Rovers v Braintree

[Boz]

Last season, Braintree were probably the best side to visit PP. A lot's happened since with the Cowley's moving onto Lincoln and taking some of the better players with them while star man Akinola moved onto league football at Barnet. They started the season, badly replaced their manager and seem to have turned things around, though a few wins short of guaranteeing NL status for another year. Their form has been quite erratic but lost their most recent game at home to Woking.Their side is a mix of experienced pro's like Barnard and Midson with loanees from league sides and promising younger players like Sam Corne who scored a worldie for Welling against us last season and leading scorer Michael Cheek.

Despite the additions to the squad it wouldn't surprise me to see the same line-up as at NFU with the new signings Sousa and Collins on the bench.

Prediction: Braintree don't have a large travelling support, while after an excellent turnout for the Trophy went away disappointed I'm expecting the Rovers crowd to be well down giving an attendance around 4.3k. Think we'll win this time round but narrowly.

I posted this before reading that Wallace was available. A cameo from the bench rather than straight back in the starting xi would be my preference for him.

 

[Sparky]

The bench alone will be interesting as you could potentially see 2 from Mekki, Mangan and Stockton not in the 16 if the loanees are involved.

I'll be astounded if Wallace walks back into the side (literally, as he didn't really run when he was playing). Hughes is a favourite of mickeys and Harris is undroppable after Tuesday so at best it's a place on the bench for James. But we can't be carrying passengers at this stage of the season and I fear he will be one if given any decent amount of time on the pitch.

Cheek is the danger man for the visitors but defensively they are not great. As others have pointed out, it'll be another test for whether we can create enough chances with the 5-3-2 at home with an expectant home crowd watching on in what is a must win game.

Prediction: a narrow victory which will do very nicely.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Apparently Jack Dunn picked up a bad knock in training this afternoon and is going to have an MRI scan, so he certainly won't be involved in this one........

As has been hinted at above, I would expect the same starting eleven and formation as Tuesday night with one, but perhaps not both of the new arrivals on the bench. I think anyone expecting a goal fest after the result on Tuesday will be disappointed, as it is certain to be a backs-to-the-wall performance from Braintree given the position they are in.

James Wallace's best performances this season were actually his thirty minute cameo roles off the bench at Gateshead and Wrexham, where he killed the game for us with his cool head and passing. I can see him playing a similar role for us in the run in but I would be amazed if he starts on Saturday. As Sparky says, we can't afford to carry anybody with underlying issues and hopefully MM appreciates this.

Prediction: narrow Rovers victory in front of a crowd of 4,500 - 5,000. Although last weekend was disappointing, the league table looks healthy again and I think the SWA will be feeling enthusiastic about Saturday.

 

[Ian]

Those midweek results were massive and definitely should bring a few more to Prenton Park. If like RLC suggests, Braintree go in defensive mode it could be a very frustrating game for the supporters, but we have to overcome this, and with the new signings and a couple of goals in midweek to boost confidence, I can see us taking home all three points in a convincing if not spectacular win.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

We should be confident but not complacent going into this one. I'd go with the same eleven to start. I wouldn't start with Sousa, who can't be match fit, so our best wide men are our full backs. The three centre backs allow the three midfielders to be more adventurous. Would Harris have scored a hat-trick in a 442 formation? I'm going for a 2-0 or 3-1 win, but I don't think it will be easy. A draw is not out of the question.

 

[Ian]

At least we have some options and flexibility on the bench.

 

[Ian]

Let's hope this 532 works out! Collins on the bench.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Yes, win essential after the lincoln result.

 

[Boz]

I was hoping the points would be shared at Lincoln. Collins replacing the injured Dunn on the bench, no sign of Wallace.

Turnout looks a little disappointing, given the decent weather. Wonder if the Liverpool legends game is taking some custom away, seemed to be a lot of red shirts waiting for the Merseyrail bus when I got off.

 

[Ian]

Another one-on-one missed by Nors.

 

[Ian]

Bit scrappy and getting drawn into Braintrees niggly play. Having said that we've had three very good chances and missed. Need to be more clinical second half.

 

[Boz]

We've had the better of the chances, Norwood should have done better with the early one on one, while a couple of times we've come close. They seem to be stifling a lot of the play and Cook hasn't been getting much service. At the other end a mix up involving McNulty and I think Sutton led to their best chance, but have looked capable. A niggly game with the regulation erratic refereeing, could go either way.

 

[Ian]

I can't see Braintree scoring. Well get more chances, just need to be more clinical.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Looks tight with not many chances. We need a break.

 

[Ian]

Well yet again Cook pops up with some much needed quality in front of goal. That was a lot more uncomfortable than it should have been.

At this stage of the season all we need are three points so we move on. 9 to go..

 

[Boz]

Quality finish from Cook, but thereafter lived dangerously and failed to put the game to bed. Another penalty taker needed after Hughes misses two in under a week.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Phew! It was tense enough for me just following on the Tranmere Wall. But the important thing is we got the goal and held on. Nine more one-nils and we'll probably go up.

 

[Ian]

Another penalty taker needed after Hughes misses two in under a week.

Yep, and they were poor penalties.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A game that was as tough as most of us imagined, but we ground it out and just about deserved the victory.

In the first half we had spells of decent football and created three or four good chances, with Connor Jennings prominent. However, our play was often disrupted by the niggling of the opposition and a succession of needless stoppages from a referee who apparently thought we had paid to watch him. That said, we should have been ahead at the break, with Norwood guilty of missing yet another one-on-one. This has become a bit of a joke now. I thought his all round game was good today, but with his pace and movement he is often going to find himself in those positions and he has to do better. In the build-up to the penalty, he sensibly took the ball round the keeper and bought a foul, and perhaps he would be better doing that more often rather than slashing the ball wide as he did after two minutes today.

The second half was scrappier. We started slowly and Cook's goal came against the run of play. You have to give Braintree some credit for throwing everything at us in the second period, although we battled and defended well, Ihiekwe knocking one effort off the line and Davies smothering the ball on another occasion. We did have further chances ourselves, however, and the win was deserved.

Individually, I thought Cook, Jennings and the two full backs had good games, but I agreed with the sponsor's choice of Jay Harris as man of the match.

There was good support from a slightly disappointing crowd today, and you get the feeling our supporters believe a title win is still possible.

 

[drwhoman]

Good result. Agree re the pen taker - Cook please although Norwood must might object! (LOL!) The latter might be playing at a higher level other than his failure with one on ones! He needs some advice on being calmer!