Huddersfield - JPT (postponed, again?!)

[Ian]

OK, well, the final draws ever closer, but before we start dreaming of Wembley once again, we'll have to dispatch The Terriers in the Northern Semi final.

Difficult conditions this week coupled with injuries is giving Les a headache in the run up to the game.

Due to the arctic conditions outside, there's a pitch inspection on Tues morning, so the game might not even go ahead.

But if it does go ahead, don't forget to get wrapped up :cold: it's cold out there!

 

[bigmart]

the game will be off ive heard the pitch has been frozen for a few days and as temperatures will hardly rise above freezing its certain to be off.

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Looking forward to this game but not bothered if it gets rearranged - gives us time for a couple of the injuries to heal and given we have another big, long away trip on Saturday, hopefully no new injuries (although our players seem to be able to injure themselves almost anywhere these days...).

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If the game does go ahead it will be another seriously patched-up side, and without Encoh we will have to adapt last Tuesday's hoofball tactics.

While agreeing that common sense suggests the game will be off, non-league Droylsden played a cup game at home tonight in the shadow of the Pennines so maybe there is a small possibility of the match going ahead ?

 

[Sparky]

I'll be amazed if it goes ahead - the snow last night wont have helped. I wont be too bothered - cant say i am looking forward to it even if it is a semi given the weather, which would probably have put a lot of people off.

Pitch inspection at 9am so will surely still be rock hard.

 

[Rob]

Dont see why it shouldnt go ahead, Middlesborough played with the pitch half covered in white stuff at the weekend and there have been numerous other teams playing in poor conditions.

If it is called off it cant be because of the road infrastructure/transport etc because the weather is fine.

 

[Ian]

Well, it's off. Pitch is frozen solid.

 

[drwhoman]

TERRIERS POSTPONED

Good decision - last thing we need is more players injured on a dodgy ground. Staying in Div One is more important than the Paint (what a name!) Cup. As Tartantranmere says, will also give more time for injured players to be right for Saturday.

 

[Filed Under Rockford]

Bring On The Frost !!

It was always a safe bet tonight would be called off hence our request for an early pitch inspection.

Les may well complain about the frozen pitches resulting in our lack of shape training but I say bring on the cold snap.

We're currently missing seven players all of which will benefit from a lengthy break, the exception is Joss with his suspension but with any luck Exeter will be called off and one of his two remaining suspensions will still apply to the JPT.

 

[Ian]

OK, well here we go again. Pitch inspection at 10am. Due to Tranmere's high tech pitch covering which usually includes a few large dust sheets, I'm going to say it's off.

 

[bigmart]

yep its off due to be played next tuesday

 

[Boz]

Will this game go ahead tomorrow at the third attempt?

Assuming it does, hopefully Les will stick to a 442 like the second half Saturday. Enoch and ITM are doubts, some of the "coming back from injury" crew like Marlon and Ash were lined up for the reserves tonight. It seems unlikely that even if they come through unscathed, they'll feature v Udders.

I'd like to see us line up something like this.

Collister
Blanchard Wootton Goodison Cresswell
Ellford-Alliyu Power Welsh Jennings
Showumni(Akins) McGurk

In reality, Nielsen will remain in goal, Wootton at right-back, Grandison in central defence and Mantom will be in midfield.

Prediction 1-4 No confidence we'll get anywhere close, sadly.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I will be gutted if we go out with a whimper tomorrow night as this as massive game for the club, not least financially.

I would agree it is unlikely that any of those playing for the reserves tonight will feature, and my preferred line-up would be 4-4-2, with Blanchard at right back, Welsh and probably Fraughan in midfield and ITM / McGurk up front depending on availability.

Logic says we will get a heavy beating, based on recent form and our absentees, but we have lifted ourselves for big games in the past, even with depleted sides, and hopefully we can do the same again. I don't relish going into Christmas out of all the cups and with only a relegation battle to look forward to.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Strangely, Cathalina, Broomes and Mahon all played for the reserves tonight but not Taylor (wasn't even in the squad apparently). Does that suggest he could play a part tomorrow ?

 

[Ian]

I will be gutted if we go out with a whimper tomorrow night as this as massive game for the club, not least financially.

Completely agree. I really hope we can turn this around and get a home win we need after the last couple of disappointing games.

A win here would be a massive boost to the confidence and like RLC says, provides a nice distraction from the league.

Come on Rovers!! \\/

 

[Rob]

What are the seating arrangements and ticket prices for this match?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Have faith! I think we might sneak it 2-1. But don't bet on it!

 

[roverstillidie]

9-8 to Rovers... on penalties

 

[Boz]

Rockford's hunch about Ash Taylor correct, he starts in midfield. Zoum in for Cresswell, but Les persists with Wootton at right-back and Grandison in central defence, despite their shortcomings in the Orient game.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Tonight was not a vintage performance by any stretch of the imagination, but I am bitterly disappointed as we had a massive chance to get back in the game and blew it.

Although we struggled to create tonight, Huddersfield were nowhere near as dominant as in the league game last season, and early in the second half we were slowly working our way back in. The decision to let Aliyou take the penalty was baffling to me: he grabbed the ball like a youth player and the likes of Showunmi, Welsh and Goodison stood and watched. Surely a more experienced man should have taken a penalty of such importance ?

After that miss we had to push men forward in search of an equaliser, and got caught with the sucker punch, a clinical counter attack.

I thought Ash did ok given his lack of match practice, particularly in the second half. The decisions to drop Blanchard and Cresswell seemed utterly bizarre to me, unless they were being rested.

I must finally say that Neilsen's perfomance was utterly awful again. I think he was to blame for the first goal, caught in no mans land too far off his line, and his general handling was pathetic: flapped at every ball that came near him, often to almost comical effect.