Bristol Rovers earn promotion with 7-0 win but invasion almost saw game abandoned

Northampton Town sat in third spot in the table on goal difference, meaning that Joey Barton's side faced a huge challenge to overthrow the Cobblers, something that managed to achieve thanks to their scoreline against Scunthorpe.

Rovers were simply stunning at the Memorial Stadium and knew they were onto something special after going 6-0 up after 76 minutes of the match, even if Northampton were winning 3-1 against Barrow.

However when Newcastle loanee Elliot Anderson found the net 10 minutes later, giving them the five-goal swing needed, the home supporters could not contain their excitement at what was in store after storming the pitch in celebration.

Reporting for talkSPORT, Laurence Mora explained: "It is chaos here, there are fans all over the pitch.

"The Scunthorpe goalkeeper is being held back by his players, it looked like he got roughed up by a couple of fans who has come over the hoardings at the far end.

"There was blue smoke bombs on the pitch and it has turned to bedlam here.

"The stewards are on the pitch, they're trying to get the fans back and the Bristol Rovers players have gone over to try and get their fans back.

"There was booing from this stand at the fans who had gone on the pitch because they're so close Rovers, so close.

"They don't want to do anything to mess it up."

As a result of the disturbance, referee Charles Breakspear took the decision to temporarily suspend the fixture, before manager Barton and club owner Wael al Qadi addressed supporters in the stand to tell them not to go on the pitch.

After a lengthy stoppage, play got back underway with Breakspear warning that any further invasions onto the pitch would result in the match being abandoned - a stark warning to the home side who were on the cusp of something very special.

But after a nervy final few minutes, Breakspear blew the final whistle to confirm promotion for Bristol Rovers and condemn Northampton to the lottery that is the League Two play-offs.