I think we should remember that Accrington were not good enough to maintain their L1 status last season and that our objective is to escape from where we are. Obviously AS have not had to labour under the burden of Schofield’s management, but we should be well set into recovery mode by now. This means that we really have to do no worse than draw because there are nine teams above us and the 9th has a 7 point advantage which might well remain even if we win.
Since we first met AS have won only once, but they did beat Wrexham at home. But there may have been an element of desperation developing recently when nearly half their team got booked in their 3-4 home loss to Swindon.
Whether our team is improving is a questionable proposition. Perhaps they are showing an increasing number of bursts of good quality, but the only consistent source of what really makes a difference comes from Faal and Ironside. Maxwell is emerging with credit and Molyneux matched the best elements of his skill with an actual goal on Tuesday. Nixon is another regular source of dependability and Sterry is back in the reckoning. Others receive sporadic praise but there is often a lack of cohesion and insufficient general conscientiousness to maintain the momentum.
Jones will no doubt retain his place and was awarded man-of-the-match at Peterborough despite his extremely close-up view of the first goal, but I suppose that compared with his usual form, he did better and we seem stuck with him. The Man City goalkeeper made a string of great saves v Villa and did not blame his defence once, nor indeed do most good goalkeepers. Pickford does it quite a lot and perhaps he is Jones’s role model. How many outfield player blame their team mates when they make tackles?
Although we are away, with due regard to what we have done since the Cup replay, at this stage of the season we cannot really afford to drop all 3 points in this game.
Perhaps this will be the decisive turning point, so with not a lot of confidence I’ll say 1-2 to Rovers (Faal/Ironside)
DPL v Accrington Stanley
posted on 7/12/23
Have to agree with all your points. We've been improving but are still inconsistent. It's a game we should have a reasonable chance of winning. If we do then I think we will have eventually turned the corner. However on past form our away performances have been poor and we are still so vulnerable in defence that I can't see us winning this. The obvious choice is a draw but I've just got a bad feeling about this one so 2-1 to Stanley. Ironside or Faal
posted on 8/12/23
So Wigan at home in the next round of the Trophy. They’re half way up League 1, but we did OK away to Peterborough in a play-off spot, so not a bad draw.
posted on 9/12/23
As is usual with the Rovers, a game that is hard to predict. Accrington will be out for revenge, but Rovers have won there. I think I'll spilt Donaldo and Nookie and say 2-2. Faal to get the first - if for some reason does not start, Molyneux ..
posted on 9/12/23
I think we will beat Wigan...Wembley here we come! OK, I've drunk some wine tonight!
posted on 9/12/23
Accrington 2 - 3 Rovers. Faal with the first, Ironside to score too.
posted on 9/12/23
Accrington 2-1 Rovers
Ironside to score ⚽
posted on 10/12/23
The football mirrored the conditions which were horrible even by east Lancashire standards which is even worse in a ground with only a low profile.
Perhaps it was a pity that they had improved the drainage enough to actually play.
Given that they would be more used fo playing in such conditions on their own ground, a draw was quite creditable.