PAUL Sturrock has deplored bad behaviour in the stands and warned his own players not to let ill discipline threaten promotion hopes.

Saturday's 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers was marred by a minority of supporters hurling seats at each other in the dying stages of the game.

The commotion in the corner of the Arkell's Stand was spotted by Sturrock and he was bitterly disappointed, especially with more than 10,000 fans having turned out.

He said: "Hopefully it was an incident with three or four hotheads and I hope they've been dealt with properly."

The vast majority were there just to watch a football match and Sturrock was delighted to see so many of them.

He said: "Fantastic. I'm very, very pleased. It was a great atmosphere, great to have that kind of figure here and long may it last."

Vice-skipper Christian Roberts, linked in one Sunday tabloid with Championship strugglers Barnsley, picked up his fifth booking on Saturday and misses the trip to Paul Ince's Macclesfield Town on Saturday.

Skipper Ady Williams had warned prior to the game that Town needed to watch the card count (now 44 for the season) and Sturrock is about to get tough.

He said: "Roberts misses the next game. It enables us to have a look at someone else. We have a set disciplinary that I have not kicked into place yet.

"I would imagine our discipline, looking at the yellow cards we've received this year, means that we could potentially be getting our wrists slapped very soon.

"It's something I will stamp out this week. Heavy fines will be handed out for dissent and stupidity.

"That's for the simple reason that you would hate to think that we would lose the opportunity of being promoted this year through that kind of scenario."

Sturrock, who hopes to arrange a reserve run out this week for those who didn't start against Rovers, said: "We want to have a season where we are competitive for the whole season.

"What happens then is in the lap of the gods. We want it to mean something right up to the last game."

The manager may be one for forming impressions quickly but every member of his squad needs to be on his toes as the January window looms and the question of contracts begins to arise.

Sturrock said: "Judgements are ongoing all the time.

"Every game, every training session should be thought of that they're on trial.

"Their job is to do well enough to get in the team and do well enough to force me to give them a new contract."