The presence of Elliot Anderson in Joey Barton's team meant the manager's confidence that Bristol Rovers would defeat Salford City never waned. The 19-year-old, on loan from Newcastle United, scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win for the Gas at the Mem on Good Friday.
Rovers enjoyed long periods of control in front of a 9,590-strong crowd in BS7, but a breakthrough was elusive until Anderson slammed a shot beyond Tom King at the near post with 15 minutes remaining. The Gas climbed to fifth in League Two as a result ahead of the Easter Monday trip to promotion rivals Port Vale – one of just four games left this season.
And Barton can only feel confident about Rovers' chances, particularly with a supreme talent like Anderson in his ranks. The teenager has five goals and three assists since his arrival in January, playing a transformative role in Rovers' development into promotion contenders.
"I felt we deserved that today," Barton said. "We were always aware it was going to be a really tight game. It just shows how much improvement we and Salford have made since the first half of the season.
"We knew it was going to be a tricky game and we knew it might have been one goal that decides it. When we’ve got some of the players we’ve got, we can open the door, obviously, that’s Elliot on this occasion. You always feel confident and that you’ve got a chance.
"I thought the group effort has been exceptional all year, but particularly today with the lads who came off the bench. Luke Thomas has been working really hard to get himself back into contention. He plays a lovely ball to Elliot. He’ll get an assist for it but I think young Bill (Anderson) needs to take a little bit more credit, but it’s a super ball.
"Credit to Harry Anderson in the first period. He kept pushing (Ibou) Touray back. He got him on a yellow card and he kept tiring him out. We knew we could soften him up and that would give someone like Harvey Saunders or Luke Thomas the opportunity to come in when he was fatiguing and attack the inside of him and create something.
"As it was, that was how it played out. It doesn’t always go to plan but we made aggressive subs to try and win the game at 0-0 and we got rewarded for that."
Barton was forced into a last-minute change to his starting XI will Leon Clarke withdrawn after the warm-up and replaced by Sam Nicholson.
"He just felt his hamstring in the warm-up," Barton explained. "He’s gutted, as you can imagine. He worked really hard to get in contention. He‘s had a few cameos and he’s worked himself back into the starting XI and then he’s had a setback.
"We’re all gutted for him and we said before about winning the game for Clarkey. He’s been a really good acquisition. He hasn’t played the minutes we would like him to obviously. But as a man, he’s been superb in and around the dressing room.
"He’s a leader in the midst of a young group that we have. We’re devastated for him. Hopefully, we can get a bit of good news but it’s early days and we’ve got everything crossed for him."
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