Dpl v Luton

Rovers to win 3-1 with Marquis to score first and a crowd of 8065

rovers 1 - luton 1
coppinger to score

crowd 6843

2-0 Rovers Williams to score crowd 8345

Apologies lads just checked my post should read 7887.

Come on Rovers

Surprised no post match comments.

Anyway here goes. A good following from the 554 would have been sat thing here we go could be 3 or 4 today after the first 20 mins. We were nippy fast playing at high tempo and had 2 great chances before Copps even scored.

Marquis headed wide at the back post from 3 yards out and even more so a ricochet from the luton back line presented Williams with a fantastic chance, on his own but he headed onto the bar from 8 yards.

A nice bit of build up play and a coming together saw Copps smash the ball in. Great 1 up and not a luton chance in sight. Wrong!

There player who was injured in the build-up was down for 10 mins and that crushed all momentum we had.

We struggled with there wing play, cheating and falling over to gain free kicks and also there 2 strikers.

Rowe and Houghton disappeared, communication between Wright butler and marosi was non existent, Evina was always easily getting beat down our left so it was inevitable the goal was coming. 2 chances 2 goals that left many of us perplexed as to how we were behind.

2nd half we came out and offered hardly anything. A tame Rowe free kick was all we really had to offer. He was later subbed and we reverted to 3 at the back. This seemed to halt the stem of Luton pressure but instead of using Calder and the Blair on the wings we continually lumped it up to Williams and Marquis who couldn't won hardly a thing. We played straight into Luton hands and they were just trying to hit us on the break. Penalty? No. Challenge outside the box, minimal contact and a great dive was enough to con the already Luton shirt wearing ref. Game over. The lads looked down and out.

It's a hard one to take and a game I felt we should have left with a point. But if we go 2 even 3 up it could and should have been another Morecambe.

Copps marginally shaded the MOM in what was a lacklustre team effort. But the ever appearing problems from last season seem to be creeping in. I've noticed over a couple of games Butler for the leader at the back is not doing that. He tries to easily to nip in win the ball, gets turned then isn't quick enough to get back in. At the other end with Williams. Will the real Andy Williams turn up? Often looked disinterested and was so far apart from Marquis who won a few headers and got caught offside a few times!

Overall disappointing but we are still up there just a win away from the sumit but a hard game Tuesday awaits!

Azza, thanks for a great match report.
For some reason there was no live text reports on the BBC and radio Sheffield were covering the blunts and singles matches.
I was detailed to an afternoon at the shops so it was hard to keep in touch with what was going on.
It does sound like we lost our way after the ten minute injury hold up.
We have list three away games now so that isn't a trend that can continue if we are to be serious promotion contenders.
In my opinion we have to set up to be hard to beat in away games which will probably allow us to actually win more of them.
Unbeaten Carlusle and Pirtsmouth are up next and maybe after that we will have a better idea about whether we can expect a top three place in May.
I do fear that when Baudrey is ready to start a game DF will revert to a three at the back set up and it hasn't worked for us so far.

I think you're right Hound re the 3 at the back. Baudry came on and along with Wright and Bulter made up the 3 we may see a lot more of!

I'm not sure if it is the same in the UK, but here on the Left Coast of the USA we get the highlights Sunday, but have to wait for DF's comments until Monday, although they appear to be shot just after the game. Does he wait until seeing the fans' response and then have his comments edited?
Maybe I'm too wrapped up in conspiracy theory because over here we have two awful candidates running for President. OK, this is not a political site (Thank God), but I'm just saying what is influencing my opinion.
On the highlights we seemed all over them until that long break, but that is no excuse as it reminds me of the frailties last season. If Marquis had scored that sitter, we would have run away with the game.
Also I thank Azza for a great match report.
According to the Free Press, DF thought the penalty was outside the area, but a rash tackle that deserved a foul. It was hard to tell on the highlights. Wright was in the area when he went for the tackle, but the Luton player was just outside. I can understand why for the ref it was a penalty.

There is a photo on the VSC website which clearly shows that the tackle was made just outside of the penalty area.