Morning folks
A fantastic away win last week against our old foes propelled us to 7 points clear of the chasing pack. The same foes then did us an excellent favour in beating Plymouth 3 days later
Another terrific performance and one in which the players are really sky high confidence wise. Odds during the week have tumbled in our favour and bookies are removing us from promotion betting. As we know this is Rovers however and somethings are never as smooth as others think! That said there's something special at the club at the moment. The football is great the players are really connecting and engaging with the fans and it's a real good feel factor from top to bottom.
The best news to come out of this week is our two leaders in Copps and Butler have both extended contracts to see them till the end of next season
So points scorers from last week.
AussieLad and King Chomprrrr both pick up 8 points for correctly predicting a 3-0 win
Mooligan, Small Azza, Crazyrover, Yorkshirelad, Cheltenhamrover, Mickey, BVZ, Donaldo, Selbyrover and myself all pick up 3 points for the correct result
No one had Baudry to score his first goal for the club.
The crowd was 3627. Donaldo, Mickey, Cheltenhamrover and SmallAzza with 5 points for being within 100 of the attendance
Mooligan, Uthred, BVZ pick up 4 points for being within 200 of the attendance.
King Chomprrrr Yorkshirelad and Myself with 3 points, AussieLad 2 and Selbyrover with 1 point
Onto tomorrow what Morecambe will we expect? A club who have failed to pay there players yet again. A club going through a bizarre takeover and one that has mixed results on the pitch. When we played them early doors they were sitting pretty at the top before hammering them 5-1. It could have been 7 or 8 to be fair that day. I'm expecting something similar if I'm being honest. We have only lost to Morecambe once in our history at home back in 2000 with our last 2 matches ending in draws.
I'm going for a 3-0 win with Copps scoring first and a crowd of 6000.
🔴⚪🔴
Mooligan 165
AussieLad 162
Donaldo 157
Cheltenhamrover 156
BVZ 152
Azza 149
Yorkshirelad 148
Uthred 140
King Chomprrrr 139
Mickey 135
Crazyrover 109
SmallAzza 105
Selbyrover 95
Ottersrevenge 49
Dpl v Morecambe
posted on 4/2/17
Rovers to win 3-0
Marquis to score first
Crowd 5815.
posted on 4/2/17
just got back home if its okay can i predict know
2-0 rovers crowd 5678 marquis to score
posted on 4/2/17
A little pedestrian and a little predicable first half.
posted on 4/2/17
They look to be dodgie at the back tho
posted on 4/2/17
To be fair to Morecambe they came with a plan, having worked us out, and between that and some sub-par passing and shooting from Rovers they fully deserved the half time lead. Rovers probable got a Fergie rocket as when they came out for the second half they looked like a team on a mission. Mandeville came on for Williams, who seems to be a dire mid season slump, and eventually/inevitably Marquis slid in the equaliser. Despite a last fifteen minute Rovers bombardment they held on.
posted on 4/2/17
Need to stop trying to walk it in. Another 2nd rate ref, how their No.11 never got sent off was nothing less than scandalous.
posted on 4/2/17
We weren't at our best today but we're still better than Morecambe by a country mile.
We were denied a clear pen when their 11 blocked a cross with TWO hands.
As has been said, Morecambe clearly came for a point and to be fair they probably earned it.
They defended with ten behind the ball and I guess teams will do that more often than not at the KM.
A great finish by Marquis for the goal and I thought he had got the winner with the 20 yarder that just missed the top corner late on.
Marquis or Blair would have got MoM if I had been awarding it.
Clearly we are not going to win every game and at one down it was important not to lose this one.
We are still in a commanding position and unbeaten since the Plymouth game.
posted on 4/2/17
Not at our best today.
I dislike Ellison with a passion.
How ref and lino missed the most deliberate obvious hand ball i will never no.
The lino must have had a clear view.
I got the impression today one or two players seemed to be going through the motions Tommy Rowe in particular.
26 had a great second half.
Butler solid as ever.
Boudry Quality
Thought Houghton did well
Williams did some good things
Grant had a bad day.
Blair as you know I really like at the moment but he is really wasted playing so deep .
With Alcock on the bench after 60 mins should have been brought on to move blair forward.
Or perhaps leave Williams on and play mandy behing front 2.
Just thought it was all a bit predictable but hey hoy still got a point.And the ref went home happy to share his tea with Ellison
posted on 5/2/17
I was at football match yesterday, ready to admire League 1 leaders Scunthorpe visiting Southend (7th and on a good run since I saw them outrun by Sheff United.) The “proverbial advert for the league above us,” I thought.
I was wrong. Scunny were certainly tough, fit and organised, but not sophisticated. Southend were more football-oriented, but neither side had any obvious plan. Southend tried to keep the ball and Scunthorpe tried to take it from them rather aggressively and then scramble their way towards the home goal. Having eventually actually entered the home penalty box for the first time after 5 minutes of robust effort, they bundled the ball into the net for 0-1. The home crowd became a bit dejected as they witnessed brawn getting the better of their team’s better grasp of the skills of the sport. I glanced at my phone noting 0-0 at the Keepmoat and expecting 1-0 any time soon and felt a bit smug thinking “Is this all the top of League 1 can produce?”.
However very soon afterwards my emotions were rather like those of the crowd around me. Are this lot really top of League 1? Could we really be losing to Morecambe?
And so it remained with the contrasting styles in stalemate until Fortune, a class above, eased the mood in Essex at least with a well-taken goal
Southend got what they deserved in the second half with substitute McGlashan making the difference. And of course I became more cheerful after Marquis levelled.
Theo Robinson came on for Southend for the last quarter and ran about enthusiastically, but did not make me regret his departure and I question whether he is worth his two and a half year deal.
The Rovers highlights re-assured me of our current strength and tactical fluidity which I think would more than match what was on show here yesterday.
posted on 6/2/17
Thanks Donaldo. Good to know.