Daggers blunted

[Rockford's Love Child]

A well deserved victory, and an excellent performance other than our customary dodgy 20 minutes at the start of the second half.

I thought the first half today was as well as we have played all season, and the support the midfield gave to Showumni was cucial, with Weir and Labadie making several forays beyond him. We mixed our game up instead of playing stereotypical long ball nonsense. Cresswell put some great quality bals into the box, as he has done for many weeks now, and for once we took advantage of them. Akins was also excellent, and I was amazed at the quality of his performance if I am honest. Still undecided as to whether I would offer him a contract for next season however.

I thought Labadie and particularly Weir were excellent in the middle. I am feeling quite enthusiastic about the latter's signing now, as I do think he helps to improve the quality of our play through the midfield, and encourages us to keep the ball on the floor.

Dagenham were (fortunately) disappointing, not showing the fight and spirit I would have expected, and it seems their midweek ding dong with Brighton may have taken a lot out of them. They did improve in the second half when Savage came on to give them a focal point up front.

I think we are virtually safe now, when you consider the woeful form of most of the teams below us. It would take something truly calamitous for us to go down from this position.

The only negative note was Labadie's ludcirous booking for supposedly diving in the box, when the whole ground could see the Dagenham defender had caught his heel. He now misses three games, so I suppose it is just as well that our safety is (virtually) assured.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I'm surprised to be only the second post. Is everyone else out celebrating?

Seriously, this is a really valuable (and for me unexpected win). Particularly as it's our first home win this season against a team below us in the league. Although we stay in the same position, we are looking better as every team below us lost.

Full marks to Les for not doing the obvious and pandering to popular opinion by playing McGurk and Jennings. His selection and tactics were spot on.

 

[DIW]

We did well today and were clearly the better team. It was a shame we only went in 2-0 at half time as we could have put them right to bed.

As feared we did back off a little bit in the second half and whilst they didn't really threaten there was always the slight worry that one goal back would put the tails up. In terms of players, a good game for Enoch and Cressa who put some great balls in, Weir did well for about 70 minutes today and then disappeared completely. Labadie was unbelievably unlucky to get booked - it looked a stonewall penalty from the Kop. I don't agree about Akins. He had an okay first half and then demonstrated the pace of a snail in the second half. He's one to let go for me. Their MOTM was the kepper who was most entertaining throughout the second half.

Not quite as confident as RLC that we are safe, but it's looking ours to complete screw up now. Win on Tuesday and we'll be fine.

 

[Ian]

First chance I've had to come on since the game, but that was an excellent win. Really good performance overall. Played some neat football and in the first half there were some very good performances. Creswell put in a selection of quality balls and was excellent up to the point he was subbed.

Cursed when seeing Enoch up front on his own again, and there were times when a partner up front would have really made a difference, but the players coped well.

Daggers were disappointing and do think their efforts on Tues night might have effected their performance today. Warner was a spectator for most of the game and their shooting was woeful. But not complaining at all, I was just surprised.

Labadie's yellow card was ridiculous. Why go down when you've got a good opportunity to score. Stonewall penalty. Can he appeal against it?

Other than that, superb all round.

Nice to see Bas again sporting red hair and boots. To his credit, they improved a little when he came on.

 

[WildRover]

Think that we are safe now, I predicted a loss, i think the county game could be a 0-0, but i cannot see us going down now[-o<

 

[roverstillidie]

Great result today and a solid performance. Excellent performances from Goodison, Bakayogo and Showunmi in particular. If Goodison keeps scoring like he is, he'll end up as top scorer.

Not too sure about Labadie's booking, it probably was a penalty but he does dive quite a bit so he's had it coming.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Goodison had a great game? Fair play to him for scoring a goal, but he hardly had anything to do.

The peno claim was meh. It looked like Labadie had been caught but he went down like he'd been shot and I'm almost certain he could have stayed on his feet. It's not the first time he's been guilty of 'simulation' and Les needs to have a word.

First half was good, second half we surrendered the initiative a little bit but it didn't really matter. Some quality balls in from Cresswell throughout the game, and Joss - fouling and diving aside - had his best game for a while in the middle. Truth be told a lot of our dominance and spells of good football were thanks to the fact that we played against a very poor side today. Dagenham were awful.

 

[Rob]

Dagenham were the worst team that have come to PP all season. For all the people criticising them for their horrendous negative play, this is what we have probably looked like to other teams all season.

Really good first half and Akins put in a significant amount of effort which was nice to see.

Majoriry of second half was 10 man defence and sitting deep again which was dissapointing to see when they were there for the taking.

A win at Notts County on Tuesday and I think we are pretty much safe and we can start planning how to play to our strengths and not be a bottom 6 team next season.

 

[bigmart]

a fairly easy victory that should really have been by a bigger margin against a very poor team.

It was good to see us try to pass the ball around at times and not just launch it forwards.

I am certain we will be playing league 1 football next season.

 

[Boz]

49 points will NOT be enough to keep us up, though I'm fairly confident of getting the win or 3 draws from our remaining games, which ought to do the trick.

Sounds like a decent performance, especially in the first half. Was disappointed McGurk didn't get a start, it would do his confidence some good, following last week's winner. Presume Cresswell continued in left-midfield and Zoum at the back, like Bournemouth? Recent results suggest Dagenham to be on a bit of a roll, so expected they would have put up more of a fight, but maybe their midweek battle with Brighton took a lot out of them.

Of the four home league games I've missed this season, we've not lost any. Sorry, lads, I'm coming to the last three, though with that record, maybe I'm better staying away:-k

 

[Sparky]

Yeah Boz Cressa was in an advanced role with Zoom at the back - which I thought worked well.

1st half we played really well - looking dangerous all the time. 2nd half we dropped off a bit (as expected) but Daggers were really poor, apart from Bas who looked like he had toughened up a bit and held the ball up really well.

The best thing about this result is that although we're not safe yet (although I am certain we'll stay up now), is that Les can start building for next season (which he has already done in part by agreeing to sign Kay and Weir - the latter I thought had his best rovers performance so far apart from dropping off towards the end).

Well done rovers

 

[roverstillidie]

Goodison has got in the team of the week two weeks in a row now, http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10365~2341509,00.html

 

[Ian]

That'll be those darn goals he keeps scoring

 

[roverstillidie]

If he keeps going at this rate he's in danger of finishing the season as top scorer!