Bristol Rovers' pre-season campaign ended in near-ideal fashion with a 2-0 victory over Stoke City on Tuesday, offering plenty of encouragement ahead of the Pirates' return to League One.
Joey Barton's side were an equal match for the Championship side at the Mem before emerging as the stronger force in the second half. Aden Flint's own goal and a nerveless finish from substitute Harvey Saunders clinched a deserved win for the Gas, setting them up nicely for the opening day of the League One season on July 30.
There were plenty of promising signs for Barton to enjoy, with new signings settling in, a much-changed defence offering stability and fringe players advancing their claim for a more prominent role in the squad. There were also plenty of things that may have slipped under the radar, so here are some of the moments you may have missed from Tuesday's win...
Belshaw's late entrance
Around 75 minutes before kick-off on Tuesday, two goalkeepers emerged from the tunnel: Anssi Jaakkola and Jed Ward. Number one James Belshaw was nowhere to be seen.
Jaakkola and Ward worked together for 10-15 minutes. The Finland international is coaching Rovers' goalkeeping department on an interim basis after the departure of Tony Warner to Reading, and he could have been working on something specific with teenage prospect Ward. Jaakkola certainly was vocal with his encouragement for the 19-year-old.
Belshaw would join them in due course and warm-up ahead of the game, which he started and played 85 minutes before Ward played a cameo at the end.
But before kick-off, fan-favourite Belshaw found time to make it a memorable evening for the younger fans in the Thatchers Terrace. He took time out from his warm-up to sign plenty of autographs and take a few pictures.
No player was applauded more than Belshaw when he was substituted. There is perhaps no more popular man in BS7 right now.
A new pre-match routine?
With Rovers' squad and staff split in two places for the games against Bath City and Chippenham Town, Barton was forced to take a more hands-on role in the warm-up at Twerton Park to help the players prepare for kick-off.
Typically, Barton – like most managers – normally can be seen sipping a cup of tea or coffee from a distance rather than getting too involved in the pre-match preparations.
But even though the coaching staff was back together for the visit of Stoke, Barton continued to play a more prominent part on the pitch before kick-off.
Firstly, he was out of the tunnel early with Andy Mangan and Kevin Bond, and the trio enjoyed a kickabout together before the outfield players arrived for their warm-up.
Once Rovers' head of performance Tom Short had put the players through their paces to get the blood pumping, the focus turned to more technical work in a passing drill, and Barton was heavily involved.
The manager could be seen gesticulating and gesturing to his players about the passes they should play. Whether this is a change that is here to last remains to be seen, but it is interesting to note a change in routine for Barton before kick-off.
It's good to be back
What is not uncommon is for Barton to be the last man out of the tunnel for kick-off, as he was on Tuesday.
Stoke were on the pitch first and the men in blue and white followed soon after.
With the officials almost ready for kick-off, Barton appeared from beneath the West Stand and hot-footed it across the pitch to take his place in the technical area.
He was met by a huge ovation from the terraces and appreciated the welcome, pounding the badge on his chest as he jogged towards the dugout.
Feeling his age
Barton had hoped for a reunion with his former proteges Connor Taylor and Harry Souttar on Tuesday, but neither man travelled with Stoke's squad for the game at the Mem. However, Barton did take the chance to catch up with a person from his past.
The Rovers boss came through the Manchester City academy with fellow England international Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Barton's former teammate's son was in the lineup for the Potters. Twenty-year-old D'Margio Wright-Phillips has made a bright start to his career with Stoke after also coming through the Citizens' youth setup, breaking into Michael O'Neill's first team last season.
Barton said: "It would’ve been nice to catch up with them (Taylor and Souttar) and see them but I did catch up with young D’Margio Wright-Phillips. Shaun had D’Margio when we were YTS (at Manchester City). None of us even had kids or even knew what our reproductive organs were for at the time and Wrighty had a kid.
"I did feel my age when I caught up with him out there. It was superb to see him, I remember him being literally a baby. I was delighted to see him, he’s a great kid and he’s obviously had a good start to his career and I wish him well going forward."
Flint's night to forget
It is safe to say former Bristol City defender Aden Flint did not enjoy his evening in BS7 on Tuesday. It was his own goal that broke the deadlock, sparking mass schadenfreude on the terraces of the Mem.
James Gibbons' low cross got the big centre-back in a tangle and he could only bundle the ball into his own net from inside the six-yard box. Gasheads delighted in poking fun at the 33-year-old.
But early in the evening, the former Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City had already made himself look a little foolish.
Stoke were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, 20 yards from goal. Belshaw was setting up his wall and Flint took up the role of distractor-in-chief.
In an offside position, he stood facing Belshaw as he lined up his defence in a bid to block his line of sight.
What Flint didn't bank on was his teammate Sam Clucas subsequently firing his free-kick into orbit, almost clearing the Thatchers Terrace. Gasheads enjoyed that moment, as well.
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