre-match press conference as a key area of focus for his players. Yet Accrington were able to work their way into several dangerous positions with relative ease with quickly-taken short corners.
That proved to be the route to the winning goal. After Paul Coutts lost possession in midfield, the Gas were exposed on the counter but Bobby Thomas positioned himself well to block Pritchard's shot. But the danger had not passed.
With Rovers lacking urgency to get in position to defend the corner, the quick thinking of John Coleman's side defined the game. McConville received the pass and chipped a cross for Pritchard to head into the corner from close range, completely unmarked.
The warning signs were there for Rovers, but in that moment they were outsmarted and that was enough to decide the game.
"I think there is a lot of naivety in certain parts of our play that we must eradicate if we are going to be successful going forward," Barton admitted, and set-pieces must be an area of focus in that regard. The Gas have been troubled by dead ball situations all season, firstly from direct deliveries into the area and now teams are having success with short routines.
While peak performance is proving elusive, the Gas cannot keep conceding soft goals in tight games.
Changing mood amid woeful home form
No matter the highlights of the recent past, a seven-game winless run in the league would take its toll on any fanbase, and Rovers are no different, although Gasheads turned out in strong numbers for an attendance just shy of 9,000 – impressive given the small away following.
But the frustration among supporters after watching their side win just one of six home games this season is obvious. The prevailing noises from the terraces spoke not of optimism but waning belief after a chastening run for the Gas, who have now gone seven weeks since their last win.
Boos met the final whistle – although some of them may have been directed at the officials – and there were brief and relatively isolated chants along the lines of "This is embarrassing" as the final moments of the game ticked away.
In those seven weeks without a victory, home form has to be the biggest cause of concern. Losing on the road at Ipswich, Portsmouth and Barnsley is no disgrace, but from four games against Shrewsbury Town, Morecambe, Lincoln City and Accrington at the Mem, Rovers have claimed just two points and shipped 10 goals.
None of those opponents can be considered mugs, but they are some of the softer fixtures the Gas will get this season and it has coincided with a dreadful run of form.
No one is blind to the major mitigating factor – the injuries – and it is very likely Rovers would have fared better with certain players available to end the revolving door in defence that has been so unsettling for the entire team, but the Gas could and should be doing much better. Points were thrown away against Shrewsbury and Morecambe and they are paying a steep price now.
Ten games in, this is no time to panic – and the players and staff still have credit in the bank – but Gasheads must be concerned. If and when the injury problems relent, things should improve but Rovers' previous experience in League One showed just how hard it is to snap a bad run of form in such a ruthless league. To be fair, these days they are much better equipped for the challenge with an experienced dressing room full of leaders and goalscorer like Aaron Collins.
Unlike in 2020/21, they also have the home crowd to support them, too, but that crowd has been impacted by a succession of performances that have ranged from flat to poor. The Mem can be a huge asset for Rovers when they are getting it right, but at the moment they are providing little to inspire them, neither grinding out results nor playing attractive football. That has to change quickly.
A pivotal moment
With 36 games to play, the story of this season has barely even begun. This time last year, the Gas were in a very similar position – winning just three of their opening 10 games – yet in the league below and that did not prevent them from reaching their goal.
The focus this year is much different, of course, and right now a season of consolidation can be the only target.
But Rovers have burned through several winnable games on their schedule in this poor run, and a glance at the calendar shows the challenges which lie in wait. By the end of next month, Barton's side enter a period when they face Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers in close succession.
Of course, the Gas will be up for the fight in all of those games and their character has never been in question since Barton rebuilt the team in the summer of 2021, but the looming step up in the quality of opposition is clear to see.
In the meantime, it's Exeter, Cambridge, MK Dons and Cheltenham for the Gas. No easy games in there by any stretch, but they better put an end to this slump soon.
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