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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Sam Frost

Joey Barton frustrated but full of praise for Bristol Rovers' 'dominant' performance at Swindon

Joey Barton was left disappointed his Bristol Rovers side did not take more than a point after a "dominant" performance against Swindon Town at the County Ground.

Tyreece Simpson gave the hosts – managed by former Gas manager Ben Garner – the lead in the 16th minute but Rovers responded well and equalised 10 minutes before half time.

Sam Finley, Connor Taylor and Aaron Collins all made a claim to applying the final touch after the former's cross bounced across goal and into the far corner.

Rovers were dramatically improved from the side outplayed in the reverse fixture in the autumn and Barton was frustrated that a winning goal proved elusive.

"I thought we were superb," Barton said. "I’m really pleased with the performance, coming here against a really good side. Swindon are a really good side, as we know.

"I think we showed the way we want to play. For me, I think we dominated the game. We were the team looking likely to score, we restricted them to counter-attacks and there won’t be many teams that come to this stadium here this year (that do that).

"Credit to our lads because I think we showed today we’re coming of age.

"Credit to their boy, I thought it was a really good finish from Simpson to beat Belly. You’ve seen from last week it takes a bit of quality and their boy produced it.

"But the response to that, for me, was the key. We didn’t panic, we didn’t doubt ourselves, we just kept passing the ball following the game plan and deservedly got ourselves back into it.

"I’m a little bit disappointed and the lads are in there, and that’s a good thing. We’ve got young players in there disappointed we haven’t won the game because they felt they were that dominant."

Debate remains over who scored Rovers' goal with Barton lifting the lid on the discussions in the dressing room at full time.

Barton said: "They’re debating it in the dressing room there, I’m not getting in the middle of that. Two feisty characters in Connor Taylor and Sam Finley.

"For me, I think it went straight in. Connor’s claiming it definitely flicked the back of his head. At 6ft 6in, I’m not going to argue with him."

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