Rovers v Chester

[Sparky]

Can rovers make it 3 wins a row? At home to a poor side like Chester you would think so – but we all know they will raise their game for this mouth-watering clash.

Despite a club record last season for being unbeaten away, the home fans were often restless as their home form was dreadful in the second half of the season. It didn’t start well this season, despite Chester spending a bit of money by their standards on Norburns midfield partner at Macc last season Kingsley James, and bringing striker Ross Hannah back from an unproductive spell where the cumbrians had hoped he was going to fill Cookie’s boots.

Ex Solihull manager Marcus Bignot replaced Jon McCarthy a week or two ago and although they beat Maidenhead in his first game, a mid week home defeat to Woking has stalled things.

As for the rovers line up, Tollit will miss out so expect Mottley-Henry to start on one wing and CJ on the other. If Norburn misses out then expect Harris to partner Hughes in the middle – although Ollie will be a big miss IMO.

New signing McDonough will I am guessing be on the bench and there is talk we may bring someone else in today. Another pacey winger would be nice.

Prediction: 2-0 win for rovers to keep the run going.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

Interesting Chester perspective of Alabi.
Did we mistakenly sign his twin?

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chester-fc-fans-jury-james-13723077

As much as I'd love him to net against his of mates, if he does he's likely to have started instead of Cookie and don't want that!
Harris may be back if Norburn injured with DMH replacing Tollitt.
Be happy enough with that.
No games for the big boys and two wins on the bounce should swell the crowd a little.
Hopefully no repeat of last season.

 

[Ian]

Agreed we should keep the width with DMH and Jennings occupying the flanks.

I think confidence has risen a little with Nors and Cook getting on the scoresheet and I’m sure we’ll have our chances tomorrow. Not too concerned defensively but hope we stick our chances away.

2-0 Rovers.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am looking forward to this game but still a bit wary. Although we did ok on Wednesday we are without Tollitt, who I think gave us the spark that made the difference, and I won't be feeling confident until we have put a run of six or seven results together. There is no room for complacency tomorrow.

As has been said above, I think we will line up in a 442 with Mottley replacing Tollitt. Chester brought in a couple of decent players in the summer but are still a very limited side, albeit they will be ridiculously fired up for this match.

Prediction: Rovers victory in front of a crowd of around 6,500.

 

[Boz]

Pre-match interview, MM likes strikers, can't get enough of them, good for competition. Sadly, the interviewers didn't ask him about the lack of competition in other areas...

Chester will be very much up for this game, only to be expected with a derby. I would hope that our team selection features those up for a battle rather than shrinking violets, who'll shirk a challenge. Aside from Tollitt, the only other doubt is Mangan, who had to go to hospital after banging his head, with Norburn confirmed as fit. For that reason, I would like to see Harris in the side, but expect it will be a line-up as RLC suggests and McDonagh on the bench.

The referee is the one we had for Dover, so hope Norwood keeps his gob shut.

With it being Non-League Day and no Prem games, would hope the crowd pushes up towards 7k. Think we can win this, but it will be close.

 

[aldoes mustache]

Really gutted for ben . So unfortunate . It would of happend eney time . Lookin forward to this game mottley was great on wed lets hope we see more of the same tomorrow goin for a win hope cookie an norrs do it again .

 

[bigmart]

i am fairfly confident for this game get service to cook and norwood and we will win 2 0

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Same team that finished the game on Wednesday night. Mottley starts.

 

[Boz]

Actually quite a balanced bench for once. Turnout looks a little sparse for a derby, pretty miserable weather. Had a taxing journey to the ground so hope the team lift me today!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We sold 5,400 advance tickets and there are a lot of chester here. It will be a decent gate.

 

[Ian]

No great threat from Chester. Need to take our chances.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We have played well and completely dominated. Should be ahead.

 

[Boz]

Filled up a bit, but doesn’t feel as many as the Wrexham game.

It’s been a fairly turgid first half, not helped by the weather.Aside from a couple of good shots, one from Norwood testing the keeper, Rovers haven’t done much. Chester even less.

Talking point will be the Norwood booking for a dive. Hard to judge from my viewpoint, but Norwood walking a tightrope against an official who’s marked his card.Think I’d swap him for Alabi before he gets sent off.

 

[Ian]

Agreee about Norwood but I’d give him a bit longer. Seems to have calmed down a bit since the booking.

 

[Ian]

Same old problems I’m afraid. Simply not being able to put the ball in the net and we had plenty of chances to do so. It got a little bit desperate late on with shots from outside the area.

Overall play was decent and Chester came into it more in the second half but if we are to do anything this season we have to be beating the likes of Chester at home.

 

[Boz]

Disappointing. We had the chances, their keeper probably MoM, but Mellon made some odd decisions or non-decisions which didn’t help.

The crowd was recorded as over 7k, but didn’t feel like that, my usual rough guide is to multiply the equaliser draw prize by ten, which would have given around 6.4k. Maybe a few advance purchasers or season-ticket holders didn’t show up.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Apart from the first twenty minutes of the second half this was a good performance, let down by poor finishing. The overall standard of play was much better than the majority of games this season but, as Ian says, we have to beat a team in the bottom four at Prenton Park.

In the first half I thought we completely controlled the game. In midfield Norburn was excellent and Jennings better than his recent displays. On the right hand side Mottley Henry again gave us good width, beat his man on a number of occasions and put in some decent deliveries. He showed good maturity for such an inexperienced player. On the opposite wing, Ridehalgh got forward more than any other game this season. However, we were guilty of some awful misses, particularly Norwood, who worked hard and played well otherwise.

We started the second half sluggishly and seemed to lose our way. Chester started to enjoy more possession with Akintunde a nuisance down our right hand side. The game became too stretched for my liking and I thought we should have brought Harris on at this stage to shore things up a bit. However, Cook was replaced by McDonagh, probably correctly as he was having a poor game and failing to hold the ball up. Rory did the job of occupying their centre halves and we got back on top, but he looked very raw. Further missed chances followed, with McDonagh and Mottley both missing sitters. While Chester's performance improved after half time, Davies did not have a save to make in the whole game.

Overall I thought this was a decent display that should have resulted in a comfortable victory. However, we have failed to score for the ninth time this season and the gap to the top is now nine points. Without a run of seven or eight victories in succession we are not going to bridge that gap,

Individually, I agreed with the sponsor's choice of McNulty as man of the match, but I thought Mottley put in another encouraging display. In the second half Jeff Hughes was back to his best and drove us forward, even as Norburn and Jennihgs seemed less effective.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Disappointing. We had the chances, their keeper probably MoM, but Mellon made some odd decisions or non-decisions which didn’t help.

The crowd was recorded as over 7k, but didn’t feel like that, my usual rough guide is to multiply the equaliser draw prize by ten, which would have given around 6.4k. Maybe a few advance purchasers or season-ticket holders didn’t show up.

The crowd seemed spot on to me. A very good turnout.

 

[JKS]

Average performance against a very poor side in my opinion. Should’ve been home and dry by half time. They came to do a job, and will be made up to have gone away with a point.

The game was calling out for Harris to add some energy to the side after 70 minutes, the entire team looked shattered.

I’ll never understand Micky Mellon and his subs, to take off Cook when we needed a goal and bring on an untested young striker was a strange move. Cook was quiet, but always likely to score given the chance.

 

[drwhoman]

We have to remain positive but only Guiseley have scored less goals than us this season. Defence is good but......,