It will be a much different Bristol Rovers side which host Barnet on Tuesday to the one which was beaten 2-0 at The Hive back in August.

The Gas were comfortably second best three months ago as Martin Allen’s side claimed an early scalp. Eleven points now separate the two sides, though Rovers are just five places below the Bees in sixth following three consecutive draws.

Pirates fans were calling for the head of boss Darrell Clarke after a start which saw them pick up just one point from their first three, but a sharp improvement saw Rovers win seven of their next nine to climb up to fourth.

Despite a marked improvement since the beginning of the season, not all Gasheads are behind the former Salisbury City boss, with one supporter attempting to board the team bus after a goalless draw with Alfreton Town earlier this month.

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol after the stalemate against Alfreton, Clarke said: "It feels like it's us against the world.

"When a fan wants to get on a bus at the end of an away draw and wants to have a go at my players, and my assistant is having to calm the fan down, it's a bit of a disgrace.

"In the first week of the season, there were 100 posters around the training pitch asking for the manager to be sacked. I had to clear the posters off the training pitch and try not to let it affect me.

"God help us when we go on a bad run and lose a couple of games,” added Clarke.

Appointed as John Ward’s successor with eight games remaining last season, Clarke oversaw relegation from the Football League for the first time in the club’s history and has been faced with unenviable job of rebuilding the squad in order to mount a promotion bid.

Any hopes of winning promotion back to the Football League at the first time of asking have been undermined by a lack of goals. Rovers have just the 16th-best attack (24 goals scored) in the division and top-scorer Matty Taylor has managed just four goals in 20 league outings.

Strikers Jamie White and Adam Cunnington have been moved on to make way for fresh blood. White, who was only signed from Salisbury City in the summer, has joined Sutton United on a free transfer, whilst Cambridge City loanee Cunnington has returned to his parent club.

Clarke has attempted to solve the problem by signing Nathan Blissett – scorer of two goals against Barnet earlier this season – on loan from Kidderminster Harriers, and the striker has already scored twice in as many appearances for his new club.

The 6ft 4in hitman arrives on loan but has already agreed a permanent switch to the Gas after Kidderminster were forced into shedding some of their higher earners.

Forest Green Rovers’ Lee Hughes and Wimbledon’s Matt Tubbs have been linked with a move to the Memorial Stadium as part of Clarke’s recruitment drive, whilst an approach for Millwall’s Jermaine Easter was knocked back by the Championship side.

The Pirates drew 2-2 with Chester on Saturday, with goals from Blissett and Tom Parkes cancelled out by two strikes in as many minutes from the hosts.

Bristol Rovers XI v Chester: Mildenhall; Lockyer, McChrystal, Parkes, Brown; Sinclair, Mansell, Della-Verde, Monkhouse; Blissett, Taylor.