The bearded warrior, Gael Givet returned to the squad following Grant Hanley's suspension. An eruption of love poured out from the stands to the Frenchman in response to the final whistle, after a truly exquisite performance despite his mental instability.
The team finally looked like a team dedicated to working together, committed to battling for points rather than the all too familiar eleven men who have allowed so many late concessions this season. Jordan Rhodes grabbed the only goal against his former club Huddersfield Town, reinforcing the belief that the squad could take the three points.
It is fair to say that Gary Bowyer holds some sort of motivational power over the team, as for the second time this season the caretaker manager has instilled a distinct fighting spirit in the players. There was a sense of empowering unity portrayed throughout play as every man in blue and white halves did what he could to win.
Team GB is a completely different one to team Kean / Black / Berg / Appleton. It is a team that is at the very least trying to fight for its fans, fight for a result and fight to retain it's position in the championship. There is no doubt about it that under Bowyer the players have delivered performances unrecognisable to those under other managers this season particularly in the last two matches.
Despite Bowyer admitting he would not like to take the full time job of manager if offered the position, the prospect of Bowyer as manager is a much brighter one than another inexperienced manager being hired by one of the dictators involved in the backstairs power struggle. Although Bowyer himself lacks managerial experience (excluding his four game reign in January) he appears to exert a magical force which attracts a positive response from the players.
As Colin Kazim Richard previously stated, playing under Bowyer is refreshing - a theory which is clearly supported by the achievement of 6 points in two games. Throughout the season there has been a general consensus that players do not care.
Perhaps this apparent disinterest is merely due to a lack of motivation enforced by previous managers. Bowyer excels in this area. He not only encourages the players but supports them and publicly backs them.
Another strength to Bowyer's name, is his ability to make a respected substitution; recognising who is playing weakly and replacing them with an impact sub. Firstly, this forces players to recognise that shirking has no place in Bowyer's squad, and also provides players previously 'written off' by other managers a chance to prove their ability. For example, David Goodwillie who has struggled to get a game all season came on and delivered a commendable performance in place of Jason Lowe who had made a series of mistakes.
The six points will inevitably boost the squad's confidence putting them in better stead for Saturday's match against Watford than earlier imaginable. However this confidence must be used wisely to avoid developing into complacency, as it is foolish to ignore the fact that a relegation battle is still haunting the club despite the past two results.
There is a long way to go before safety is ensured but for now, Rovers fans will enjoy not only the six points, but the commendable performance they were deservedly graced with this evening.
