• 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.

Rovers v Maidstone

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aldo
Gutted not to be there today. We head off on the 1st dec and arnt back till the 14 dec but at least im a happy camper now we have won are last 3 at home scoring 10 . Lets start doing it away now .mm has to leave mcnulty out for next game clark has to stay in 2 man of matches in a row . With dover and wrexham losing an mack drawing been a great day .
 

Boz

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Iain Hume
Excellent result and quite a lot of things for MM to think about during the fortnight without a game.
 
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An excellent, clinical performance from Rovers.

We started the first half very strongly and some of the football in the first twenty minutes in particular was great to watch. The opening goal resulted from a fantastic fifty yard burst from Eddie Clark, a wicked ball into the box and a poacher's finish from Norwood. Shortly afterwards, another great run from Clarke should have resulted in a second goal, but Cook was foiled by a good point blank save by their keeper. Cook's goal duly arrived minutes later after a trademark swivel and shot in the eighteen yard box.

Having gone behind so early Maidstone had nothing to lose and threw men forward, and with Rovers playing an open 442, we had a couple of scares, Davies making two good saves from Hines to confound his critics. In the second half I thought we sat off the game too much for 25-30 minutes, similar to Macclesfield in midweek, although we defended well and were relatively untroubled. The third goal when it arrived again resulted from a run and cross by Clarke, the Stones keeper punching to Norburn who finished with a terrific, controlled strike into the top corner. The fourth was another poacher's effort from Norwood after an excellent, dipping volley by Buxton from outside the box.

Individually, I thought Cook and Norwood were both back on top of their game, the former looking as sharp as he has all season, and also linked up well on a number of occasions. In midfield, Banks was calm and assured, doing the simple things well, and rarely giving the ball away. Adam Buxton was excellent once again. I thought Gumbs looked nervous in the first half, making a couple of errors, one of which resulted in a good chance for Hines. However, he settled down after half time and played well.

Man of the match, however, was Eddie Clarke, who has been a revelation. He overlapped superbly down the left hand side and also defended very well. I first saw him in the Youth Cup game at Everton last season, where he immediately stood out, and he looks way better than this level. Reminds me of the young Ian Nolan.

Up to the heady heights of eleventh place, playing with confidence and only eight points off top. We can dream can't we ?
 

Sparky

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Chris Greenacre
Apart from missing the opening half an hour as stuck on the M53 it was a good afternoon.

Nice to see Nors get back on the scoresheet and Cook doing the business again. You wonder how many more points we'd have if Cook had played all season.

Really liked the look of banks who is cultured and sat deep allowing Norburn to get forward who is capable of scoring as we saw. Agree with RLC that Clarke was very good (is he on a long term deal?) as was Buxton. Thought Sutton did well too plus Davies who made key saves which shouldn't be overlooked.

Given the visitors had won their last 7 games on the road and we made them look ordinary, this should give us confidence. A shame we haven't got a league game until 2 weeks time. Only one win but hopefully the start of a good run with plenty of winnable games ahead.
 
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I think Banks is out of favour at Oldham and I would love to sign him, but do we really need him with Hughes and Harris to return ? Plus, I am not sure we could afford his wages in the long term.

Our form has steadily improved since we switched to 442 and we are scoring and winning regularly at home now. As Sparky says, it is a shame we don't play for a fortnight. Macclesfield and Maidstone both looked pretty ordinary and we can definitely still achieve something this season.
 

Sparky

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I would definately look to sign banks if we could but agree with RLC that his wages could be an issue. Perhaps extending the loan deal may be more realistic than a permanent signing.

I think having 4 centre mids of Harris, Norburn, Hughes and banks would give us good cover and quality. Up until recently Hughes hasn't impressed me this season and Harris has a temper and has had his injuries plus we can't rely on Wallace and not sure Duggan is good enough.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
Agree with RLC that Clarke was very good (is he on a long term deal?)
Unfortunately not. Eddie signed an 18-month deal in the middle of last season, which runs out next June. So, we could lose yet another youngster on a Bosman at the end of the season if he chooses to run his contract down like most of our academy talent has done in recent years - Cresswell, Taylor, Power, Stockton - and probably Pilling too.
 
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Unfortunately not. Eddie signed an 18-month deal in the middle of last season, which runs out next June. So, we could lose yet another youngster on a Bosman at the end of the season if he chooses to run his contract down like most of our academy talent has done in recent years - Cresswell, Taylor, Power, Stockton - and probably Pilling too.
Still plenty of time to tie him down to a longer deal. He has only just broken into the first team.
 

Ian

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Yeah, he’s still very young and if we can give him games, I see no reason why we couldn’t extend. That was my first time seeing Clarke and he was excellent. Have us a great outlet on the left.

I thought we were excellent today. The first half saw some excellent play helped with Banks in the middle who keeps it simple but is good with the pass. Gumbs grew stronger as the game went on and I was really pleased with the effort from them all. Cook and Norwood worked really hard and DMH made some nice runs and kept things lively.

Feeling really positive after today. The gap really isn’t that big but we need consistency.
 

drwhoman

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Eight points off the top. As Ian says we need consistency and a good string of wins. No reason why we should not do this, I see McDonagh did not even make the bench today. Comforting for Cook!
 
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Interesting post match comments from MM: 'It is not about tactics, it is all about the players'.

A message both for players that he feels have let him down this season and the chairman I would guess.
 

Cowshed Kid

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Looking for a seventh away win on the bounce - they'd be five points ahead of us with a game in hand had they won, so they're no mugs, - that was a most accomplished home performance.
Agree with the raves about EC, he looks some talent. Not just his pace but his general unflustered play. Love Rides but it's no gimme that he'll get his place back.
Equally Gumbs looked as though he was a regular.
Was worried when Sutton was down just before half time (elbowed?) and McEveley didn't come out at interval to warm up. Thankfully he was ok. Thought he might have been captain today though perhaps he's not mouthy enough.
One of those games where you could go through the whole team and say something positive about each one of them.
Ollie was having a great run in with their 27 which the ref (again for a change above the usual pants standard) was aware of but just kept on eye on. Ollie made sure the 27 knew who'd scored and within minutes the 27 was subbed. Off you go lad!
Cookie and Nors are really getting an understanding. Some great interplay today and dispelled any suggestion that either is trying to outdo the other.
Shame that some of you have missed part if not all the game due to traffic.
 
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Shame that some of you have missed part if not all the game due to traffic.
Yes, you have got to feel for the Maidstone fans in particular. The club said 4,000 tickets were sold yesterday afternoon, so the gate was definitely affected.
 
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aldo
We where near the m6 junc adn didnt move till 430 was there fror best part 3 hrs . But enjoyed listing to the match on radio
 
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aldo
We need to get clark tyed down . Gumbs and pilling to aswell as mitch . We havent produced mutch . Apart from stockton for a long time . Last was Cresswell. So great to see the young ones getting games
 
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aldo
Realy happy for noors who gets some shit . And for the ever improving cookie who looks more like the cookie of last year . And its good to have Norborn scoring we need more goals from midfield . But Buxton and clark at last the backs are getting forward and putting in great crosses and getting shots of . Gonna be long 2 weeks . But all the little niggles should be cleared up. If i was melon i would get the boys to go on little hols for a week . Come back refreshed then ready to go . Oh well im gonna be on line while away . So might be late replying but will try hard so stay tuned in . Will have to do it when wifey in bed . She has said im band while away . I dont think so . Ha ha ha ha
 

Boz

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It wasn't perhaps as comfortable as the h/t scoreline suggests. Maidstone had a few decent chances in the first half and if we'd gone in leading 3-2 that might have been a better reflection of the action. There was a fallow period for Rovers at the start of the second half, although the bulk of the Maidstone attack was snuffed out before it reached our penalty box and I can hardly recall Davies needing to save a shot in that half. It didn't feel that we were defending significantly further forward though.The two goals near the end made for a pleasing final score.

I could understand the choice of Eddie Clarke as MoM. Excellent ball for the opener and he was also involved in the second and third goals. Defensively he was fairly tidy, though still adopting a narrow position, whereas on the right, Buxton was positioned on the touchline. A bit unlucky with the yellow card, seemed the ref had decided to caution the next Rovers player who committed a foul. He's an interesting back story too, excluded from school, but helped by alternative education arrangements to complete his studies and get the chance at Tranmere. I agree it would be good if we were able to get him tied down to another deal, longer term he looks capable of playing at a higher level.

Personally, my pick for MoM would be Adam Buxton. Some solid defensive work, he and Scott Davies encouraged Gumbs, the fourth goal came from a parry from his long-range effort and about 5 minutes before, he'd drawn an exceptional save from a long distance thunderbolt.

Just to mention two others. Banks is a great player to be able to bring in, entirely due to Micky's contacts, I understand. Did most things very well, though should leave the free-kicks in scoring range to someone else. Gumbs started nervously and there were one or two mistakes in the first half. However, he visibly grew in confidence with the help of his team-mates and even tried a bit of McNulty-style show-boating where he dummied their attacker before passing the ball on. He also kept their leading scorer Piggot fairly quiet. It was a game where there were no bad Rovers' performances, just different shades of good.

The crowd was a bit disappointing, probably dented by the M53 issues and feel sorry for the travelling Maidstone fans, as well as those Rovers ones who missed a cracking game due to the motorway problems.
 

Cowshed Kid

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Agree with Boz about Banks and Bucko.
Hughes is one of those players that you don't really appreciate until he's missing. But what a great replacement Banks has been though. Cool, calm, plenty of running and he hit a few today that could well have ended in the bag.
Tough call whether to send him back or extend his loan to detriment of Hughes and Jay.
Buxton is just an animal, opposition piss taker. So skilled, watching him glide past their wingers is a joy!
He hit a screamer that their keeper somehow got a hand to before doing the same for Nors second goal.
Plenty of effort from DMH but no end results. At least his head doesn't go down.
 
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DMH has gone off the boil in the last three games, but still works really hard for the team defensively. It is interesting that it was DMH's arrival that sparked the upturn in form, giving us width and pace. However, as the confidence levels in the squad as a whole have lifted, we are now still effective even in games where he is relatively anonymous.

I agree with CK's comparison of Banks and Hughes, the metronomes who do the simple things in midfield and keep the ball moving. Banks is not rated at all by Oldham fans who consider him a liability, which probably emphasises the gulf between this level and League One. It suggests we would have a chance of signing him though.
 

bigmart

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Ian Muir
Interesting post match comments from MM: 'It is not about tactics, it is all about the players'.

A message both for players that he feels have let him down this season and the chairman I would guess.

yet the tactics in the second half at Aldershot were down to MM so he needs to take some of the blame
 
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