• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Maidstone United v Rovers

Cowshed Kid

Member
Joined
5 Dec 2015
Messages
882
Player
Bobby Hutchinson
Good to see mangs back
1f44d-1f3fb.png

Shows what some of the players think of him.
If I'm looking for a striker to have on bench I'm happy with Mangs.
It's not always about bringing someone on to score that winner, it's a player whose going to run, hassle and give the verbals that he does!
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,690
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
I'd also be interested in hearing how Dunn did, a left-field selection. However, his cross led to the second equaliser, so he did something right.
Dunn did no better or worse than anyone else. He played cautiously, as you'd expect from someone returning after a while. I expected the team to use the full pitch, as good a surface you'll find at this time of year. But the main strategy was hoofball down the middle, which the Stones defence always dealt with. It was interesting that the first two goals resulted from all too rare crosses from the wings.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boz

Sparky

Member
Joined
8 Sep 2009
Messages
7,531
Player
Chris Greenacre
It’ll be interesting whether Dunn keeps his place next Saturday if Ginnelly and Tollit are both available.

With Nors looking a bit off form we need competition in the striking areas and with Alabi and Waring out of favour, mangan is the only option (Kirby injured again).
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
That was as poor a performance as we have produced since Mellon took over. The result on Tuesday night had clearly affected the players, as there was a visible lack of confidence, with all of the senior players - Jennings, Norwood, Norburn - retreating into their shells. At the back, we were totally disorganised for most of the game in the absence of McNulty, with Maidstone creating half-chances from nothing balls into the box that big Steve would normally head clear. Our three goals were, I believe, our only three efforts on target in the match, and two of those were an OG and a penalty.

All of that said, the victory was vital. If we had lost today I think we could have gone on a downward spiral, as the players were visibly shaken by the Macc debacle. As it was, the manner of the victory will lift spirits and the players looked made up at the final whistle.

Individually, we were varying shades of terrible. I thought Dunn was poor for the majority of the game. He had a lot of the ball but his decision making was poor. For the penalty incident, he failed to track his man back, then realised he had lost him and dragged him down in the box. He did redeem himself with the assist for the second goal, the only decent move we put together all game.

Monthe was a mixture of good and bad. He looked very weak in the air and failed to dominate, but has decent pace and strength and was good going man-to-man against their forwards. I think he will be ok alongside McNulty, but is no replacement for him.

Tollitt made a difference when he came on in a wing back role after we switched to 352 in the second half, and probably escapes criticism. Mellon does also deserve some credit for the substitutions, as we did perk up a bit in the last fifteen minutes, albeit a bit late in the day.

We won't get away with playing this badly again.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
I only caught the last twenty minutes or so of commentary.

Good ball by Dunn for our equaliser, but there seemed to be some controversy about it. Buxton taking penalties ahead of Jennings now, though it worked.

I presume Hughes and Duggan both were injured? Norburn picked up his 10th yellow card of the season, so will miss the next couple of games, leaving us a bit short in midfield if the other pair were injured.
Duggan was replaced in a tactical switch, to give us a more attacking option on the right hand side.
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
Duggan was replaced in a tactical switch, to give us a more attacking option on the right hand side.
Thanks for the info, RLC. I suppose you could say it worked given the result,but it must have dented Duggan’s morale. Would also have some concern about Tollitt playing a wing-back role, given he’s not great at tackling.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Thanks for the info, RLC. I suppose you could say it worked given the result,but it must have dented Duggan’s morale. Would also have some concern about Tollitt playing a wing-back role, given he’s not great at tackling.
I think it was just down to circumstances with the injuries, and it definitely swung the game in our favour.
 
Joined
1 Oct 2005
Messages
5,690
Player
Alan King, Barry Dyson
RLC, I remember a left foot shot from Harris early on which their keeper saved. However, that still makes just two shots on target from open play. I think we managed just one corner and that was in the last five minutes. We came off second in all the important stats except the result.
 

drwhoman

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
2,658
MM said post match that depending on how Injured Hughes is he will consider bringing someone else in. We cannot afford to muck around at this stage. Got to keep winning however well or not we play.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
well i must say happy we won but not great at a team who have not won in 17 games . fair to mm he admitted him self that passes went astray and could have been better . but a win is a win . think Norburn should be dropped as not playing at all well . think noorwood is off the boil an needs a goal . fair play to the fans super again
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Even though we’ve picked up six points from nine in the last three games the performances have hardly been convincing. MM needs to sort it out quickly as we are entering a crucial stage of the season.

What’s with all the long ball shenanigans? Have the players forgotten how to pass a ball?
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
on tuesday we got out battled bye a better team who wonted it more . or that ,s how it looked . yesterday we got nearly out thought bye messing around with team changes . we got a captain who cant play on plastic . ok i know he is carrying an injury . but should still be there . thats part of the roll . .
 

Boz

Member
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Messages
8,851
Player
Iain Hume
I thought we were the better team in the first half v Macc, but totally lost our way after Cook's equaliser. It seems like Rovers were a lot worse yesterday, from the posts on here and the commentary I caught. Remain baffled as to why MM didn't make any changes in Tuesday's game and like the players appeared to throw in the towel, but credit to him for making tactical adjustments yesterday.

My view is that it's better for a player to miss a game on grass rather than being unavailable for three or four as a consequence of playing on it. Mellon had to make changes for this game, due to the left-back absences and after Tuesday, it was the right decision not to start with Tollitt. With Hughes possibly injured and Norburn suspended, we're a bit stretched in the middle. Duggan is too similar a player in style to Harris for that to be a comfortable pairing.
 

drwhoman

Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
2,658
Rovers may be going through a rough patch stylistically (MM admits this) but they need to keep winning as they did on Sat. I am sure the pitch did not help while MM was not enthusiastic about the officials! If Hughes is injured then I am sure he will bring someone in. Rovers cannot afford not to. Another season in the NL would of no benefit whatsoever to the club, it’s owners, its players and particularly the fans.
 

Ian

Super White!
Admin
Joined
21 Sep 2005
Messages
12,019
Player
Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Another season in the NL would of no benefit whatsoever to the club, it’s owners, its players and particularly the fans.
I think there’s a fair chance of that.

Admittedly the officials at this level are poor but the same for every team.
 
Joined
24 Jul 2017
Messages
4,185
Player
aldo
cant keep going on abt the officials we need to sort are selves out only 5 away wins says it all not good enough . except for the front 2 we dont score enough from other areas . are set ball play is crap apart from the odd free kick . we wast so much. again to only have one central mid player to score 5 goals is not good enough . and he is playing crap at the moment . we seem to deep and dont seem to know how to close other teams down . we also seem to be going more long ball .
 
M

Mal

Guest
cant keep going on abt the officials we need to sort are selves out only 5 away wins says it all not good enough . except for the front 2 we dont score enough from other areas . are set ball play is crap apart from the odd free kick . we wast so much. again to only have one central mid player to score 5 goals is not good enough . and he is playing crap at the moment . we seem to deep and dont seem to know how to close other teams down . we also seem to be going more long ball .

The team has the second highest number of goals scored in the division with around 50 percent from players other than Cook and Norwood (that is, around 28). Just lately, though they seem to have gone back to the long ball, although in the case of Macclesfield, that was because they were pressurised so they couldn't play out. I still don't really rate Davies above average even if he is our number one.
 
Joined
15 Mar 2010
Messages
13,870
Player
Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
Manager
John King
Boreham Wood's game tonight is off and I can't see ours going ahead on Saturday either. Temperatures due to stay below freezing all day tomorrow and no real improvement until the weekend.
 
Joined
1 Aug 2017
Messages
262
Player
Mungy's Hairdresser
Is a postponement so bad with potentially only one midfielder available? Also, any word why Gino & Cole were missing last Saturday?
 
Top