It was a first league meeting between the sides for eight years but after that first-half display, Bristol Rovers would undoubtedly welcome the prospect of playing Cheltenham Town every week with open arms.
Joey Barton's Gas turned up the heat in Gloucestershire and put enough into their performance in the first half that the hosts were out of the game before they had time to find any rhythm or cohesion.
It looked all so simple, with some truly howling unforced errors, but it ultimately wasn't because the mistakes were also a result of Rovers' energy and endeavour out of possession while the chances the created for themselves inside the box were ruthlessly executed.
An Aaron Collins brace, a close range finish by Antony Evans and a set-piece header from Bobby Thomas did the damage for the Gas to rise up to the 11th in what is proving an incredibly profitable month. Here are all the talking points from Whaddon Road...
Two sides to Rovers
Excuse the variation on the most overused cliché in football but this was a performance of two halves. With respect to Cheltenham’s strong recent record at home - four straight wins in all competitions and two conceded - once Collins danced his way around Luke Southwood for a second time and converted in the second minute of first-half stoppage time to a 4-0 advantage there was no way back for the hosts.
That goal was the opening 45 minutes in microcosm: the Gas ferociously direct as James Belshaw’s big clearance was intended for Ryan Loft; the striker forced an error from Sean Long and there was the pace and panache of Collins to do the rest. Barton's side were just devastatingly clinical.
They only had five shots in that half, four of which were on target and all found their way past Southwood. No wonder Cheltenham players looked absolutely bewildered; they had been cut open with such surgical precision there was barely any pain felt - that set in as the scoreboard showed a 0-4 deficit for them to stare at as they trudged back down the tunnel.
Collins and Antony Evans were relentless up front in their movement, drifting wide out of possession, tucking into central roles to feed off Loft when the Gas were on the ball and with Paul Coutts absolutely dominating the midfield and Sam Finley and Jordan Rossiter playing off him, the supply line to the front three was constant and consistent in its quality.
Few matches are decided so early because not only had the Gas created a huge chasm on the scoreline, they also inflicted a degree of emotional damage; Cheltenham needed a response but also had to be careful to a degree because any more than four and it really could have gotten ugly and unpleasant.
And while, with that sizeable advantage and the destruction caused, Rovers could afford to be that little more relaxed after the break, their competitive spirit and, most importantly, temperament remained intact. They didn’t necessarily have to force the issue but the intensity in defence and midfield was constant.
The penalty, which seemed a little soft as Coutts brought down Ryan Jackson, gave Cheltenham a glimmer of hope, especially as it arrived after just 10 minutes of the half. But bar a near post drive by Ryan Broom and a couple of very late chances as the clock ticked towards an inevitable ending, Rovers kept the comeback as a fleeting gesture.
This was about game management and control of the ball. Although they had played so fast and direct in the first half and won the possession battle, after the break they had to remain diligent and disciplined their shape and take the sting out of the contest, which they achieved with an efficiency of a different kind.
Sercombe’s influence
Nobody has ever said, “there’s no more dangerous a scoreline in football than being 4-0 up” but having that distance between you and the opposition at such an early stage does carry its challenges, to a certain degree.
Half-time is a period for reflection and analysis, but the display on the scoreboard in the corner of the ground where the travelling Gasheads were situated was all the tangible evidence Barton really needed to assess what had transpired, and the Mahoney brothers had no need to whip the iPads out for any quick clips.
But what was fundamental for that 15-minute period in the dressing room was what was to come next and clearly Rovers couldn’t give the opposition, with the wind at their backs and playing downhill, any kind of route back into the contest.
Balancing praise with a need to maintain purpose is a tricky challenge for any manager, and not many in football have had to deliver a teamtalk at 4-0 up - it really is a unique position to be in - but as the manager revealed post-match, all he had to do was relay a message he heard in the close confines of the tunnel.
“It was relatively easy, my teamtalk because as I was walking in the tunnel I heard the boy Perry and Sercombe saying, ‘I can’t believe what just happened in the first-half, these are [a word that rhymes with pit]’. So I was like, ‘cheers lads, that’s my teamtalk’. I just made my players aware of that and the rest is history.”
That need to prove a point all over again quite possibly removed any doubt around if there were going to be any dips in intensity, and it was typified in the early exchanges by Sam Finley as he snapped into several tackles, not allowing the Cheltenham players to get into any rhythm. He was doing his job, of course, but there may well have been a little bit of anger coming out.
The odds were hugely in their favour to achieve it, but that they maintained their commitment and concentration over what was eventually a dead 45 minutes was a display of character and togetherness and testament to the team ethic. With a bit of thanks reserved for Taylor Perry and Liam Sercombe.
Loft’s gift to Collins
It’s natural when an individual is performing to such a high level, over what is now a pretty lengthy period of time, to either take them for granted, to a certain extent, or to look for other players to get enthused by.
It’s almost a given now that when Collins takes to the field, he’s going to do something and, further to that, you start to hold him to a higher standard than his teammates. That, in itself, is the mark of a quality performer.
“Aaron Collins had a good game”, “yeah, tell me something new”. He’s made the step up in divisions look remarkably straightforward for a player whose EFL experience up to this point had been exclusively in League Two and non-league.
Be it his own talent, application, hard work, dedication to his craft, coaching or just the intangible power of confidence, the Cheltenham defence was very visibly terrified whenever he was near them, both with and without the ball.
Collins is benefitting from all of the above - 14 goal contributions in 14 games; he’s joint second on the top scorer list and second overall in terms of assists - but also because of those around him, most notably Ryan Loft.
It wasn’t the striker’s best game for the Gas on Saturday, and as a goalscorer he’ll no doubt feel a bit annoyed he wasn’t among the goals, but his role in freeing Collins is becoming increasingly clear.
A bit like how Cheltenham lined up with Perry and Broom, Rovers played with two advanced No10s in Collins and Evans, operating either side of Loft as the main striker. Because of his physicality and the way he occupies the central area so well, never straying from his position, his attacking teammates could operate off his hard work.
The build-up for the second goal began when Loft cleverly flicked a long ball first-time to Collins on the flank before spinning and making his way into the penalty area. The fourth and final nail into the coffin arrived when Loft looked to compete for Belshaw’s booming ball forward, drawing Long into him to mark closely but as the ball squirmed through the two of them there was Collins galloping clear again.
As he battled for headers, even if they weren’t won cleanly, Collins’ acceleration is such that he can pounce on a loose ball in an instance especially, as was very clearly the plan, a lot of it was telegraphed. There was an anticipation of where the ball was going to be in the second phase. It’s easy to watch it from afar but that reading of the game that Collins’ possesses and his knowledge of what Loft does well, is an art alongside his finishing and spark inside the penalty area.
With the bigger man occupying defenders - and he enjoyed a good old-fashioned battle with the highly-rated Caleb Taylor all game - and the Welshman always on the move, either around him or very directly beyond him, it just pulls the opposition all over the place. Loft doesn’t need to be quick or as agile as his teammates, providing he acts as a reference point for others to play off, it’s hard for centre-backs to stop him helping his teammates.
Strength in numbers
Ten points from their last four games is an impressive haul and, credit to Barton, what was foretold is playing out: as the injury list decreases so the results and performances are starting to follow.
The manager made two changes at Whaddon Road but they were tactical, not enforced. He had the luxury of moving one of his marquee summer signings to the bench in Luke McCormick and bringing back one of his most important players in Sam Finley into the XI; likewise, Middlesbrough loanee Josh Coburn - who I think we can all agree already looks pretty special - took his place among the substitutes for Antony Evans, of which his contribution to Barton’s Gas doesn’t require repeating.
Two in, two out and no disruption to the matchday 18 which also featured regular starters Luca Hoole and Harry Anderson, plus Trevor Clarke and Sylvester Jasper.
It wasn’t so long ago that bench spots were being filled out of obligation rather than desire and any alterations to the teamsheet from game to game were being made due to factors beyond Barton’s control.
In the last three league games Barton has made five, four then five substitutions, and at no stage have they impacted the quality of the team or performance. They’ve allowed in-game tactical tweaks to be made, legs to be rested and players rotated amid what has been a pretty frenetic schedule and one that won’t be easing up for several weeks either.
Against Cheltenham, Anderson and Coburn played the last 20 minutes, allowing Jordan Rossiter and Loft - who had both played 90 minutes at MK Dons - a breather, without affecting the shape too much.
Barton was also able to take Gibson off in the closing minutes, with the Everton loanee limping his way onto the bench, but the manager revealed he was carrying a dead leg and, on a booking, there was a danger that either the knock would impinge his ability to make the right defensive action and potentially earn another card or, worse, cause more lasting damage.
Hoole then slotted seamlessly into the back four. While, with Finley on four bookings for the season, there was no reason for the midfielder to play the final 10 minutes and earn a suspension for what should be a thrilling game against Plymouth Argyle next Saturday.
Yes, the game state played a huge part in this, at 4-1 you’re kind of able to change what you want, but equally the options off the bench influenced the flexibility of thought.
And let’s not ignore the sight of James Connolly walking onto the pitch before the game alongside Coutts. The centre-back wasn’t in a tracksuit but was part of the travelling squad and could be back involved against Swindon Town in the Papa John’s Trophy.
Tasty trio on the horizon
Those growing squad options, the overall form the team is showing with a greater defensive solidity, confidence in the system and each other and the impressive performances of a number of individuals means the Gas are both confident as a team but also within each other.
That is a very nice place to be going into the second half of October which we were all looking at with borderline fear back in September when the winless run just kept being extended.
There is a game against Swindon in the Papa John’s Trophy to grow those attributes to their maximum before a real blockbuster trilogy with league leaders Plymouth at the Mem, the sense of south west rivalry adding to the needle while Barton will also be up against fellow Scouser Steven Schumacher and former Gas coach Mark Hughes.
Then away trips to Hillsborough to face third-placed Sheffield Wednesday, broadcast live on Sky Sports, followed by a game at Pride Park against Derby County who Rovers haven’t played in a league match since 1993.
These were occasions that would have been circled on calendars when the fixtures were released in June and they can bounce into these matches with real excitement and self-belief, as opposed to pressure, tension and self-doubt that had started to creep in during that winless run not so long ago.
With the points accumulated over this handy little run, it gives Rovers a nice cushion to play their game, free of any anxiety, and who knows what will be possible given how potent they’re looking in the final third.
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