As one of the few Bristol Rovers defenders who hasn't been injured this season, Luca Hoole will know better than most about the potential of Joey Barton's striking department. On matchdays, the Welshman relishes watching Aaron Collins, Ryan Loft et all cause problems at the other end, but in midweek on the pitches at The Quarters, he is in the firing line.
Ahead of Saturday's win against Cambridge United, it was Josh Coburn and Loft leading the attack in training that the defender had to handle. With both men 6ft 3ins and above, needless to say it was not fun, but it reaped rewards in Saturday's 2-1 – with Coburn netting the winner – Hoole knows that bruising partnership can be a huge weapon for the Gas.
"I’m buzzing for Josh," Hoole said. "He deserved the goal and I’m delighted he got it. He’s such a handful. He and Lofty together is frightening when they just pin you, it is tough and they could be some force up there."
Hoole played a big part in Rovers' win – their first in League One since August 13 – with his glancing header forcing Greg Taylor's own goal to put the Gas ahead, and the 20-year-old delivered an impressive performance in the heart of the back four to help his team over the line.
Needless to say, the academy graduate was delighted to get the nod in the starting XI, although there are some perils having shifted inside from right-back, where he played throughout Rovers' promotion season. Sporting a wound on his face that required glue to stop the bleeding, he joked: "The centre-half stuff is making me ugly. I’m going to have to get a missus soon, aren’t I? I got an elbow to the face off a striker, but it happens and it’s part and parcel of the game."
Back to the serious stuff, Hoole knows how big Rovers' victory was on Saturday. They had gone more than 50 days without a win in League One and a daunting fixture list awaits in the coming weeks as the Gas take on several sides contending for promotion.
"For morale, I feel like we needed that win," he said. "We had a good game against Exeter where we all came back in the changing room feeling we should’ve won. We carried it on against Palace with a good win and we had to win on Saturday, so everyone is buzzing that we got that.
"The gaffer always tells us momentum is massive in football, so we’re not looking at that (the upcoming fixture list). We are just looking at the next game and as long as we win our next game, all is going to be well.
"It’s massive for the lads. Building confidence week in, week out, from Exeter to Palace and finally when it matters on a Saturday in the league, we managed to get the three points.
"Last year, we were flying on confidence no matter what happened. Look at Rochdale away; hopefully, we can get back to that and keep going."
Hoole and Rovers' star man Collins are close mates, both hailing from South Wales. The defender is delighted to see his pal doing well and, like his manager, he believes recognition from his country could be around the corner.
"We share lifts in, we’re both from Newport and he only lives two minutes away from me," Hoole said. He’s flying at the moment and who knows, a Wales call-up might come for him soon.
"I think he can get to that level, 100 per cent. I believe in him and I think he believes in himself."
Hoole himself is a Wales under-21 international, playing away in Austria during the international break last month, and he has senior aspirations of his own, but for now, his focus is on succeeding with the Gas and honing his craft.
"I think it’s a case of keeping progressing and getting better as a player," he said. "I’m always looking at the next game rather than too far ahead because if you look too far ahead, you don’t see what’s in front of you. I’m just looking at the next game and if keep improving, who knows?"
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