Joey Barton has challenged his players to continue their winning run after making it five victories on the bounce by beating Swindon Town 3-0 at the Mem on Tuesday.
The Gas cruised into the second round of the EFL Trophy with an efficient performance against the nine-man Robins, who had Ciaran Brennan and Ricky Aguiar sent off in the first half. Brennan received the second of two yellows for bringing down Josh Coburn on the edge of the box, while Aguiar saw a straight red from referee David Rock just before the interval after a late challenge on Alfie Kilgour.
Substitute Ryan Loft got the breakthrough just after the hour, chipping over Sol Brynn with real style for his sixth of the campaign. Harry Anderson followed it up with a bullet from the corner of area and Luke McCormick rounded off with a neat finish beneath the sprawling goalkeeper.
The EFL Trophy is the least of Rovers' priorities this season, but they are into the knockout phase and this was an evening when his fringe players staked a claim ahead of Saturday's game against Plymouth Argyle.
"They’ve shown a desire to keep the level of performance," Barton said of his team after making 10 changes to the XI that beat Cheltenham Town on Saturday. "We said it’s not easy to win games of football at any level and when you get that winning feeling, don’t ever let it go.
"It’s always rented, so if you can keep it, just keep winning. Don’t ever save it for another day because we all know it can disappear very quickly in our game and the challenge for the whole group is keeping that standard of performance. That is what the quartered shirt and the fans expect."
Barton was not satisfied with Rovers' first-half performance, believing they did not make use of their numerical advantage. After the break, however, they stretched the nine men and profited.
"We said to the lads at half time we were smothering our own work by rushing a little bit because they’d had a man sent off," Barton said. "We said about controlling the ball and you’ve got to methodically break down a team that has a numerical disadvantage.
"That means passing the ball, switching the play, pulling them one side and then going back across, and playing out from goal kicks, so we’re pleased with the clean sheet and lots of elements of the second half.
"Obviously, the lads had really good finishes for the goals, but in there first half there were a lot of lads who can definitely play at a higher level than that."
The red cards, clearly, had a decisive impact on the game, and Barton was asked for his view on Mr Rock's decisions.
"It’s a second yellow so I’m not sure," Barton replied. "They both looked fouls so you run that risk.
"The challenge on Alfie was too far away from me. Unfortunately now in the modern game, if you go off your feet and you’re late, you always run the risk of that. I’m happy their not on our side of the disciplinary problems."
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