Joey Barton hailed a "thoroughly professional performance" from his Bristol Rovers players after coming from behind to beat Forest Green Rovers 3-1 at The New Lawn on Saturday, as he explained his decision to withdraw Luke McCormick just eight minutes after subbing him on.
There were many positives for the Gas, who were undeterred by Charlie Savage's fine opening goal in the 12th minute, with strikes from John Marquis and Scott Sinclair putting Barton's side ahead by half time. Number nine Marquis made it his second brace of the season in the second half with a glancing header from Sinclair's wicked corner with half an hour remaining.
After scoring, Forest Green barely troubled James Belshaw in the Gas goal, but they were gifted a route back into the game in the last 10 minutes when McCormick dragged down Dom Bernard in the box.
Thankfully for the midfielder, who had been on the field for just five minutes, referee Scott Oldham did not deem it worthy of a second yellow card after booking him moments after coming on for an off-the-ball tussle. And then Belshaw got down well to his right to keep out a tame spot-kick from Corey O'Keeffe.
Rovers were relieved, but Barton was angry and his expression showed it as McCormick was quickly replaced by veteran player-coach Glenn Whelan to manage the closing stages and avert any more scares.
"Their goal, for me, came against the run of play," Barton said, first focusing on the positives. "It was a ball down the channel and you have to give the lad credit, it’s a good finish from Robbie’s lad Charlie Savage.
"We were disappointed because we were just settling into the game, but credit to the lads, we didn’t sulk, didn’t mope. They are a team that hasn’t won a lot of games lately and we just had to be patient and follow the strategy and the lads got the goals.
"John scored a great goal and it just settled us and I felt we went in at half time deservedly ahead. We were a bit critical of the lads at half time in that we had opportunities on the counter to get that third goal.
"It was a case of starting the second half brightly and getting the third goal. From there, we thought it was going to be quite straightforward and barring the last 10 minutes, it was a thoroughly professional performance."
McCormick has endured a difficult season after returning to the Mem for a second spell in the summer and he had not played in any of the previous four games. Barton says he understands the player is in a difficult moment, but he believes he could not afford to take any chances with the Gas on course for three points that lifted them to 13th place.
The manager explained his decision and sent a warning to the 24-year-old.
"I’m mindful of not digging the lad out because he’s having a tough time, but he could have cost our team today and he needs to understand the ramifications of that," Barton said.
"He’s a fortunate boy, he’s a very lucky boy that James Belshaw has saved the penalty and if I’m Macca this week, I’ll be buying Belly a nice present because he has gone on and for some bizarre reason he gets himself involved in a confrontation and gets himself on a yellow card, so you are running a tightrope then straight away.
"The ball then goes down the other end of the pitch and he pulls their lad down in the box and it’s a stonewall pen. He’s a very fortunate boy that he didn’t deem that a second yellow and then you get the penalty to face and you’re down to 10 men.
"They are fighting for their lives. That would have been the gee-up this whole stadium would have needed and who knows what would have happened in those final 10 minutes.
"Macca is a player who has had two relegations, one with us and one with Wimbledon. When he goes on and does that, you can see why because they are absolutely mindless decisions that he is making out there that cost the team. If you do that, you won’t play in my football team because we just can’t have that.
"Glenn Whelan is 415 years of age, but goes on and absolutely delivers the strategy to a tee, Antony Evans the same, James Connolly the same, Ryan Loft the same.
"We have got to have lads that are absolutely wired in and I get that you are disappointed that you are not starting, but when you go on and play like that, it’s self-evident why you’re not starting, so he needs to get his act together otherwise he won’t be at this football club much longer."
Barton made clear the fondness he has for the former Chelsea prospect, but he spoke of a cold, hard reality.
"I’ve never done that, I’ve never taken a sub off the pitch, but he could have got sent off and he’s a very fortunate boy that Belly saves the penalty and the ref didn’t deem that a second yellow because they were about to put three big subs on and launch it and we would have been facing the Alamo there from a game that was done," Barton added.
"I was putting Macca onto the pitch to get him some confidence and some minutes because he’s low at the minute, but he could have cost us there.
"The thing for me is trust and he is burning through his chances of trust with me. When that happens, people leave the football club.
"I love Macca, I think he’s a great kid, but if you are getting paid to do a job and you don’t do that job, this isn’t a charity and I won’t put up with it. I made a point there of taking him off mainly because I didn’t feel he was secure in his performance. I felt he was a red card waiting to happen, or certainly pull the team’s performance down."
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