Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton launches an astonishing outburst at his own player after 'inferior' Peterborough United beat his team

Posh moved up to fifth in League One, five points and nine places above Rovers, thanks to a 2-0 win at the Weston Homes Stadium courtesy of goals from Archie Collins and David Ajiboye.

Barton also launched an astonishing verbal assault on his own player Luke Thomas as he was deemed culpable for the crucial second goal in the early stages of the second half.

"Their first goal was a deflected hit that went through a crowd of bodies and our keeper had no chance,” Barton said.

“Then to compound it one idiotic young boy – I can’t even call him a man – has compromised the team with his behavioural standards and we find ourselves 2-0 down with a mountain to climb.

“I can’t fault the other 10 players or the lads that came off the bench because they kept plugging away and kept pushing.

“Unless we man up – and I know you have to be careful saying that in the modern era – and absolutely eradicate these weak, feeble-minded individuals that are currently inside our unit, we won’t get promoted out of this division.

“’Luke reported his hamstring was tight one minute before we were going out. He got told to test it and said ‘no, I’m fine’.

“The ball is down his side and he said his hamstring has gone so we were about to make a substitution.

“But, in his infinite wisdom, he goes to press the ball and completely exposes Jack Hunt.

“We should do better after that, but we find ourselves 2-0 down – all because someone hasn’t got the mindset required to make the correct call to keep the team strong.

“I’m frustrated, disappointed and gutted for the travelling fans who came in their numbers and I think anyone who has been here today will see we were more than a match for Peterborough.

“We didn’t get that little bit of luck and we were sabotaged from within with an idiotic decision by Luke.

“I can’t really get too down on the lads as I thought there was some really good stuff out there, but some days it just doesn’t go for you.

“A deflection ends up in our net, we hit the post and the chunky legs of Jonson Clarke-Harris came to their aid on the goal-line!

“It was like trying to get round an oak tree on the line, but Aaron Collins has got to score that.

“The thing that’s really annoyed me is at 1-0 I still really fancied us. I thought we were the better side and said to the lads at half-time that Peterborough had scored against the run of play.

“The frustrating thing for me is because of an idiotic decision we find ourselves 2-0 down and they had something to hang onto.

“We’ve had a right go at them, but we couldn’t find that breakthrough and it’s three points dropped because we’re better than them.”