ROVERS V NOTTS COUNTY MATCH THREAD

We go into the game against Notts County with each team having almost identical records in the League this season.
We have both won, drawn and lost the same amount of games, conceded the same amount but County have scored three more than us.

Only five teams in the division have conceded less than the 29 goals that us and County have so the stats indicate another tight encounter.

I guess that will mean we are going to see a seven goal thriller then?

The prize for the winning team is a place in the top six so there is much to play for.

History between the two clubs also shows nothing between us with both clubs having 19 wins and six games have been drawn.

When we played County in the JPT a few weeks ago they came to the KM on a good run of form and boasting an unbeaten away record whilst we were struggling to get a win at home.
Since then however things have changed a bit.
County have no wins in their last three away, losing two of them and we have found the winning home formula.
County have won only one of their last 8 league games in total and our recent league record is just two defeats in the last twelve games.

I have witnessed three home defeats against County in the past four or five seasons so it is time to redress the balance.
As has been often said on 606, we are due to give someone a battering and hopefully this will be the night we do it.

Some of the football we play is fantastic at times and i do think this is being recognised by the fans.
On Saturday we watched the lads completely outplay Barnsley from start to finish despite what Danny Wilson said in his post match interview.
What is did notice was that the fans remained at patient as the team and didn't start shouting for the long ball into the box.
They were happy to stay behind the lads as they played the ball on the floor in an effort to get the goal that always looked like it would come.
The atmosphere in the ground was very good and we even had a couple of choruses of "Paul Dickovs Barmy Army".

Against Barnley we had 8 shots on target which was only bettered in our division by Rochdale and the one on target by Barnsley was the fewest of any team in League One.
Comprehensive stats which confirm the superiority.

A few weeks ago i mentioned about most away teams setting up to play defensively and Barnsley did just that.
It is hard to break down when teams do it well but had Curtis Main have put away the chance that he created for himself early on i think it could have been very different.
I fully expect Notts County to come and play the same way.

It is good to see that PD has been allowed to sign Abdul Razak and although i don't know much about him he has come through the Man City ranks so he must be a very good player.

I continue to hear that we need a striker but in reality i doubt that we will get another one of any note, primarily because we can't afford to pay the wages that a prolific striker would command.
Also, we have three first team front players in Theo, Main and Tyson with young McKay waiting for an opportunity.

On Saturday, Main showed signs of coming back to his better self but the early chance he missed won't have done his confidence in front of goal any good.
Theo very rarely looks like getting into scoring positions.
Before his injury, Tyson was getting into some great positions and was beginning to score the goals so perhaps now he is getting back to full fitness he will be the man to unlock the defences.

The cry of "we need a striker" is the most common amongst football fans, almost every caller to Radio Sheff after the games says it.

I can't see it happening for us.

Anyway, onwards and upwards for the Rovers and i hope we can get the result that gets us a mention on the Football League Show for the right reasons.