• 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.

Gateshead v Rovers

Sparky

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Phew! What a great result! We need to try and sign Tollit permanently!

Lincoln and Dover both win but defeat for Daggers and Ronnies Eastleigh again.

Plus another goal for Jake Cassidy
 

Ian

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Fantastic result. Amazing form under MM.
 

Boz

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It sounded from the commentary like we were hanging on a bit after an excellent early goal from Ben Tollit. Conditions a bit slippery. Wirral radio MoM was Jay Harris, they were also complementary about Wallace's cameo, but less impressed by Norwood, who seemed more selfish than usual. A good 3 points
 
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Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
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Scrappy one nil win. Very good for ten minutes, poor for the next sixty, then good again for twenty when we switched to 451 and Wallace came on. The worst we have played under Mellon, but another great result. Wallace was class when he came on. More tomorrow.
 
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Mal

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Scrappy one nil win. Very good for ten minutes, poor for the next sixty, then good again for twenty when we switched to 451 and Wallace came on. The worst we have played under Mellon, but another great result. Wallace was class when he came on. More tomorrow.
you could be describing quite a few of games under Johnny King there. Results are everything ;0)
 

Ian

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Well if we play badly and still win we are going places. Look forward to the report. Now caught up with FGR and league position looking very healthy.
 
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Alan King, Barry Dyson
A satisfactory result. As for the performance, I look forward to some more detail from RLC. With a few first choice players missing, you can't be disappointed with an away win against one of the league's better sides. We maintain our record of not dropping all six points to a team in the NL.

Lincoln had a great result playing with 10 men for over an hour. But FGR are faltering, Dag & Red have imploded since playing us and Eastleigh seem to be saving all their energy for the FA Cup. However, let's not get too excited as we are still barely halfway through the season. Things can change very quickly. Let's just say things are looking a lot better than this time last year when we were in the middle of the slump that dumped is out of both cups and ultimately cost us promotion.
 

Kelti5

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The person I went to the game with Hadn't seen Rovers since Aldridge played!! He wasn't impressed.
It was a poor game for us. After making a great start with a superb goal the first half gradually bogged down.
Gateshead looked dangerous down their left where we looked particularly weak. By half time our 1-0 lead was looking undeserved.
Second half Gateshead pushed us back and at times it looked like we could be overrun, again our right side looking vulnerable. Tbh a goal for them looked likely and would have been just deserts, Rovers looking out of ideas.
MM made changes bringing on Norwood, Wallace then Dawson. Only when James Wallace came on did we retake the middle of the park where we had lost control. In the end we finished comfortably enough to grab the points.
Although a poor performance credit to MM for making changes even if a bit late coming.
A now typical great winning goal and an encouraging return for James Wallace.
A decent turn out by S.W.A. although we had frustratingly little to cheer about. Gateshead International Stadium does little to encourage atmosphere, the pitch seeming miles away
 

Ian

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Thanks Kelti5. Wallace's introduction sounded very promising. Was MI struggling at left back? Might be time to move Hughes back there and stick Wallace in midfield.
 

Kelti5

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MI did not look comfortable from the start, at times beaten easily other times when trying to get forward was caught out. Like a few Tranmere players on the night he was guilty of wandering.
In contrast Wallace just has that knowledge, discipline, ability, whatever it is to get in position and time movement to greatest effect. He looked mobile enough and wasn't afraid to put himself about but only time will tell fitness wise.
 

Boz

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Thanks for the report Kelti5. The commentary suggested Ihky struggled with the attacking element of the right-back role. Though they didn't remark on it, sounded like we weren't attacking as much from the left with Hughes rather than Ridehalgh at left-back.
It sounded from MMs post
match comments that both Vaughan and Ridehalgh will be available for the York game.

Interesting call as to whether Wallace should start at the weekend and instead of whom? Jay Harris the suggested fall guy pre-match seemed to have a good game and it would be surprising if he was omitted on the back of it.
 

Sparky

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It shows the strength in depth in that even missing our first choice full backs we can keep a clean sheet. MM hints both should be back for Sat. Vaughan had a bug and Liam a hamstring strain that he could have played with but better safe than sorry.

Again it sounded like Harris played well who us maybe raising his game given JW is about. Nice for Dawson to get a run out albeit limited. Interesting that Cook was this time the one to make way for Norwood.

You would like to think the club are making enquiries about the possibility of signing Tollit permanently or extending his loan at the very least. Would be gutted if he went back in January.

Another good 3 points though ahead of York who apparently haven't own away for 34 games...a home banker you might say !
 

Cowshed Kid

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Often the rearguard one nil wins are more satisfying than the three nil strolls in the park and I think that was the case last night.
Clever words from MM regarding the size of the squad, keeping players happy etc. He said it was "only difficult if they're not good teammates or good club people which they are".
That makes it more difficult for a player to kick off about not being in the starting eleven without looking self centered and detached from the squad.
 
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I largely agree with Kelti's comments. After a very bright opening ten minutes, when Tollitt caused Gateshead no end of problems, the quality of our play gradually deteriorated and did not recover until changes were made in the second half. It was actually Jeff Hughes at left back who played the excellent through ball for Tollitt's goal, but I think we badly missed his presence in midfield last night. Without his composure and passing ability our play soon became ragged, littered with misplaced passes, and the diamond formation did not work. Maynard played at the base of the diamond but has not really got the quality on the ball for that role. All of that said, I thought Gateshead were barely any better for much of the first half and created relatively few clear chances, the only moment of quality other than the goal coming with a good link-up between Cook and Mangan where Cooky should really have scored.

In the first ten minutes of the second half Gateshead came out pumped up, while our performance actually deteriorated. There were a number of flurries round our penalty area and Davies had to make two or three good saves, but again, I don't think the opposition created many genuine scoring opportunities with most of their efforts from distance. As poor as our play in possession was, the back four stayed pretty solid and Gateshead did not really get behind them all night. The pattern of the game only changed when Micky ditched the diamond and brought Wallace and Norwood on in a 4-5-1. We finally began to retain possession and get control in the centre of the pitch, with Wallace looking the same player that left us two and a half years ago: his passing was excellent and he went in for two or three full blooded challenges and clearly was not squeamish about going in for a tackle. His lack of match fitness was only betrayed when he tried to go on a surging run through the middle of the pitch but was caught and tackled by an opposition midfielder.

On balance, I thought Gateshead deserved a point and we were slightly fortunate. However, for all their huff and puff Gateshead lacked quality in the final third and our back four stayed strong. We produced a quality move to score a goal which the opposition were not capable of, and the quality of our attacking players and the strength of our back four and keeper will always make us difficult opponents in scrappy games like this.

Individually, I don't think anybody was anywhere near their best, although I did not think Iheiekwe did as badly as some people are suggesting. Their left back was quick and attacked him several times in the first half. However, while Michael gave away a few corners and got in some last ditch blocks, I don't think he was actually beaten by him all game. Harris worked hard but was not particularly outstanding to me, and if I had to nominate a man of the match I would give it to the whole back four plus Scott Davies.

As Kelti says, it was a surreal experience watching a game in a cavernous athletics stadium with only 500 home fans. And the wind was bloody freezing.

In all, winning games like this without a number of our key players, and once again having been forced into changes through injuries, shows how far we have come under Mellon. Top of the league on Saturday if we win. Who would have thought that after the Sutton game ?
 
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Thanks for the report Kelti5. The commentary suggested Ihky struggled with the attacking element of the right-back role. Though they didn't remark on it, sounded like we weren't attacking as much from the left with Hughes rather than Ridehalgh at left-back.
.

We were not attacking much at all, which was more due to a lack of good possession in midfield rather than the full backs.
 

Boz

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We were not attacking much at all, which was more due to a lack of good possession in midfield rather than the full backs.
Moves can be initiated by the full-backs or the midfield can be supported by overlapping runs, options for an out ball from those positions though. It will be interesting to see how we line up at the weekend.
 
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Yes, I agree, but I don't think that was the reason why we were poor going forward last night. We just did not have enough good possession high up the pitch to allow the full backs to get forward.
 
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Mal

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as I mentioned, there were quite afew games where Johnny King's side played poorly but Aldridge was guaranteed to score or set up a goal. I think people forget the mundane games in favour of the dramatic ones.... It does seem to me that we have more players injured or suspended than used to be the case in the seventies to nineties. King's sides used to be relatively stable. Wonder if the change to slippers has caused more injuries! Or is it all the ballet type diving to gain free kicks?
 

Ian

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Good point Mal. Realistically we aren't going to play well in every game but as long as we come away with three points that's the crucial part right now.
 
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