Barton’s delight at ‘commanding’ Rovers win over MK Dons

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton said his side put in their most commanding performance of the season in the 1-0 win over MK Dons on Tuesday night.

Antony Evans’ penalty 15 minutes from time was the difference between the sides, but Rovers had by far the more and better opportunities to score, only coming short thanks to some Jamie Cumming heroics in goal for the hosts.

Limiting Dons to just one effort on target all night though, Barton said: “I thought, certainly coming away from home, we were as commanding as we’ve been this season,” Barton said. “I thought we showed a real level of maturity and we just kept improving as the game went on.

“We were worthy of those three points, albeit getting that first goal was going to be key. In recent weeks we’ve been crying out for reinforcements to come back and they’ve returned and we’ve still got bodies to come back, but it was a real team performance.

“I challenged them at half time to find another gear. We were comfortable in the game. They had periods of possession but we spoke about it in the build-up to the game in terms of coordinating our pressure and I thought the lads got better and better at that as the game went on. Lofty and Josh Coburn were at the tip of that, but it was a real squad effort to get the job done.

“James Belshaw has been superb for us but it is arguably his most quiet night since he joined the football club. Long may that continue.”