Joey Barton hopes Scott Sinclair’s goal ‘the

Posted Sunday, November 06, 2022 by PA

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton believes Scott Sinclair’s match-winning goal in the 1-0 win over Rochdale will just be the start.

Sinclair, making his first start since rejoining the club he left for Chelsea in 2005, popped up with the only goal of the game to send Rovers into the second round of the FA Cup.

With just 25 minutes remaining, Sinclair made the most of a James Gibbons header, who had flicked on an Antony Evans cross to create the match’s vital moment.

“It rounds the circle of his journey nicely for him,” said Barton of the 33-year-old who returned to the Gas last month.

“Hopefully that’s the first of many goals for him. I thought he was our best player, I thought he was excellent for us on the day.

“You don’t need speed if you have a quick mind. I think he has been a player who has been quick in the body and he’s looked after himself.

“He’ll only get better and if he’s enjoying it, it gives us a good opportunity to keep him beyond January (when his existing deal ends).”

Rovers will eagerly await Monday night’s draw, with the second round to be played on the weekend of November 26.

Meanwhile, Jim Bentley explained that his side did everything but find the back of the net, leading to a frustration at his side being so close to a result but unable to cross the finishing line.

Ian Henderson and Connor Malley missed good opportunities during the game and the visitors were also denied by the woodwork when Rovers defender Bobby Thomas intercepted an Abraham Odoh cross and watched the ball rebound off his own post and into the hands of his grateful goalkeeper James Belshaw.

Bentley said: “It’s as frustrated as I’ve been. The game plan went exactly as we thought, we’ve countered from mid third to final third but our passing from mid third to final third wasn’t good enough.

“When we did get it right we had enough opportunities to win two games never mind one. I pride myself as a defender on coming alive when the ball is dead and defending set plays, but I feel like I’m saying the same things as I said last week.

“We can’t go away and then our fans clap us and say well done, after a day like today that we’ve just had, I’m not having that. At the end of the day, we’ve lost 1-0 again – like we lost last week and we were the better team then.

“We spoke yesterday about Bristol Rovers. They’re quite bright with their set plays. It comes to the big day and we’re on top and we go and concede a goal like that.”