It was like Fawlty Towers, admits boss Barton

BRISTOL Rovers boss Joey Barton described his players’ “shocking” start en route to defeat at Ipswich as like a scene in Fawlty Towers.

The Pirates were made to pay for a woeful opening at Portman Road, with a Luke Leahy own goal and Alan Judge’s finish – both stemming from dreadful moments of defending inside 11 minutes – giving the visitors a mountain to climb.

Rovers fought their way into the game thanks to Luke McCormick’s superb lob seven minutes later, but their pattern of running out of steam continued as the Tractor Boys eked out the victory.

The result saw Rovers stay secondbottom of League One, three points from safety, and after the full-time whistle a disconsolate Barton lamented his side’s continuing tendency to get in their own way.

“That’s the story of the season isn’t it?” Barton said. “Individual moments of madness and errors have cost us.

“Thirty-nine games in you think you’ve seen everything in the game. I certainly haven’t seen a team play like they did in the first ten minutes, it was like they were starring in Fawlty Towers. It was shocking and nowhere near good enough.

“Credit to them, they’ve found themselves in a ridiculous position after 11 minutes and then they’ve decided to fight. I’m proud of the further 70-80 minutes because they kept going and going, but you can’t give goals away at any level, never mind two in the first ten minutes.”

Rovers were perhaps unfortunate to be playing against 11 men for the whole 90 minutes, though.

Tomas Holy collided with Jonah Ayunga after the striker played the ball beyond the Czech goalkeeper just outside box, but only a yellow card was produced, and Barton was flabbergasted with referee Stephen Martin’s decision.

“I don’t really want to use that as an excuse, again we were our own worst enemy,” Barton said. “We’ve given away two goals, you must take the referee and decisions out of it.

“I’ve asked the ref at half-time and full-time and he says he doesn’t think he was in control of the ball. Well of course he wasn’t, because he’s got Toni Schumacher’d by Tomas Holy. What can you do?