When The Memorial Stadium is at its very best, it is difficult for any team to come and get a result, with Riley Harbottle looking to make it a fortress for the Gas.
The Pirates had not won at home since the end of September until they beat rivals Newport County in the Severnside derby. They clearly gained plenty of confidence from their return to winning ways when they hosted Walsall three days later, with Yusuf Akhamrich netting for the third time in two outings before Kofi Balmer blasted a volley into the top corner.
The energy from the stands translated onto the pitch. On an evening where weather conditions were challenging, Rovers used them to their advantage. Every big tackle on a wet surface was cheered like a goal, with the Gasheads also encouraging the Pirates to press on at every opportunity, forcing the Saddlers into mistakes.
Speaking to the media before the game against Chesterfield, Harbottle wants The Mem to be a hard place to come for any side and has challenged his team to keep fighting.
“We’ve got to give the fans something to cheer about," he said. "I think in the last two, we have, and they have been absolutely brilliant. With previous results, I completely understand the frustration. A club like this should never be anywhere near where we are at this moment in time.
"So, I think we just have to look forward, they have to get behind the new players, and we’ve all got to stick together. I think the fans, the players, the staff, everyone around the club, we’ve got to create a proper fortress.
“We’re going into every game trying to win it. I think now, especially with the squad we have got, the new lads coming in today and things, we’ve got to try and win every game and I think we showed against the team that we have played against recently that there is no easy game in this league. So, we’ve got to keep fighting. We’ve got to stick together and we know that we can beat anyone in the league.”
Yusuf Akhamrich's ace hit against Newport and Balmer's brilliant volley will live long in the memory, but the Gas also kept back-to-back clean sheets to help secure six points from six in their last two games. Harbottle prides himself on keeping the ball out of his net, with the defender also admitting his relationship with Alfie Kilgour has helped with his start at Rovers.
"I think in the first two weeks I was getting used to it, building relationships and things like that," said the defender. "In the last three games, against MK Dons, we were the more dominant team; we were just on the wrong side of the result, but the last two have been positive.”
“I like to pride myself on clean sheets. I know it's the full team, but if you look at the team I was in last year, I think we had the clean sheets in the league. I think we conceded roughly 36 games across the full season plus the playoffs. So, 36 goals is a phenomenal number to do. I pride myself on that; I know I can do that and keep clean sheets. So, hopefully we can carry it on here.
"I knew Alfie before. We had a really good relationship when we were at Mansfield together, stayed in contact, and I think it’s showing that we would run through a brick wall for each other. I think Kofi has really kicked on in the last couple of games. I think he was brilliant on Tuesday night.
"We’re building a foundation; Tom Lockyer is a massive leader in the changing room. We’ve got a great foundation, and hopefully, we can keep building on that."
Harbottle has a promotion on his resume after winning the Sky Bet League Two playoff final with AFC Wimbledon last campaign. However, an injury reduced his chances in the third tier, with the 25-year-old switching from the Wombles to the Gas in the January transfer window. The centre-back wanted more time on the pitch and has started all five games for the Pirates since joining.
“I loved my time at Wimbledon. It’s a special club to me, and I played a lot of football last season. I unfortunately had two hernias around January, which I carried on playing with until the end of the season and had them operated on in the summer. I probably lost my place in the team, and not having a pre-season is always hard to get back in. I had an honest conversation with the manager.
“I wanted to play football, and he wasn’t forcing me out, but when an opportunity like this comes, and I see the trajectory the club can go in, we’re not in the best position, but when we get out of this and look forward to next season, I think this club can really kick on.
“The gaffer is a really big character, and I have spoken to him a few times. He has tried to sign me at previous clubs. So, when he rings your phone and tells you that he wants you to come in, I am a loyal lad at the end of the day. If someone comes for me before and shows me that they want me to play for them, I will always want to play for them.”
