Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton was in the stands at The New Lawn on Tuesday night on what was a big night in the League Two promotion race.
Bristol Live understands Barton and first-team coach Andy Mangan were in attendance to watch league leaders Forest Green Rovers battle to victory over promotion hopefuls Mansfield Town in Nailsworth – a result that would have pleased the Gas boss. Swindon Town boss Ben Garner, formerly in charge of the Pirates, was also in attendance.
The Gas host Forest Green at the Mem on April 23, while Mansfield are a direct rival as a handful of clubs fight for a place in the top three and jockey for position in the play-off places. Barton doubtless learned plenty on his fact-finding mission, with both sides' strengths and weaknesses on show in a highly competitive game with the stakes high.
FGR's top scorer Matty Stevens is out for the season with a knee ligament injury, but his replacement Josh March stepped up and opened the scoring in the 13th minute. It proved to be the winner, with Mansfield reduced to 10 men in the second half when midfielder George Lapslie was shown a straight red card.
Three straight wins have ended Forest Green's seven-game run without a win, meaning Rob Edward's side are almost certain to claim the title. Mansfield, meanwhile, remain sixth, level on 66 points with the Gas but with a game in hand. Feasibly, the Stags could be play-off opponents for Barton's side if automatic promotion eludes both clubs.
The other fixture played in League Two on Tuesday also had implications for the promotion race, with surging Salford City hosting Port Vale at the Moor Lane. Four straight wins for Gary Bowyer's Ammies had put them in contention for a play-off place, but their winning run was ended by a Vale side staking their claim for the third automatic promotion place.
Harry Charsley's 59th-minute goal was the difference between the sides, winning the second game of Darrell Clarke's phased return to work after a family bereavement. Vale's tally was taken to 69 points, three points clear of the chasing pack.
Salford are 10th, two points adrift of Tranmere Rovers in seventh, underlining the chaos that could ensue in the final weeks of the fourth-tier season with so many clubs in contention.
Barton's Rovers face Salford and Port Vale across the Easter weekend, which will surely have a defining influence on how the table looks at the close of play on May 7.
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