League Two Northampton v Rovers

[Sparky]

Nevitt on for Lewis

 

[Sparky]

Double sub for the hosts including experienced front man Danny Hylton

 

[Sparky]

Hemmings with a poor finish not hitting the target after good link up with Nevitt

 

[bigmart]

Decent link up between Nevitt and Hemmings but Hemmings put his shot wide when should've hit the target

 

[Outoftowner]

He should have at least been on target there !

 

[Sparky]

He should have at least been on target there !

Yes it sums up his recent form sadly

 

[Sparky]

A yellow card for Doohan bringing someone down outside the box

 

[bigmart]

Northampton with very good chance win it but shot goes wide.

 

[Sparky]

A good point on the road and it depends how you see it. The hosts were the leagues top scorers so it’s a good result. Another clean sheet too plus it was without Simeu and turnbull of course.

On the other side, I think it’s now 9 league games without a win and another game without us scoring a goal. Frustrating when you see Harrogate score 4 and Stockport score 5 - both away from home. Neither away at Northampton thought to be fair.

Down to 14th - but winnable games coming up.

 

[bigmart]

A good point in isolation against a tough team but our poor goalscoring run carries on, we really need reinforcements in the forward areas in January

 

[Boz]

I thought we played fairly well, probably had the better chances over the 90 minutes and fairly fine margins. If the Hemmings effort had been deemed to have crossed the line, things might be looking slightly more rosy. now. Felt like it was an improved performance from Kane today, kept going the full ninety though, of course, a striker firing on all cylinders would have put at least one of his chances away. Morris concerns me, another very subdued showing from Kieron today. We were steady at the back, with Doohan's distribution and ball-claiming much improved from last season's game here, while Tom Davies looked imperious at the back and would be my MoM today.

 

[Ian]

That’s a good point all things considered. We really do need to start picking up more points though as it looks mediocre mid table finish at the moment.

 

[Sparky]

Morris has offered very little for weeks now. However Rhys hughes isn’t a winger and there is no competition for him

 

[ALDO MUSSY]

Think it's time to drop Hemmings a break yes today is a good point, but we have had this scoring problem for a season and more and it needs to change watching this with the club increasing ticket prices is not going to get more people through the gates but again as I said a very good point today we need to play like it more but we need the front players to get their fingers out of there arses and start doing their jobs

 

[drwhoman]

Think it's time to drop Hemmings a break yes today is a good point, but we have had this scoring problem for a season and more and it needs to change watching this with the club increasing ticket prices is not going to get more people through the gates but again as I said a very good point today we need to play like it more but we need the front players to get their fingers out of there arses and start doing their jobs

Fair comments AM but the strikers are simply not good enough and we get few goals from elsewhere. A mid table season unless we make at least one miraculous signing inJanuary. I assume that our crocked strikers are nowhere near returning. With hindsight, poor signings. It is very cosy for the likes of Vaughan to slip back to their original clubs, probably for more money and an easier life.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I thought we played well, created the better chances and should have won the game. As at Burton a couple of weeks ago, so much of our game was good and I think we are a decent finisher - or a fully firing Hemmings - away from being a good side.

In the first half Northampton had a lot of possession and pressure, but we defended our eighteen yard box well and restricted them to scraps. At the other end we always looked an attacking threat and had by far the better chances: there was a good save by their keeper from Hawkes and an excellent double save from Hemmings and Lewis, which we should have finished.

In the second half Northampton ran out of ideas and we were clearly the better side. It said it all that the hosts made five changes, none of which gave them any kind of attacking momentum. In the final twenty minutes it was Rovers who were pushing to win the game and further good chances went begging: Hemmings poked wide after a good move and an excellent cross from Bristow should have been attacked and finished. I agree with Boz that Doohan's handling and positioning was generally sound, but he literally had no difficult saves to make all afternoon. The Northampton fans I spoke to on the way back to the train all commented that we were the better side and their keeper kept them in it: Burge won the host's man of the match award.

Individually, I thought Morris was back to something like his best and played well, and Cogley and Merrie both had decent games. His finishing aside, Hemmings had his best game for a few weeks and his link play and movement was very good. His hearty applause of the fans at the end of the game suggested that he had enjoyed himself, which is a good sign in terms of his confidence.

Byrne did ok at centre half, but Davies was absolutely superb and a one-man defence for much of the afternoon. The clear man of the match.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Morris has offered very little for weeks now. However Rhys hughes isn’t a winger and there is no competition for him

I thought Morris played really well today. His first touch and awareness of those around him was superb, and he was involved in most of our attacking moves in the closing stages.

He missed the whole of pre-season but is probably getting back to match sharpness now.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks for the report RLC. Good to hear Morris had a good game as I think he’s been quiet the last few games. I still think we need some competition in the wide areas though

 

[bigmart]

Fair comments AM but the strikers are simply not good enough and we get few goals from elsewhere. A mid table season unless we make at least one miraculous signing inJanuary. I assume that our crocked strikers are nowhere near returning. With hindsight, poor signings. It is very cosy for the likes of Vaughan to slip back to their original clubs, probably for more money and an easier life.

But it wasn't in hindsight, Mumbongo had poor injury record and Glatzel even worse

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thanks for the report RLC. Good to hear Morris had a good game as I think he’s been quiet the last few games. I still think we need some competition in the wide areas though

In terms of competition for places, I don't think it is a coincidence that Tom Davies was so good yesterday. He knows he has to be at his very best to stay in the side with Simeu and Turnbull waiting in the wings.

However, that is not true of the wide players or (particularly) the strikers.