Bristol Rovers were held at home for the second game in succession as their solid but unspectacular start to the League One season continued on Saturday.
Morecambe were on the back foot throughout but led twice thanks to Jensen Weir's stunning finish from distance, wich was cancelled out by Ryan Loft's goal from close range before Kieran Phillips rounded off a counter-attack to make it 2-1 in the second half.
Rovers were not at their best by any stretch, but defeat would have been very harsh given the volume of chances they created compared to their opponents and it was debutant Bobby Thomas who popped up with the equaliser, firing into the net 10 minutes from time after Antony Evans' corner caused panic in the box.
It was an eventful afternoon with plenty going on both on and off the pitch. Here are some of the moments you may have missed...
Setting the tone
It was quite telling earlier in the season when Barton said after the win at Burton Albion that he sensed a lack of intensity in the Brewers' warm-up, which could spill into their play on the pitch.
You certainly won't see the Gas taking things easy in the minutes before kick-off, with head of performance Tom Short's booming roars getting the players going.
When Short's work is done and it's time for the technical stuff, Andy Mangan is in charge, and on when that was completed on Saturday, the players circled for a huddle. Mangan – who always brings the energy – was the man in the middle, but he appeared even more animated than usual, forcefully pumping his fists as he was getting his message across.
Initially, it seemed Mangan got the desired reaction, with the Gas making a flying start and hitting the post and having a strong penalty claim turned down inside a couple of minutes. Had either of those things gone Rovers' way, the tale of the afternoon could have been very different.
Barton's outfit change
Keen observers would have noticed a change in the usual attire for Barton on Saturday. Typically, the Rovers boss has been seen wearing a tracksuit in his time on the touchline at the Mem, except for his first game in charge against Wigan Athletic in February 2021, when he wore a collared shirt, black coat and round-rimmed spectacles.
This time, he plumped for light chinos and a smart navy jacket, although there was no change in headwear. A couple of times, Barton has added different caps to his rotation, but the dark blue one with a white circular motif is the obvious favourite and that was the one he donned on Saturday.
In pursuit of cutting-edge analysis, Bristol Live asked Barton why, after dozens of games in a tracksuit, he had switched it up for a smarter option. Was it a superstitious thing? No was the answer. He said he was not the biggest fan of the club's black matchday gear this year compared to last season's navy offering, but he was unsure if he was going to revert back next week when Rovers head to MK Dons.
Bobby's debut day
Shortly after his impressive debut, which was capped by scoring Rovers' second equaliser, Thomas was ushered down the stairs and into the bowels of the West Stand to speak to the press.
"I hate doing interviews," he joked before the microphones started recording, but his answers were insightful and to the point, showing impressive maturity and responsibility for a player making his first appearance for the club.
He could be forgiven for getting momentarily distracted during his chat with BBC Radio Bristol's Alistair Durden. With the 21-year-old's phone on the table in front of him, it buzzed over and over again with messages flying in from proud friends and family after his first appearance in the blue and white quarters.
He quickly shut it down and carried on with the interview.
Anderton's visit
Gasheads were delighted to see Nick Anderton back at the Mem to see his teammates in action for the first time since his cancer diagnosis was revealed.
The 26-year-old has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, and he needs an operation to remove part of his femur which could prevent him from walking for a year.
The outpouring of support from coaches, players and Gasheads alike has been huge, with the supporters' club raising money for his family, as is Barton, who will run the London Marathon for his promotion-winning defender and he has been doing training runs at The Quarters after finishing sessions with the players.
As has become the norm at the Mem, the crowd rose to applaud when the clock hit 16 minutes on Saturday, a nod to Anderton's shirt number.
Anderton clearly enjoyed his day back in BS7, judging by his social media activity in the evening. He posted a picture of himself, Paul Coutts and Newcastle United senstation Elliot Anderson at the Mem last season, adding: "Couttsy, how did we sign this fella?"
We have no idea either, Nick. Get well soon.
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