North Ferriby v Rovers

[Ian]

Lincoln finally off the top. Great win in the end. Should make for an interesting last 10 games.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Controlled the game from start to finish. Scrappy second half but two quality goals from us, particularly cooks. Delighted for Harris. Title race getting interesting......

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Very interesting match with a few talking points. I await RLC's fuller report.

Other points from tonight's games:
Lincoln have now gone four games without a win, although one was against Arsenal. But in the league, they have only won one of their last four. They now have four games in 11 days, starting with FGR and finishing with Dag & Red.
Louis Almond scored two cracking goals for Southport. Not bad, especially as they are in bottom place with little prospect of survival.

 

[drwhoman]

It cannot be easy psychologically for the Lincoln players. Big game at the Emirates and two weeks later - Borehamwood away! Not that we are complaining! Just have to keep winning!

 

[Sparky]

Just what we needed after Saturday's disappointment and once again the importance of Cook was underlined. Setting up Jay for the first and getting one himself. Anyone in the Kop who gave him abuse on Saturday should be ashamed of themselves. The big man becomes the first rovers player to get 20 league goals since Simon Howarth in 02/03. He is so important given our other misfiring strikers of late.

Was nice to see Dunn back in the squad (now signed until the end of the season), but thankfully we didn't need him and hopefully he'll be a bit fresher come Saturday after a few more days training. Nors will be disappointed he didn't score and for all the question marks against him, we know he is capable of a goal and is a danger when played in the middle. Plus he set up Cooks goal with a decent cross. Hopefully Dunn's return will mean Nors isn't put out on the left.

Apart from FGR the results went well and its all getting a bit nervy now. 10 games left, 7 at home. On paper we have a real chance but we've not been great at home recently. Braintree lost 1-3 at home to Woking last night so will be another opportunity on Saturday.

Well done lads.

 

[Ian]

Actually gutted FGR scored a late winner, but Lincoln and FGR are due to play each other soon and of course we play FGR soon. All to happen in April..

 

[Mal]

Lincoln play FGR this Saturday so will be interesting. Technically it is better if FGR win as long as Tranmere win outstanding games

 

[Sparky]

Just seen last nights goals. Good work by Nors for Cookies goal and well done Harris for following up the penalty.

Don't want to be critical but McNulty beaten again in the air by their defender for the goal. He made a great tackle though in the build up to our 3rd goal.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

A comfortable victory against limited opposition.

In reality, Ferriby were never in the game last night, even when they were one nil up (as strange as that sounds). We started the game brightly and the Ferriby goal came from a set piece, against the run of play, after a very harsh free kick was given against Ihiekwe. It was the only real chance and the one moment of quality they produced all game. I think our players have to take a lot of credit for the character they showed in responding to that setback. They could have got frustrated and started launching the ball, but they kept to the game plan and we went on to dominate virtually the entire game.

On a bobbly pitch ad with opponents who were determined to get in our faces, it was not a night for slick passing and the game was pretty disjointed. However, the scrappy play was interspersed with a number of quality moves from Rovers and we could easily have had more goals.

I thought everybody played well, but McNulty, Ihiekwe, Vaughan, Jennings, Harris and Norwood all had very good games. Norwood worked hard and played well and was unlucky with a shot early on that their keeper saved brilliantly, in addition to setting up the second goal. Jay Harris has to be man of the match for his goals, but I thought Jennings was our best player in general play.

Regarding the 'controversial incidents', the challenge by McNulty in the first half was definitely a foul, although I was not sure it was in the box. Swings and roundabouts though, as the freekick which led to their first goal should not have been given. In truth, NFU can't have any complaints about the scoreline as they were completely outclassed.

I am still not completely convinced we created enough for Cook with the 352, although today's signing gives us more options moving forward. After last night's results and with the run in we have, I think we have a great chance of the title. We just need to follow this victory up with six points from the upcoming home games now.

 

[Boz]

Thanks for the report, RLC. The impression given from the Wirral Radio commentary was of a fairly uncomfortable fixture, whereas you sound confident we'd win throughout. They called the McNulty challenge as a penalty during play and saw some footage at half-time confirming that view. There was another challenge early in the second half, which the commentators thought could have been an NFU penalty. Even when we'd got a 2 goal cushion, there was a spell when the hosts seemed more likely to get one back and Scott Davies seemed to be busier, though mainly mopping up and preventing attacks rather than shot-stopping.

If with the new signing we go to a 442, is there an argument for dropping McNulty, rather than Sutton, who seems to be the regular fall-guy? Buxton wasn't on the bench, according to an overheard conversation by one of the commentators, that he was too fat, while Almond seems to have shed pounds since returning to Southport. Is there a problem with our fitness regime?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If with the new signing we go to a 442, is there an argument for dropping McNulty, rather than Sutton, who seems to be the regular fall-guy?

Not for me. We have the best defensive record in the league, so to drop your most experienced centre half would be crazy in my view.

People greatly underestimate McNulty's leadership and organisation skills, not to mention his ability in the air. He is a very good defender.

Regarding the game last night, once we equalised I was sure we would win the match, so I am not sure where the nerves of the commentators came from. The danger for us was getting drawn into a hoofball game, but we kept our composure after going behind and avoided that. Ferriby were comfortably the worst team I have seen this season over the two matches.

 

[Ian]

The guys on Wirral radio do have a tendency to drift a little bit in games. Not quite as professional as Derek Jones but also not as annoying as Andy Doyle. Sounded pretty much plain sailing in the second half though.

 

[Boz]

I always think with McNulty we're guaranteed one daft error, sometimes costly, every game. Yet he seems an automatic choice. I can see the arguments for persisting with him, but don't think anyone should be allowed to become complacent about their selection.

 

[Sparky]

Like Boz I do think in most games Big Mac is likely to either be beaten in the air, as has happened a lot recently, or play some risky back pass instead of finding row Z. Plus we do have very good back up and competition at this level in Sutton.

I'd agree with RLC tho that for all his negatives now isn't the time to be dropping such an overall influential defender with his organisation and leadership skills (and current captain of course).

Its a close call but if going with 4 at the back I'd just about still stick with with Big Mac, but Sutton can feel a bit hard done by.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I have got nothing against Sutton, but his distribution has been really poor in recent games. However, it is never mentioned as all the scrutiny is on McNulty.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Just reflecting on Harris's performances under Mellon, and the form of Maynard before he got injured, I think the one thing Wallace's arrival did was lift the performance levels of those two players. So in that respect at least the Wallace signing had a positive impact.

 

[Ian]

I've never really rated Sutton but like RLC says, apart from his distribution, he's been quite solid this season. However, I wouldn't drop McNulty who is our best defender. He can play the odd lazy pass but is a solid defender. He also fits in with MM style of play as he's good with the ball at his feet and can play it from the back, something we cannot attribute to Sutton.

We have the best defensive record in the league, I think that pretty much says it all.

I really hope we can continue to bang in the goals and keep the momentum going into the last 10 games.

 

[drwhoman]

I agre with Ian. On an interesting but trivial point. Playing in blue shirts brought back memories of my first years supporting Rovers. As BBTC and others may remember we played in blue shirts until 1962 when Dave Russell decieded we needed an identity more separate from Everton and hence the white strip.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Supporters of slightly more recent vintage will remember the period 1981-87, when we also wore blue.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Yes, drwhoman, I still have my original blue and white scarf! In the Dave Russell era we played in an all-white strip, which looked great in the floodlights. In those days, most home games were played on Friday or Monday night. We looked just like Real Madrid, but sadly rarely played like them.