GAS ON FIRE

Pirates up after remarkable win

RICH FEWLASS

JOEY BARTON expressed his jubilation following an amazing final day of the season for his Bristol Rovers side.

The Gas hit seven goals to grab automatic promotion via a better goals-scored record than Northampton, with both teams on the same goal difference of +22, after both finished with 80 points.

An Oliver Lobley own-goal and Connor Taylor header put Rovers two up by half-time. Two goals from Aaron Collins and Anthony Evans each, and another from the outstanding Elliot Anderson after the break saw Barton’s side squeeze past the Cobblers in the last minutes of their campaign.

“There’s been some highs and lows and there’s been some tough moments but one thing that can’t ever be questioned is the character of our team,” said Barton (below).

Barton says that he intends to build a good squad to compete in League

One next year to capitalise on the momentum.

But he won’t forget his promotion as a boss as he guides the

Pirates back up to the third tier at the first chance.

“This is definitely up there. My first promotion as a coach I’ll always remember, especially as I had two court cases in the middle, and had to get the CEO and director of football fired out of a cannon.” Scunthorpe manager Keith Hill said: “We got a footballing lesson and there’s no doubt about that,” he explained. “They were miles better than us. They’ve done it over 46 games of the season. We haven’t.”