Without a win in seven games and arriving at Exeter City on Saturday off the back of three consecutive defeats, Bristol Rovers needed to produce a response. Joey Barton's Gas could not get the win they craved – their own errors made sure of that – but they have plenty to build on thanks to Ryan Loft's stoppage-time equaliser at St James Park.
For much of Saturday afternoon, things were going exactly to plan for Rovers. After playing completely into Exeter's hands in a pair of Devon drubbings last season, they were much wiser this time. Exeter's weaknesses were preyed on by counter-attacks and the hosts were starved of any kind of momentum for long periods.
James Belshaw had not needed to make a save when John Marquis gave Rovers a deserved lead, tucking away Aaron Collins' brilliant cross just after the hour mark. Exeter did not appear to have any answers, so effective was Rovers' game plan.
But they were gifted not only an equaliser but what seemed like the winner when Antony Evans gave away a penalty in a position of minimal danger before a rare howler from James Belshaw, who saw the ball bounce over his head after he rushed out of his area in an attempt to intercept, allowing Sam Nombe to slide the ball into a vacant net.
A good performance was set to be undermined by mistakes, but to their credit Rovers battled on and Loft's header beyond Jamal Blackman from Sylvester Jasper's tantalising cross in stoppage time was a just reward. Doubtless, Rovers will taste frustration after letting their lead slip but this has the potential to be a meaningful moment.
There were shades of Brett Pitman at Valley Parade a year ago as Rovers pulled the point out of the fire in stoppage time; this time Loft was the hero with the hanging header, and Barton will hope this turns out to be a moment of similar significance for the Gas. It is only a point – and they remain in the bottom four – but it could mean more.
Rovers stop the rot
Optimism has been the overriding feeling Barton has exuded at The Quarters of late, despite Rovers' poor form, but after a seven-game winless run featuring five defeats, it was reasonable to fear that their season could spiral out of control. After three successive defeats, two of which were against two of the league's weaker teams at home, Rovers needed to stop the rot.
They duly obliged, although they could not clinch the victory their performance merited. Nonetheless, this was an important point for Rovers and an even more important performance.
With the defensive injury crisis, Barton has been forced to use makeshift solutions, and his out-of-the-box theories have been rightly criticised when they haven't gone to plan this season. To his credit, he set Rovers up really well on Saturday.
Few would have thought Evans and Luke McCormick would have been playing at wing-back for Rovers and the teamsheet certainly raised questions, but the plan mostly worked. Exeter were limited to just four shots on target, and considering one came from a cheap penalty and another was directly from a goalkeeping error, Rovers largely nullified the threat of a team that blew Forest Green Rovers away a week previously and has started the season strongly.
There remains plenty to work on. Barton needs to iron out the mistakes and miscues that have hampered Rovers this season, but the foundations of the performance were solid, which has not been the case for several weeks.
Three reasons to believe and an ace up the sleeve
Twice before this season, Barton has started Loft, Marquis and Aaron Collins simultaneously. The other occasions were two of Rovers' better attacking performances: the win at Burton and the profligate draw with Morecambe.
But Saturday was their best collective performance as a front three and they all bring different qualities to the table. Loft is the physical focal point, Marquis is a grafter who moves intelligently and Collins is a superb all-around talent.
Collins' form this season has been outstanding and his assists for the opener was his 10th goal contribution in 11 league games this season, clear of anyone else in the division, and Loft is making significant strides after a sluggish start as a Rovers player, with his tally for the season up to five after Saturday. Marquis, meanwhile, has not hit the ground running in the blue and white quarters, but a strong performance and a neat finish for his second goal of the season were welcome for him and his manager.
A back three is the way Barton wants to go in the long term and he could choose to spearhead with three genuine strikers, based on Saturday's evidence. And with Middlesbrough prospect Josh Coburn to come into the mix this week, the Gas have good attacking resources.
Historically, the teams that find their way out of trouble at the wrong end of the table are the ones with a goal threat. Of course, it is early days to be saying Rovers are in strife in League One, but should that be the story of their season, the fact they have several players who can stick the ball in the net could be a huge help. Certainly, the Rovers team relegated in 2020/21 would have killed for attacking options like these.
And on the wing, Jasper showed the important role he can play for his manager. Barton has needed an X-factor in wide areas after the departures of Elliot Anderson, Sam Nicholson and Luke Thomas, and the Fulham loanee showed he can make an impact for the Gas, darting behind Jake Caprice to reach Sam Finley's pass and delivering the perfect cross for Loft's leveller.
Barton may be hesitant to give him a starting role because he has all the qualities – pace and trickery in particular – he could want in a game-changer from the bench, but more contributions like this and Jasper will get his wish of a chance in the starting XI.
The firefighter
There were strong performances across the pitch for Rovers at St James Park, but few were as influential as Jordan Rossiter, who made his first start since August yet instantly appeared comfortable on Saturday. Rovers' midfield has been stretched too often this season, but Exeter were afforded very little room for manoeuvre and they found it incredibly tough to create chances.
A young back three of Luca Hoole, Bobby Thomas and Lewis Gordon did a fine job of repelling the balls that came into the box, while Evans and McCormick, in particular, were effective at minimising the hosts' threats in wide areas. But it was the way Rossiter battled in front of the back three that was so impressive.
He was like a magnet for second balls and Brown, one of the league's in-form attackers, was kept pretty quiet, save for his goal from the penalty spot. With several defenders soon to return from injury and promising signs in the midfield on Saturday, they can be confident their defensive record – the third-worst in League One – will start to improve.
Rovers are lucky to have a few firestarters in their ranks – players who can score and create from a variety of situations – but Rossiter is very much in the firefighter mould. Barton had not been able to strike the right balance in midfield all season but on yesterday's evidence, Rossiter is the solution.
He and Sam Finley made for an excellent partnership that covered all bases. Finley doesn't mind getting his hands dirty, either, but he is blessed with a very creative mind and an enviable passing range. Together, they could be the foundation of Rovers' play on and off the ball.
Credit in the bank
In few cases can it be true that a goalkeeper is perhaps the most important player in enabling a team's preferred style of play, but that is arguably the case with James Belshaw. He is often like an extra defender on the pitch with his brilliant ability to read and intercept balls over the top of his defence, and that was the key factor in the daringly high defensive line that led Rovers to promotion last season.
On Saturday, he was to blame for Exeter's second goal. There appeared to be some indecision between Rovers' number one and Bobby Thomas – who was superb, by the way – and the ball skimmed off the surface and over the goalkeeper's head, leaving Nombe with the simple task of sticking the ball in an empty net.
Rightly, Gasheads sang Belshaw's name at the end of the game. He has done so much for Rovers, particularly when they were scrapping for points this time last year, and he has a huge amount of credit in the bank.
His style of play is inherently risky, but there are great rewards that come with it, and his defenders hugely appreciate the confidence he typically exudes when charging off his line. He may have cost Rovers a goal on Saturday, but he has saved countless others by roaming off his line throughout his time as Rovers' No1.
Back it up
With Rovers returning to home turf this week, first to face Crystal Palace under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday before hosting Cambridge United in League One on Saturday, the challenge changes for the Gas. At Exeter, they were able to be pragmatic and reactive, and they did so to good effect.
At home, the demands will be different. For a club in Rovers' position, the Papa John's game is of no priority whatsoever, but it is a chance to rediscover a winning feeling as well as getting minutes into players that need them.
The be-all and end-all, though, is Saturday's fixture, and at the Mem the onus will be on Rovers to make the running. The last time they played in BS7, their play on the ball was so disjointed that the crowd became, if anything, a negative factor with a vicious cycle of justified frustration on the terraces not helping matters on the pitch.
Barton talks about feeding the crowd and Rovers need to make sure they serve up something much more palatable against Cambridge than the defeats to Accrington Stanley and Lincoln City last month. Yesterday's result offers plenty of encouragement but the pattern of the game will likely be different against the Us – it will be Rovers' responsibility to be on the front foot.
They were rewarded with a point for a very good away-style performance on Saturday. Next week, they need to deliver a strong home performance to end a woeful run of two draws and two defeats on their own patch.
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