Joey Barton describes Bristol Rovers attack ‘as good as any’ in League One

Posted Sunday, December 18, 2022 by PA

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton reckons his strikeforce are as good as any in the division after John Marquis scored twice to end their 62-year wait for a win at The Valley.

The Gas are undefeated in 11 of their last 12 League One matches and their 2-1 victory in a frosty south London moved them up to ninth in the table – three points outside the play-off places.

Substitute Marquis had only been on the pitch for six minutes when he punished Ryan Inniss for loitering in possession.

Marquis pickpocketed the Charlton centre-back, who had headed the hosts in front in the first half, and finished superbly beyond Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

The decisive goal is also one that Inniss will not want to replay. His pass forward was cut out by Paul Coutts, whose header put Marquis in on goal to once again emphatically beat Maynard-Brewer.

Marquis took the spotlight away from fellow frontmen Aaron Collins and Josh Coburn, who have netted 11 and five times respectively this campaign.

Barton said: “He’s worked his backside off to stay in the group and his attitude has been first class.

“Now he looks a real menace and complementing that with Coburn and Collins, we have got a strikeforce that is as good as any in the division.

“Credit to John, his pressing, work-rate, composure and calm finishing have ultimately been the difference between the Gas not winning here since 1958 and the Gas winning here today – 62 years. It’s another bit of history for our group.

“I’m buzzing for everyone who came out with the train strikes, freezing and the doubts about whether the game was on.

“The Gasheads have turned up in their numbers and I’m so pleased we gave them that win that has been long overdue at The Valley.”

The Addicks have not kept a clean sheet in 11 matches and have not picked up a victory since facing non-league Coalville Town on November 5.

Caretaker manager Anthony Hayes said: “We have to look back at the game without the emotion we are feeling right now.

“There will be some really positive aspects but we have to cut out the individual errors if we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win football matches.

“They hadn’t created anything clear-cut up until the moments for the first goal. It is bitterly disappointing.

“Their first goal gave them a huge lift and the ascendency. We have to try and wrestle it back and in the second half we didn’t get a firm enough foothold in the game, even though we had one or two moments on the break.

“We started the game great and we’ve created some big, big chances. We scored from the set-play and the scoreline should be more than one at half time.

“At the moment we’re not keeping clean sheets, so we have to score more than one goal to win football matches.”