ROVERS v Port Vale.

This evening or afternoon depending which side of the pond you are, we start the first of two home games against Port Vale and Walsall on Saturday.

The game on Saturday was , in Darren Ferguson's words, " Nowhere near good enough, we were poor on the ball and we let our standards slip."

" Early on we were OK, particularly new loanee Lyden Gooch who showed enough touches to show that he is a quality player in the making."

" We have to be better, especially for the great support we took to Fleetwood."

Williams was lacking service and Conor Grant's dead leg did not help, although Chaplow did a good job when he came on. The players ALL know they disappointed many of you."

" We need to be better on Tuesday against Port Vale who beat us 3-0 and could have had six at Vale Park earlier in the season."

Tyson, Butler, Middleton and Stewart will all miss the game, Stewart has to be looked at with patience after his terrible injury. Conor Grant should return as his dead leg has improved.

The medical staff don't know why Tyson and Middleton both got injured in the warm up, the only thing could be the messing about with kick off times, due to the power cut.

" We must return to the standards we have set, although to get a clean sheet and a point when not playing well is something.We need as many wins as possible if we are to get anywhere near the playoffs as I see only the sixth place being available. The top five seem to be taking care of themselves."

We have brought in another young Premier League prospect on an initial months loan, Eddy Lecygne a French Under 19 international midfielder from Stoke. We have watched him and found that he was available to add to the squad with what has happened to our midfield in the last fortnight.

Port Vale have brought in two new players, Matt Kennedy on loan from Cardiff and free agent, former Rovers striker Theo Robinson. Robinson says he is hoping to play as a proper centre forward as recently he feels he has been played out of position. He is looking forward to scoring against us today.

Thorsten Stuckman was interviewed prior to the game and recollected that if he hadn't made save after save the result could have been a cricket score. When asked about the clean sheet on Saturday he said he would have preferred 2 or 3 -1 and a win instead of the clean sheet. He says that the team is working well with what is now a fairly settled back line. " I set targets for clean sheets, but winning and not getting them is far better to
me."

Tonight's officials. Referee Geoff Eltringham.

Assists Matthew Dicicco and Danny Gratton

4th Off Anthony Tankard.

ENJOY THE GAME. .