Gas Gossip: We're looking up rather than down now (From Gazette Series)

Bristol Rovers fans' panel by Jeff Bolitho

9:39am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Sport

ROVERS continued their impressive resurgence by finally achieving back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The 2-1 victory over strugglers Bradford City at the Memorial Stadium on Saturday ensured McGhee kept a 100 per cent record from his two games in charge and also meant the Pirates had picked up ten points out of a possible 12 in the last four matches.

That kind of run has lifted spirits immeasurably and fans were united behind the cause to generate a positive atmosphere.

An early strike from Lee Brown settled any nerves and gave Rovers a deserved half-time lead.

We looked to be home and dry as Eliot Richards again showed his great promise with a cool finish to make it 2-0.

A goal for the Bantams ensured a nervous finale but luckily proved nothing more than a consolation as Rovers held on to secure their first home win for three months.

Zebroski almost cost the team with a reckless challenge in the penalty area that looked a certain penalty, but the referee waved play on. Rovers were also denied a strong claim for a penalty earlier in the game so maybe the controversies evened themselves out, but the Gas targetman was lucky not to be penalised and needs to learn from his error.

Remarkably the Pirates are now closer to the play-offs than the relegation places, lying ten and 11 points from those positions respectively.

A few weeks ago we thought we were in the thick of a relegation battle but it shows how quickly things change in football as fans are now looking up the table rather than down.

The signings this week of midfielder Matthew Lund on loan from Stoke and Scottish defender Jim Paterson will bolster the squad for the rest of the campaign.

A play-off push is still a long shot and would require a winning sequence similar to that achieved during the 2007 promotion season.

Anything is possible but most fans would be happy with a top half finish that gives a platform to mount a serious promotion bid next season.

But if Rovers return from Aldershot on Saturday with another three points then Gasheads will continue to dream of an unlikely trip to Wembley in May.

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