Joey Barton said he could not ask for any more from his Bristol Rovers players as they pulled off a brilliant comeback win to strike a blow to Port Vale in the League Two promotion race on Easter Monday
The Gas remain fifth after the win at Vale Park, but they have closed to within two points of Vale in the final promotion place with just three games remaining. They have also opened up a four-point gap to Mansfield Town in eighth.
Jame Proctor bundled home to give Vale the lead inside 90 seconds, but Rovers responded with great character and goals from Elliot Anderson and James Connolly put them ahead at half time. Barton's side were dogged in the second period and were rewarded with a clinching goal in stoppage time from substitute Ryan Loft, his first for the club since a January move from Scunthorpe United.
"Again the character of our team (showed)," Barton said. "We go a goal down in a big game in a hostile environment. To manage the first half in the manner they did, not only to climb off the canvas but get themselves in the ascendancy and to give another performance.
"I challenged the lads at half time. It’s not about hanging onto a 2-1 lead. We had to be smart and calculated, but we needed to win the second half. Credit to the lads, they won the first half 2-1 and the second half 1-0. I can’t ask for any more.
"They’ve got a passionate fanbase that were right after us from the opening gambit. They got themselves in the ascendancy but I did feel on the touchline they scored too early. I felt we were much the better side. I felt that when we played them at our place even though they beat us that night and we had 10 men.
"Watching them in the build-up, I could see they were a really good side and they’ve had a great run and are still two points ahead of us in the table with a huge motivation based on what a top guy Darrell (Clarke) is and the bereavement and sadness in his family. You knew the players would be fighting and giving everything for him because he’s a top bloke, but today I said to our lads that we wish Port Vale and Darrell well, but for a 24-hour period we’ve got to be absolutely focused on the job we have at hand.
"I thought our lads today showed a level of maturity after that opening skirmish, a level of maturity way beyond the years of some of them. When you’ve got players like we have, you’re never out of any contest because firstly, they never give up, secondly, they are the fittest they can possibly be, and thirdly, there is an enormous number of match-winners littered throughout the squad and even on the bench."
With three games remaining, Rovers have everything to play for and Barton is already excited for the challenge of facing champions-in-waiting Forest Green Rovers at the Mem on Saturday.
"Pressure is a privilege and you want to be in these situations," Barton added
"The mantra for us pretty much since November has been ‘Can we take care of the next game?’ The next game for us is the team that sits top of the pile. It will be a huge challenge, but we’re in the Mem and it’s become the fortress we’ve always wanted it to be and I can’t wait to get in our stadium in front of our fans on our pitch."
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