Latest: Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton ‘wouldn’t pay’ players after dismal defeat to Morecambe as Portsmouth rivals track Crystal Palace talent

Here are the latest headlines from across the third tier.

Barton’s blows

Joey Barton has admitted he wouldn’t pay his players following their 5-1 defeat to Morecambe.

It was an afternoon to forget for the Gas as Dan Crowley, an Aaron Connolly own goal, Donald Love, Cole Stockton and Adam Mayor compelled the misery at the Mazuma Stadium.

Although Aaron Collins was able to net a consolation in the 90th minute, Barton described his outfit’s performance as embarrassing and gave a scathing assessment of the defeat.

He told Bristol Live: ‘Probably the worst 60-70-minute performance, if not 90-minute performance, since I’ve been here.

‘It was really poor and I can only apologise to the fans who have paid their hard-earned cash and given up their time on Saturday to follow us here.

‘That is not acceptable and all you can do is apologise to the (the fans). It was embarrassing, actually.

‘If I had my way, I’d make the players pay for their tickets and their travel because that was an embarrassing performance from our players.

‘Do they deserve to be paid? I wouldn’t pay you if you turned up and did a job in my house and did it to the standard of some of our boys today. I’d be chucking you out of the house and never allowing you back in and you certainly wouldn’t be getting a pound note off me.

‘But that’s the beauty of football, isn’t it? The lads get paid regardless. They have got the PFA and all that to protect them for those reasons, but based on output, I wouldn’t have paid some of our lads the money they are getting paid for that performance because it was unacceptable.’

Three-way fight

Charlton, Lincoln and Barnsley are in a three-way fight for Crystal Palace youngster Luke Plange.

Alan Nixon has reported the League One trio are clamouring at the chance to sign the 20-year-old on loan from Selhurst Park.

The striker is set to be recalled from his temporary switch at Belgian side RWD Molenbeek, where he’s netted just two goals in 14 league games.

The Eagles have expressed their desire to cut Plange’s stay to a premature close before the end of the window, which has sparked interest from League One clubs.

Posh prince

Peterborough striker Jack Marriott is closing in on a switch to League One rivals Fleetwood, according to reports.

Alan Nixon claimed the Cod Army have submitted a bid for the 28-year-old, who expressed his desire to leave earlier in the window.

With the forward left out of the squad to face Pompey on Saturday, boss Darren Ferguson revealed Marriott was in talks with a fellow third-tier outfit.

Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, he said: ‘There’s been a bid from another League One club. Jack spoke to them and Jack wants to go.

‘It’s down to the club whether they accept the bid. It’s a situation I've walked into, he wanted to leave before I got here.

‘I can't guarantee him a game every week and the situation is different with Jack than others as he’s not played much football for quite a while now.

‘The club has a valuation and if that’s met then he will go.’