A frustrating afternoon was worth it in the end as Bristol Rovers' dominance eventually told in a crucial 2-1 win over Bradford City at the Mem on Saturday. As the shot count rose higher and higher, so did the possibility that the Gas would endure a damaging afternoon in their pursuit of promotion.
That would have been totally undeserved, but Bradford snatched the lead against the run of play and Joey Barton's side were heading for a second successive defeat that could have sent the Gas falling out of League Two's top seven. Mark Hughes' Bantams had not earned their lead but Dion Pereira finished clinically to catch Rovers cold seconds after the resumption.
Responding to adversity is a great strength of this team, though, and for all the chagrin stoked by each passing chance, belief never faded on the pitch or the terraces. The Gas have been beaten just three times in four months and they have not suffered successive losses in that time, and they made sure those records were preserved and their momentum had been regained.
Bradford's goal did nothing to influence the flow of the game in their favour. If anything, Rovers' grip on the contest only tightened. Still, they had to work incredibly hard for their equaliser. Better chances were wasted but Sam Finley – a clutch performer through the highs and lows of an eventful season – delivered for his team once again by conjuring a thunderbolt from his right boot to beat Alex Bass from distance 11 minutes after falling behind.
Rovers had plenty of time and chances to win it from there and it was Connor Taylor who was the unlikely source of the decisive goal, scrambling home 15 minutes from time to secure three much-needed points to go level with the top three with just six games to play.
Aspects of the performance need upgrading, but in parts, Rovers executed Barton's dream gameplan. They had Bradford living under a strict lockdown in their own half for long periods of this game, leading to 31 shots and 3.83 expected goals, and it was that pressure that eventually told.
A constant inspiration
The murky early months of this season will not be remembered fondly as Rovers started dreadfully, but Sam Finley is a player whose standards have seldom dipped. Amid the good, the bad and the ugly, Finley has been outstanding; a player who makes the Gas machine work in each third of the pitch.
In no sense a flat-track bully, Finley may be diminutive but he stands tall in the big moments. He epitomises the deep reserves of character this team possesses.
Rovers have rarely exerted the kind of dominance they held on Saturday, but 10 minutes into the second half they had nothing to show for it. In fact, they were in arrears, owing to a rare defensive lapse from a back four rarely troubled by the Bantams.
In that moment, Rovers needed inspiration and Finley was the man to provide it. He took aim and fired from 25 yards, catching the shot so sweetly that the ball wobbled beyond Alex Bass and crashed into the back of the net. The Mem roared as Finley briefly celebrated a moment of supreme class, before getting back down to work, as he has done all season.
The 29-year-old has a magnetic attraction to second balls, combined with an eye for a pass very few League Two players can see.
Too many players have contributed significantly to make Rovers' player of the season a straightforward debate, but Finley certainly is in the conversation.
Following orders
Barton has been demanding more goals from Connor Taylor and the big man duly delivered one of priceless value on Saturday. it felt like a winning goal was coming, but nothing could be taken for granted on an afternoon when chance after chance went begging.
His aerial dominance, Barton thinks, ought to make the Stokie a regular contributor on the scoresheet, particularly with the quality of delivery Rovers often muster. He was able to double his tally for the season here, albeit with the same toe that equalised against Walsall in September rather than his head.
But Rovers have enjoyed a stream of goals from a wide variety of sources this season. Their centre-backs might be the only part of the team that is not performing in that regard and to see Taylor in the right place at the right time to score a huge goal in Rovers' season will be hugely pleasing for Barton.
That's because Rovers have several high-stakes game ahead of them. The next four fixtures are among their toughest of the season with Tranmere Rovers, Salford City, Port Vale and Forest Green on the slate.
Tight games and tension are a certainty with so much on the line for all involved as the campaign closes in on its crescendo. Set-pieces, therefore, could be more important than ever and it could be decisive if Taylor or one of his defensive allies pops up with a goal in the six remaining games.
The cheat code
There is nothing new in this column heralding the inherent brilliance of Elliot Anderson, who boggles the mind with each and every performance he delivers for the Gas. Bradford centre-half Paudie O' Connor certainly felt that way when Anderson, a much smaller man, proved a muscular mismatch.
A long punt from James Belshaw landed in the lap of the Geordie on the Bradford side of halfway, and with O'Connor for company. The Irishman tried to apply the squeeze on the on-loan Newcastle United starlet, but Anderson responded by sticking his backside out, holding off the challenge and spinning free, all in one movement.
It was one of many moments on Saturday that underlined the fact Anderson is on a completely different level. His intrinsic decision-making points to him belonging at a higher level.
Rovers have some excellent players who could cut it in League One and perhaps beyond, but none captivate the crowd like Anderson can. Time after time he prompts gasps and ironic cheers as he makes defenders look foolish. He often looks like a video game cheat code in action.
All that is left for him to prove at this level is the numbers to underline his quality. He should have more than three goals and three assists in 15 appearances. Those are solid numbers, but he is much better than that, and one wouldn't bet against him proving it in his final six games of his loan.
Room for improvement
Barton has long said he believes Rovers have not realised their potential, despite their huge haul of points since the turn of the year. Indeed, there are parts of their game that need to be improved and could be telling in the final six games and the play-offs.
The Gas are excellent at getting to the final third. They establish their defensive wall on the halfway line, policed by James Belshaw's positive positioning well off his line, and they defend aggressively and press with intent, enabling them to win the ball back often and sustain their attacking momentum.
However, once they get the ball to within touching distance of the opposition penalty area, there are imperfections. One can understand why, after all – as Finley showed – the Gas have numerous players capable of sticking one in the top corner from 25 yards, but any good attack needs to find the balance between a high frequency of low-percentage chances or a slightly lower quantity of better scoring opportunities by engineering an extra pass.
By no means should Rovers abandon their policy of shooting from range, but in recent games there has been a growing theme of dominance and goals not coming in equal measure. Barton's have been able to control games often but they have had to work hard for their breakthroughs.
In the first half on Saturday, the Gas worked 15 shots but failed to put any of them on target. That was due to the areas they were shooting and the opportunities they forged more than it was poor finishing.
There could be several more games like this in the run-in where Rovers could be applying pressure but not creating the chances they need to increase their odds of success. Overplaying is not the answer, but a bit of patience and thought could go a long way as Rovers close in on the finish line.
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