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Promotion rivals Bristol Rovers have The secret behind Bristol Rovers' victory at Northampton last weekend has finally been revealed — and it wasn't anything to do with rugby or a dodgy pitch.

Joey Barton whinged about Cobblers not watering the playing surface, leaving grass long and comparing Rovers' promotion rivals to a rugby team during his post-match moan.

But Rovers reckon the club's biggest dirty trick could have been taking lasagne OFF the pre-match menu for their owner.

Owner Wael al-Qadi reckons smuggling a lucky lasagne into Sixfields was the secret of Harry Anderson's winner for Bristol Rovers. Photo: SWNS / Getty

And their 1-0 win, courtesy of a first-minute strike by Harry Anderson, was really thanks to Wael al-Qadi smuggling his lucky pasta dish pasta the Sixfields security.

Rovers' victory was their eighth in ten games, making them big rivals for Northampton in the League Two promotion race.

Wael revealed he has had a 'lucky lasagne' before every game since the impressive winning run started.

He said: "I went to Stevenage away and they served lasagne for lunch that day and we won 4-0. Then we went midweek away to Orient and lasagne was again on the menu and we won 2-0.

"The following Tuesday at home against Barrow, coincidentally lasagne was on the menu again and I told the chef before the game that if we win tonight we could be on to something here."

The team won 1-0 and the pattern has continued ever since.

But Mr al-Qadi said there was some pasta panic when he discovered it was not on the menu for last Saturday's Cobblers clash.

He added: "We tried to get Northampton to serve lasagne, but they refused.

"All of a sudden, our CEO Tom Gorringe comes in with a lasagne takeaway in his hand.

"He said 'we can not let this stop.'

"Northampton weren't very amused by the fact we smuggled in some food but it worked again."

Rovers have eight more games — and eight more plates of lasagne — to go until the end of the season.

Al-Qadi added: "I am having to go to the gym after every match but it is OK.

"As long as we keep on winning. I am damaging my health for the team you see."

REVEALED: How Bristol Rovers beat Northampton Town thanks to smuggling 'lucky lasagne' pasta Sixfields security