When Bristol Rovers' PA announcer Lance Cook points the microphone to mascots on matchdays and poses the question of their favourite player, the usual responses follow. James Belshaw, Antony Evans and Aaron Collins are among a long list in Joey Barton's squad that have endeared themselves to Gasheads this season, but with everything on the line in the promotion race, it could be a player on the fringes who pops up with the defining goal of the campaign.
Sion Spence, for example, has played just 88 minutes in League Two on loan from Crystal Palace this season, but his last-gasp goal at Walsall and the match-winning double against Oxford in the FA Cup are formative moments in the making of this team.
At this stage of the season, just one contribution could be all it takes to earn a place in Rovers folklore, be it a priceless goal, a crucial assist or a goalline clearance. The majority of Barton's squad have played their part in what is becoming a successful season for the Gas, but others have been held back by injuries and other factors.
