Hudds 2-0 Tramere

[SonkORLY?]

Fairly even game by all accounts. The only thing that really separated us from Huddersfield was that they had players capable of finding the back of the net. We certainly had enough chances to take something from the game. We kept the ball well and kept a good shape without it, with the widemen doubling up willingly and Max/Weir putting in a good shift in front of Welsh.

Their first goal came from a silly freekick conceded by Taylor (although it probably wasn't really a foul, and the ref was bizarre all game), and I feel that we could have done more to prevent the ball across goal for their second, but on the whole we defended well. Goodi and especially Buchanan were our two best players.

Welsh had an ok game in the middle, Max looked well within his depth and Weir was a threat on the counter and was involved in some neat passages of football, though poor decision making let him down at times. McGurk managed 70 mins or so on the left and looked a bit rusty but it's nice to have him back. Akins enjoyed perhaps his best game in a Rovers shirt - he took on a couple of shots, beat his man a few times and caused problems with his previously hidden talent for long-throws. He was also brought down for a very clear penalty at 1-0 which obviously would have changed the game had we scored it.

Enoch was awful again. If he's not fit, don't play him. Tiryaki made an impact from the bench and did more in 20 minutes than Enoch did in 70.

Not a disheartening performance.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with much of the above. We played well today, and probably deserved a point on the balance of play, which we might have got had it not been for some 'eccentric' refereeing.

I thought the two real turning points in the game were Akins' blatant penalty claim being turned down, and Clark's decision to put Roberts on after ten minutes. His left foot caused a lot of problems from set plays, ably assisted by a referee who gave Huddersfield a copious number of dubious free kicks around the box: other than set pieces we never really looked like conceding in the first half.

My man of the match was Max Power, who I thought was outstanding in possession for someone so young making their debut, and deserved to be chosen ahead of Labadie. Our next best players were Taylor and Akins, who was excellent today, particularly in the second half.

I agree entirely with Sonko that Enoch should not play until he is fully fit. It was noticeable how much the quality of the link-up play between midfield and attack improved after Tiryaki came on, as we did have a tendency in the first half to go long too early, with the result that our play was bitty at times and we didn't make best use of our possession. After Mustafa came on we kept the ball on the floor a lot more, and this also gave Weir the confidence to make many more forward runs.

We did well today considering the absentees, and we now need to make sure we pich up points from the winnable home games coming up this week, which we should be capable of if we play as we did in the second half.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Akins enjoyed perhaps his best game in a Rovers shirt - he took on a couple of shots, beat his man a few times and caused problems with his previously hidden talent for long-throws.

Yes, where did those throws come from ? Several of them were Challinoresque, and if anything were more dangerous as the ball kept such a low trajectory.

 

[Boz]

I predicted we'd lose by a couple of goals, no consolation in getting that right, though it sounds as though we were a bit unlucky. Though no shots on target is a worrying stat. Town fan I asked about the game thought we should have had a penno too.

Perhaps one of you lads who went could clarify who of McGurk or Power got the ball in the net only to be ruled offside?

I recall Akins put in some decent throw-ins when he was in the team towards the end of last season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It was McGurk who scored our off-side goal. The shots on target stat is actually wrong as Bennett tipped a long range effort from Welsh round the post, and is certainly misleading as we did have good chances in the game: Goodison blazed over from six yards, the penalty claim, disallowed goal, several headers from set plays which we should have done better with.

In fairness, it was noticeable today that our final ball let us down when we got into some great positions, most notably from Enoch when Max Power was clean through on goal.

 

[Ian]

Well we can't win them all and we were always going to struggle with some key players out. Really pleased for Max making his debut and a very promising one too! As long as we continue to play in this way, we'll have a decent season. Plenty of shots and were weren't outplayed which is a good sign as Huddersfield have some real good quality players.

 

[SonkORLY?]

It was McGurk who scored our off-side goal. The shots on target stat is actually wrong as Bennett tipped a long range effort from Welsh round the post, and is certainly misleading as we did have good chances in the game: Goodison blazed over from six yards, the penalty claim, disallowed goal, several headers from set plays which we should have done better with.

Zoum should have put one away too.

Did you get a programme? Was well impressed with it. Miles better than ours. Great stadium too.